250 
MAGAZINE OF SCIENCE AND AIIT. 
in? mountains, the expanding force of heat over¬ 
comes resistance, and to atmospheric explosions so 
caused may he attributed that hitherto unknown 
power, the devastating and terrifying earthquake, 
to which Artesian wells, as an exhaust pipe, would 
ever prove a sure and patent safety-valve. In 
making this observation it must be admitted by the 
most sceptical that it is not entirely void of reason ; 
it is produced by heat in wood and rock, and are not 
the same ingredients iu the bowels of the earth 
ready at any moment to produce similar effects ! 
In Jact, from all we know of such shocks it is fully 
borne out and substantiated. The trembling of the 
earth and low rumbling sound can in no other 
way be more satisfactorily accounted for than by 
the expanding power of pent-up air overcoming 
resistance and bursting the dividing walls of other 
caverns; its silence accounted for by the fact, that 
sound is entirely indebted to atmospheric resist¬ 
ance, and, therefore, though the power may be very 
great where there is no atmosphere to resist, there 
can be little or no sound. 
I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient 
servant, Lewis Makkham. 
Armidale, April 21,1858. 
MR. T. W. SHEPHERD’S REPLY TO ROBERT 
MESTON, ESQ,, ON THE PASTORAL INTE¬ 
REST (ALL RIGHT !) AND GENERAL EX¬ 
HIBITION OF LIVE STOCK. 
When one man accuses another, not merely of 
censuring, but of censuring harshly, and with a 
want of urbanity, the accuser ought to feel quite 
certain that he finds sound cause for laying the 
accusation. In a paper by Mr. Robert Meston, 
entitled as above, read at our March meeting, I 
am thus accused, and I will now, with your per¬ 
mission, endeavour to show that the writer has 
failed to find sound cause for the accusation, and 
that therefore he has placed the cap which he 
intended for another upon his own head. The 
following is Mr. Mestou’s complaint:— 
“ When one man accuses another, not merely of 
committing a mistake, but a great mistake, "the 
accuser ought to feel quite certain that he finds 
sound cause for the accusation.” 
“ Ur. Meston is censured by Mr.T.W. Shepherd, 
at the thirteenth monthly meeting, of the Horti¬ 
cultural and Agricultural Society, for committing 
a great mistake, hv stating in a paper entitled 
“ Agricultural Associations and Improvement 
Societies,” read at the twelfth monthly meeting, 
“ that it was to be regretted that Pastoral Interests 
had been omitted in the Society’s plan, and more 
especially is thrown overboard W the prospectus of 
your Sydney Magazine.” 
“ The term great mistake sounds rather harsh ; 
the adjective might at least have been thrown out.” 
Further on Mr. M. says:— 
“ Out of this error in judgment good may yet 
come, and our friend T. W. S. is to be cojnmeuded 
for setting the pastoral interest right in this parti¬ 
cular, although the manner was not (!) scarcely 
over urbane to an absent member.” (Probably 
the “not” is an enor of the press.) 
Tt appears that my great fault lies in using the 
adjective great before the noun mistake, and that 
without showing cause; and in the absence of the 
member. In the first place, the remarks com¬ 
plained of were made without forethought; and 
made extempore at the meeting. I may or may 
not have used the offensive adjective, but granting 
the reporter to he correct, I cannot see that by 
using instead the adjective small, iu its superlative 
degree, I should have been a spec more urbane, or 
an iota less harsh. But if our worthy friend thinks 
differently, I am quite willing to withdraw the one 
and substitute the other, so that we shall then have 
it the very smallest mistake imaginable. I have 
also yet to learn, for Mr.M. has not convinced me, 
that by, in a friendly manner pointing out to the 
writer, or to the hearers of a paper read, that on 
some point put forth, he is mistaken, is censure at 
all. Were it my own case, I should, most cer¬ 
tainly, esteem it a kind favour. Well, now let us 
see what this smallest of mistakes was, and whe¬ 
ther I was justified in using the word mistake at 
all, and as the discussion will apparently enlighten 
Mr. M. and some of his pastoral friends with 
regard to the “ plans” of this society, and thus set 
us right with those (if any) who like Mr. M., 
imagine that the improvement of pastoral concerns 
is entirely thrown overboard by us, I feel confident 
that you will permit me to occupy your attention 
for a few moments longer. 
The first rule sets out, “ that the objects of this 
society shall be the encouragement, improvement, 
and developement, of agriculture, and horticul¬ 
ture,” &c. Mow I would ask, taking the general 
acceptation of the word agriculture—Would not 
the very first rule of the society he broken if pas¬ 
toral interest were “thrown overboard?” Was 
there ever yet a society, calling itself agricultural, 
which ignored the importance of improving pas¬ 
tures and stock ! And as further showing that 
the pastoral interest is not omitted iu the plan of 
the society, the 3rd clause of the same rule says, 
“ Institute exhibitions at which prizes shall be 
awarded for superiority in all kinds of produce 
stock and manufacture.” 
This will show, at all events, that as far as the 
plan of t ie society is concerned, the pastoral in¬ 
terest is not thrown overboard or omitted. Fur¬ 
ther, I would ask Mr. M. to point out what way 
the pastoral interest has been neglected in practice 
by the society, or whether any other branches 
have had an undue share of attention from it. 
It is true, indeed, that no shows of stock have 
yet been held, but for this the Council have over 
and over again expressed their regret and inability, 
from want of funds, Src. Besides the “ pastoral 
interests” keeps their support in pockets, not more 
than ten per cent, of so many of the members of 
the society coming under that head. It is also 
true, that periodical exhibitions of produce and 
machinery are held in Sydney, but these are con¬ 
sidered more than self-supporting both directly 
and indirectly. And it would surely be curious 
logic, to do away with all exhibitions because we 
are unable ptoperly to get up a cattle show. One 
stock show, properly managed and well filled, 
would swallow the gross income of the society for 
two years. I am one of those who think that the 
monthly meetings have been the most successful 
operation of the society up to this time; and at 
these I maintain that the pastoral interests has had 
more attention paid to it than any other of the 
society’s objects, and if not one paper had been 
read bearing upon pastoral pursuits, no one has 
any right to complain hut the society, which pro¬ 
vides the room, the light, the audience, and the 
publication. If the soeiety invites, as it is con. 
stantlv doing, the attention and assistance of gen¬ 
tlemen connected with all the branches of agricul¬ 
ture and fail to find it in one, who is to blame! 
Who, I ask, Mr. M.’s friends, or the like ? 
