EARTHQUAKE PANIC.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 113, 11 May 1909, Page 2

EARTHQUAKE PANIC.

CURIOUS SCENES IN SPAIN

One day last month news reached Alicante (Spain) from outlying towns of the provinces of Alicante and Castillon de la Plana saying that thousands of people had deserted their houses and slept in the open air owing fo fear of. an earthquake. The ignorant peasants were terrorised as several blind singers who go about the country demanding alms were singing popular songs predicting the destruction of the whole country by the sea and an earthquake. These picturesque reports show the simple mind of the peasants. The authorities tried to put a stop to the panic, but all in vain. The Alicante hotels were empty, and the churches were deserted, people fearing that the earthquake would occur while they were inside_. The panic was increased by the hurricane which prevailed for several days and the heavy sea.

The panic one day assumed such proportions that a well-known lawyer, Senor Edouardo Berruti,' wrote a let-

ter to Mr Marchand, director of the observatory on the Pic due Midi, imploring him to issue a bulletin for the purpose, of calming the agitation. Mr Marchand replied:— "Ask your countrymen to quiet themselves. . I indicated the dates of 20th February and 20th March as possible days on which to expect earthquakes. As a matter of fact, there was a slight shock on the former date, but there is no ground to fear that a shock is likely to happen on the latter date, and also no reason to think that if the shock occurs it will be strong and dangerous. It is impossible to predict the places where earthquakes may occur. The only secure fact is that earthquakes can only occur within a circle comprising the Mediterranean, Antilles and Sunda Straits, or in another circle comprising Peru, Central America, California, Japan, and the islands in the Sunda Straits. The total surface of these vibrating regions is 100,000 times larger than Malaga,- Murciaand Alicante. Therefore, the probabilities are one against 100,000 that the earthquake will occur at Alicante on 20th March. "All one'"may expect are merely slight shocks which might occur between lbcii and 19th March, following upon other shocks a little stronger, but there is no reason to expect the end of the world. Everyone should, therefore, be calm." The papers published this letter, which was also printed and posted up as a proclamation to reassure the population. Special copies were also sent all over the outlying country near Alicante. The "proclamations" were stuck up like theatre posters, whenever it was possible, on walls, in the streets, and outside shops, but all to no purpose, as the letter seemed to increase instead of diminishing the panic, and people continued to desert their houses and sleep in the open air.