THE LATE EARTHQUAKE.

Grey River Argus, Volume VI, Issue 434, 24 October 1868, Page 3

THE LATE EARTHQUAKE.

The Westport Star of Monday gives the following particulars regarding the recent fhocks of earthquake which visited the coast on Monday morning : — The inhabitants of Westport had had, for several days, incidents of local excitement in the disasters which were caused by floods in the Buller, and wrecks caused by the storm at sea. This morning, shortly after midnight, there was a fresh source of excitement, and of some amount of alarm. There was an earthquake — at first a mo3t decided quake, and afterwards two sharp shocks. There are various statements as to when the first vibration was felt, because various times are kept by various persons' watches in Westport ; | but the observations of a number of people who noted the time coincide as to its being about eight minutes past twelve j o'clock when the quake was first felt. The quake lasted about a minute. The estimates made range from a minute to a minute and a half. There was a peculiar trembling of the ground, and of all objects upon it, such as is felt on board a s;rewsteamer at the point of starting, or when the screw is raised out of water by the lift of the sea. During this trembling, there were also several distinct upheavals. There were very few people in town who did not experience the sensation. Many of those who were asleep were awakened by it, and those who were fully awake were, not unnaturally, rather alarmed. No tyave of any great size arose. It is stated, however, by those who were near

the river at the time, that there was a sudden fall of two or three feet in the level of the stream, and a rise as sudden. It was about the time of high water when the earthquake occurred, and there was a considerable surf on, with a strong breeze blowing, accompanied by occasional showers. From the time of the quake, however, there was a sudden diminution in the noise, an almost perfect calm, and a strange, painful stillness. For a few minutes it became also intensely dark. It is hard to say from what direction the quake came. Gazaliers and lamps depending from roofs vibrated north and south ; but clocks, which were fixed on the wall north and south, ceased to work, while others, with their pendulums going 'enst and west, did not stop. Goods on shop shelves shook and tumbled down. Walls of houses creaked. Doors opened. Many objects were in the morning found displaced. Even a billiarf-'able was found to be half an inch off the level. The streets, deserted at the time, were soon as busy as on a Saturday evening, by persons moving about anxious to know if their neighbors had felt what they felt, if their neighbors knew anything more abont tidal waves than they did, and if their neighbors would have any objections to take a glass of beer before going home. With regard to the latter particular there was great unanimity. The second quake, or, rather, shock, took place at a quarter past twelve, and there was another about one o'clock. Since then there has been no repetition of the motion. At Addison's Flat, and at the Caledonian, it is said that the earthquake was felt more severely than at Westport. Regarding the shocks, as felt in Hokitika, Mr South supplies the following memoranda to the West Coast Times :— Lieut. Saxby's predictions of great disturbances in the earth's crust- -e'eitrical phenomena, and high tides, to bo expected on the 18th of October, were verified as to the first of these prognostications by the occurrence here at midnight of three successive earthquake shocks, varying in intensity, but each of that d scription known as undulatory. The first perceptible vibration commenced at twelve minutes past midnight, and lasted about twelve seconds, as near as I could judge. During this space of time the vibratory motion was continuous — the first shock the most apparent — and then gradually subsiding. At 20 minutes past midnight the second shock occurred, being the greatest in intensity of the three. This was accompanied by a decided undula l ory motion, as was directly observable from all parts of the house creaking. Articles in the rooms were in a swinging motion ; the pendules of some lustres on one of my chimney-pieces rang together so violently as to cause sounds like the ringing of bells ; glasses were jumbled together ; and a brick chimney in my kitchen, of great solidity, was cracked where no fissure existed before. The sensation when sitting up in bed was precisely as if a strong man was heaving it up on his back. This second shock appeared to me to last at least six or seven secQnrls. The earthquake wave was perceptible from the N.E. to the S.W.— the first uplifting at the N.E. corner of the house. At this moment 1 went out in the open air, and perceived striking indications of electrical disturbances ; cirrus clouds were passing each other at right angles, until they speedily became collected together in heaped masses of cumulus cloud — then again into dense horizontal strata, at which latter point- the appearance was most striking. The firmament was intensely purple, and the Magellan clouds thrown out in the. brightest relief. During this time I could perceive no sound whatever, although vibration lasted a few seconds. At fifty-two miuutes after midnight the undulations recommenced, but with less intensity, although several articles on the walls swung, this lasted gome seven seconds, I marked a striking peculiarity in the second and most severe shoek — not generally occuring in the description of earthquake known as the undulatory one — namely, that of a sudden upheaval, and then a thrust forward, being a complication producing a mixed motion, not usually occurring in this species of earthquake, but rather in the two more dangerous kinds, namely, in the perpendicular and horizontal kinds. The probable depth at which the paroxysm originated I should estimate to be very great, but have ftreat fears from the exceptional nature of the second shock that the other extreme point of distance, probably being on the west coast of South America, would be affected to a frightful extent. A comparison of certain earthquakes with a view to determine the relative frequency of the different kinds, and any law or order that governs them, I am unable at present to communicate.