FORETOLD EARTHQUAKES

Evening Star, Issue 18533, 16 January 1924, Page 4

FORETOLD EARTHQUAKES

SEA CAPTAIN WHO WAS REGARDED AS A SEER, Cajjtain Alfred J. Copper, for many years in the service of the Pacific Steam Navigation Company, and who earned widespread renown for foretelling the Valparaiso earthquake on the basis of his " solectrio theory,” died at the homo of his son-in-law in Sheffield, and was buried in November at Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire. Ho was nearly eighty years of ago. MAH STEAMER’S LONGEST RUN. Pie was one of the masters engaged by tho P.S.N.O. when the company started the Orient Line to Australia, with sis steamers, and he commanded the John Elder, then the largest steamer going south. When _ the old Oruba met with a mishap, Captain Cooper was put in charge of the Liguria, which was ordered out by the marine superintendent in Liverpool, freighted with coal, but without passengers. After calling at Las Palmas she made a straight run to Sydney (N.S.W.), which to-day is probalfly tho longest single run made by a mail steamer without calling at an intermediate port. His last command was the Oriana, sailing from Liverpool, and ho retired about seventeen years ago. WANTED TO LYNCH HIM. Tho solectrio theory associated with his name was tho result of observations he made with reference to storms and seismic disturbances, and their apparent relation to tho position of the sun and other heavenly bodies. Ho reached tho conclusion that the planets were “in league with the sun,” as ho put it, and were exerting their influence in conjunction therewith. He foretold with accuracy a number of serious disturbances, but his forecast at Valparaiso was his, outstanding succes. At the time he made it there seemed a likelihood that it would also be the last ho would bo permitted to attempt, for his prophecy aroused much alarm and anger, and there was a demand that he should: bo lynched. Upon his return from Callao, after the earthquake, however, he was lionised and banqueted as a seer, and from that time hia solcotrlo theory has been /reated with respect.