DIFFERENCE IN TIMES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2719, 25 April 1906, Page 32

DIFFERENCE IN TIMES.

Wellington time is 19 hours 49 minutes ahead ot San Francisco. At noon her-e to-day, for instance. 'Frisco time would re-ad 4.11 p.m. on Thursday. THE WELLINGTON SEISMOGRAPH. Shortly after 1 o'clock yesterday the Government seismometer at iUr (_J. H.og'Ljen's residence recorded the rirst tremors of the earthquake. The time, 1.2 a.m., corresponds with 5.32 a.m. on the 18th at San Francisco, and if the earthquake occurred at 5.1b a.m., as stated in th« cablegrams, this' would allow 15 minutes for the waves to travel from San Francisco to Wellington." 'ihe record of the shake shows it to nave been a very violent one, and almost as bad as that which occurred in Guatemala in 1902. The instrument recorded the passagre of rh« waves round the earth rive tunes at intervals of about three and aquarter hours. The damage was done 'oy the very slow waves which belongod to the nfth of the eight phases into which an earthquake is separated, and these would start from the point of origin very soon after the five waves at a speed of between two and two and a-half miles a second. The strain of the rocks was greater just before breaking, and the viDrations that were then produced were the most rapid, but small. Just after fracture a movement of the rocks took place. They slipped, and the resultant vibrations were much bigger and much slower than the preceding 1 ones, becausjs the stress was not so great. There was another interesting series of transverse wates due to the change in the form and position of the rocks after the initial shock. These were the slowest waves of the series. The first of these took 90 minutes to cross the Pacific — 80 ■minutes longer than the first five waves. The great distance of New Zealand from the seat of the disturbance makes it very difficult to determine the duration of the earthquake, as the waves overlap confusingly on the tape. An earthquake in or near .New Zealand, however, could be accurately gauged, because the series of waves would be too distinct to bs confused. THE NEXT MAIL. In view of possible dislocation of traffic for some days to come, the Post Office authorities here have decided to send on * the English mails vow in hand to Sydney 'by the 'Monowai, sailing to-morrow afternoon. In this way "the mails will catoh * the P. and O. .steamer, which is. due in? London on the 3rd June. The next San . Francisco mail in the- ordinary course of - events would be- due in London on 2nd June — one day earlier. The postal authorities here have . cabled to the two mail agents who went to San Francisco by the Sonoma, and who "were to leave there by the same boat a few days ago, but so far have received no reply . from either of them. EARTHQUAKE RISKS. The owners of a few brick buildings here have insured against The risk 3 have been taken by Lloyds. A RELIEF FUND. Both papers here suggest relief funds to aid the sufferers. A correspondent also wntes, suggesting that all sportsmen should contribute, especially in view of the great hospitality extended to the New Zealand football team during their brief stay in the city.