GENERAL SUMMARY.

Marlborough Press, Volume IX, Issue 607, 2 September 1868, Page 3

GENERAL SUMMARY.

On the loth ult., Picton experienced n. very strnng’e tidnl occurrence, which naturally was noticed by many persons who were moving about the wharf and the adjacent beach. f l he tide was continually running in and out in a very unusual manner, and at one time it came in in a regular wave, and the tides, at high water, were noticed to be much higher than usual. A very strong current was also felt by the mail boat on passing Wedge Point on its passage to the Grove; and we have heard of more than" one boat being washed on the beach in the Sound. The same strange occurrence had been observed in other parts of the province, in Nelson, Wellington, Canterbury, Otago, and Southland, generally more noticeabhvAfcyuhiire, _ It was predicted by man'w'TThe Prince'hrf'f. an earth-, qiake had or take place. Everything passed pit quietly until a few minutes before ten o’clock on Monday morning, when two sharp shocks of earthquake were experiened in Picton, Blenheim, and other parts of this province, and in the provinces of Nelson, Wellington, Canterbury, Otago, and Southland, with about equal action; but we have heard of no damage being done.

THE TIDAL WAVE AND EARTHQUAKES

As the late tidal wave that occurred on the 15th, followed by the earthquakes, on the 17th, have been freely commented upon by our contemporaries throughout the colony, we propose to give a. brief description of tho phenomenon as it appeared here, thinking that a correct report may assist students in natural science to form some opinion as to the causes, and complete a system by which similar oeurrences may he foretold. The report which appeared iu our paper in February last upon-the earthquake aud flood had the honor of beina quoted as an authority by a member of the Scientific Institute of New Zealand in a paper read before that body; -and as the greater the amount of information laid before workers in science, a, more correct chain of reasoning can be worked out, we will in this give a'succinct account of the occurrencesof the past week. From an early hour ou Saturday the 15th inst, it could be seen that something unusual was taking place, as the tide ebbed and flowed with great rapidity as compared with ordinary times. About "every hour the tide attained its maximum "and minimum of height, rising higher than it was ever known to do before, and falling at the same rate, and for a greater distance than' has ever been remembered. This kept on all day ; but no particular not cc was taken of it, until towards night,; when news arrived that Dr Hector had predicted there would likely lie a severe shock of earthquake experienced during the night. This put everybody on the qui vice, and the atmosphere was anxiously watched to see if any signs preceded the expected event. Nothing unusal occurred The sun set with every appearance of being the fore-runner of a fine day on the morrow. A, great bank of lead-colored clouds was observed towards 'flie S.W , but. nothing indicated any great atmospherical or other disturbances. The night passed quietly, as did the following day. On Monday the day broke unusually fine for the time of year, and people, were congratulating themselves that Dr Hector had committed an error in his calculations. This illusion was dispelled aboutseven minutes to 10 a.m.,for a rumble was heard, followed immediately by a slight shock of earthquake. Scarcely had the sound of the rumble passed, when another was heard, followed by a mucu heavier shock of earthquake. The motion of the earth in each instance was in the same direction, from N.N.W. to S.S.W, and the time between the two shocks was so trivial that it might be called one shock No damage, that we have heard of was done in the province, though the shake was nearly as severe as the one in February last. We are informed that in Blenheim the earth movement was more decided tliau has been experienced for a considerable time.

Our philosophers have apparently obtained an insight into the cause of these earth motions, or Dr Hector could scarcely have foretold so nearly as he did, the time at which an earthquake might he expected , and though in the instance noted, the shock did not not take place at the time mentioned, it was sufficiently near it, to encourage those interested to continue their study in order to assist in solving the problem that is perplexing the minds of scientific men throughout the land.