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Star (Christchurch), Issue 9430, 2 January 1909, Page 4

I rise to vibrations which are the prfni* ary phenomena of earthquake*. I CONNECTION OF EARTHQUAKES* "I don't say it is utterly impossible that an earthquake happening at a distance could have connection with an earthquake taking place, here, say, all perhaps the same time. That wouldbe a rash statement to make, but they, have never been shown to have any. distinct connection. There are about 15,000 earthquakes actually recorded every year throughout the world, 1 pretty well distributed in regard to time, but any idea that they are con? nected with one another, or that they ; are connected with phases of the moon, i tides, sunspots, etc., is not borne out by facts. .( EARTHQUAKES NOT IMPORTED. ! * " No, we manufacture our earth* quakes on the spot. We Hon't import them from Italy, South Alnerica, or elsewhere. It is the adjustment that / is going on below this part of the Pacific that is entirely responsible for the earthquakes here. There is no* even any connection between ourselves, South Australia and Tasmania in this respect. I have- studied this question. for many years. I cannot find * single piece of evidence to bear oat such a contention, and I have examin? -ed closely into every earthquake thai has ocourred in the Paoifio for the lest twenty years. Anyone /who woukt say there was any possible connection is rather £ping beyond his facts. Som« people think that earthquakes ooak from sultry weather, for instance. ( OTHER EXPERIENCES. ' "In regard to the Mount Pele* eruption, in 1902/ yon will . recollect that.it was preceded by seven earth? quake shocks, the first being felt a* Guatemala, other following between April and May, in the Caribbean Bern, to the west of St Vincdbt and Martinique, followed by the eruption of La Soufriere, and a small eruption ,of Mount Pelee. On May 8/ just before the big eruption, there was another earthquake movement right on the axis on which Mount Pelee is situated. This series would be the folding movements of the earthquakes, beginning with the western mass and ending in the eastOjß the axis on which Mount Pelee stood, and on the westside of .wmcli La , Soufrieire stood. . The probability, .is that this folding relieved the strain of the rocks and allowed the accumulated steam and other gases to find vent becauee of that relief, r Tnat is mji theory of it, and the theory of Other*, It is rather significant that. other eruptions in the game region have been pre^ ceded by similar, folding movements and earthquakes to v the westward* so -it looks as if in that part of the, world the earthquakes had indirectly caused vth» - eruption. The steam was there before, but the pressure was relieved,- in consequent of the movements which caused the earthquakes. CAUSE OP THE PRESENT SHOQK-''As-to the cause of the present earthquake in Italy, without fuller d&> tails, it can only be surmised, but the probability is that it was due to a fault movement along the axks of Calabria. Taking the world generally, the evidence of the relation between, fault movements and earthquakes is pretty convincing."