EARTHQUAKES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 403, 12 January 1909, Page 6

EARTHQUAKES.

THE DOMINION'S RISK,

THE NEW PLANET. Fearful and mysterious to most people are earthquakes; to Mr. Clement • Wragge, the well-known meteorologist, they are fearful, but not mysterious.' In an interview with a Dominion representative Mr. Wragge, who has come to New Zealand on a lecturing tour, gave some interesting information' on' this subject. ~ • "If-we would arrive at a solution in Tegard to the occurrence of earthquakes,'' said Mr. Wragge, . "we must consider the main dynamo that controls our little solar system, and that dynamo , is, of course, the .sun. Wo know perfectly well that the sun is a second-class variable star, subject to maxima and minima movements of disturbance. The maxima movements represent the - greater presence of so-called sun-spots—gigantic solar cyclones uj) to 70,000 miles in diameter, and; the minima movements are' noted, when there are storms iu the sun, but not to the same extent. "While the sun is subject to these tremendous periodical outbursts, all around the solar cyclones and, from the sun's edge leap great hydrogen flames—from 60,000 to 324;000 feet : in height. The maximum height noted,- 324,000:.feet, was observed and measured at the Oxford Observatory last ' year. Forked flames are sent out in every direction, which may be likened to the; antennae, of a Marcopi installation,, and as the Marconi-in-stallation flings off vibrations of,'ether, and instruments that are in harmony with the installation respond, thus giving us the marvel of wireless telegraphy, so'the vibrations of ether on an enormous scale,-are flung'off by the great hydrogen flames and storms in the sun. ' These etheric vibrations . permeate the whole solar system,, and as all the planets once formed part arid parcel of the sun;-they are in natural -harmony with it, and respond, 1 and'.' the., vibrations' ~of - ether; from the sun. control. the .- .inherent _ forces of this iearth. The'connection is as'intimate, between the : sun,-this-earth,. and the othermembers of the : solar system-by the ..ether i which -links up-everything' in the. universe, as. is the connection between telegraphic- instruments in this - city and 'in Auckland. There, are forces in this, very room locked up which, if you could liberate and utilise them,' would'. upset the whole 'of -Wellington.' ■ ; ; •:'" , " We . now .know that, all .matter 'is oelectric; . Those/ portions of : the .earth where its surface is weak, such, as the earthquake regions, are the very first to respond to . certain storms 'that break out iiy some .regions 'of the .sun that are .more, active, than .'others, especially, when they are tangental to the lino of force. On 'board the Aparima, coming down.from "Auckland to Wellington, I pointed out to the" officers two storms' in the "sun, oach. 30.000 miles in: diameter, at least. 'Undoubtedly tliey were the cause of the. Italian earthquake.' • "'How is 'it, ymi .will ask', that we do not have an earthquake every, time we see these sun-spots?-. .Because the line of force from the sun may.ndt'be.,direct.''' Mr.- Wragge'explaincd.how; - if : - the .moon' is. in.line- with the sun,\ its : action- is added to the sun's- action, and there arc two forces at.: work, , as', was', the. case during : the' Italian earthquakes. ? ' -A- Kindly Hint ; The meteorologist would- riot , discuss .the chances of- a disastrous, earthquake .. 'visiting New "Zealand. , He expressed' his carefiil ''-.in* tontiori not ..to' say. alarming: things of, that kind. ~' He 'added,. hoVeverNew Zealand is an: earthquake' region, so tha,t fore-warned. is forearmed.,", Though .we, -may -admire- fine architectural effects,, if people :will'.not, bring themselves into harmony ■ with : cosmic 'law,. ,which- is';the. law of the' Most High, as Oliver Lodge /so . aptly , .calls Him, .they -must expect, .to .. suffer.''-.Mr. - Wrapcge : . commended, 'the prudenco ' which ' had.' conthe; ■ Government Buildings, and other edifices, in this . city of -iwood; He stated that, a ,ma_n had asked , him the ancient,, foolish, question: Why did :an ; 'all-: wise Godpermit-such a.-,catastrophe as the Italian earthquake? : The answer was that, knowl<{d<ro was power,' and. to a,great.extent the, theJSlessina;, Straits, had/been responsililoVfor, their.' "fete. ■; It was .well known, that; their . locality was. a dangerous one. 'jiind ,he, .could -.not for th? llife, of-.him understand how:an, educated people,; after, two: successive earthquake calamities, .should great sums of money in- rebuilding Messina. From the scientific point of view, it was ridiculous'- ' 1 (For any 'sane man' ; to -go dead into the teeth, of. God Almighty's laws was an absurdity. - To master. Niitijro's laws we must put ourselves in harmony with them; ' then Nature would he the gentle, nurso, and not the tyrant.' ' \

Tho Now Planet Mr. "Wragge xhs naturally much interested in' the'' discovery l of , the "new planet, and stated; that' ho would not bo at all surprised if. the planet Vulcan, which had been' supposed : to' exist - between' Mercury and : the ,'sun;' was ultimately discovered; While nothing was 'impossible in nature, it was 'difficult to . conceive that there icould bo a planet further from tho sun than'.'the covered planet; which' is beyond the-limit of- Neptune.'; ' j Mr. .-Wragga also vspoke: on the subject of weather forecasts, rererrin" to .the' alternation- of 'phenomena in the northern" arid southern hemispheres. He claimed that l he had successfully predicted .the breaking of the drought in India ' and great' -floods' in' Hyderabad and elsewhere. I'ho next Australian drought would probably not'' be so severe as the last, but there was no doubt that ;the. causes of.; the' drought -. were in motion, and that it would be felt in/due course.'-..'' '■• ' " . .. : It was probable that with the'increase of human' knowledge we should .be able some day to. predict earthquakes with the same'ac-: curacy with which-climatic phenomena could now be-foretold years ahead. At Hawera, reports a Press' Associationtelegram; a sacred 'concert in aid of the 'Italian disasterfund,.realised £20.