“Hypothesis Concerning Earthquakes”

Date

1-18-1812

Newspaper

Reporter

Page and Column

Page 4, Column 1

Newspaper Location

Lexington, Kentucky

Serial Number

262

Abstract

Article from the Cyclopedia about the theoretical origins of earthquakes.

Transcript

HYPOTHESIS. CONCERNING EARTHQUAKES. FROM THE CYCLOPEDIA Comparing all those circumstances, Dr. Stukely says: he had always thought; that an Earthquake was an electrical shock, of the same nature, with those which are now become familiar in electrical experiments, and this hypothesis, he thought, was confirmed by the phenomena preceding and attending earthquakes, particularly those which happened in London and other parts of England. The weather, for five or six months before the first of these earthquakes, had been dry and warm to an extraordinary degree, the wind generally south and southwest, and that without rain, so that the earth must have been in a state of electrictly ready for that particular vibration in which electrification consists. On this account he observes, that the northern regions of the world are but little subject to earthquakes in comparison with the southern, where the warmth and dryness of the air, so necessary to electricity, are so common. All that flat country of Lincolnshire, before the earthquake in September, though underneath is a water bog; yet through the whole preceding summer and autumn (as they can have no natural springs in such a level) had the draught been so great on the surface of the earth, that the inhabitants were obliged to drive their cattle several miles to water. This he says, shows how fit the dry surface was for an electrical vibration, and also, which of great importance, that earthquakes reach but very little below the surface of the earth. Before the earthquake at London, all vegetables had been uncommonly forward, and electricity is well known to quicken vegetation. As the weather had been uncommonly mild previous to the earthquake, it is more likely that the forward state of vegetation was owing to that circumstance, rather than to the inference of electricity, which Doctor Ingenhouz found by a variety of experiments did not forward vegetation as it has been believed. Dr. Stukely continues to remark; that the aurora borealis had been very frequent about the same time, and had been twice repeated just before the earthquake, of such colors as had never been seen before. It had also removed to the south, contrary to what is common in England; so that some Italians and people from other places where earthquakes are frequent, observing these lights and the peculiar temperature of the air, did actually foretell the earthquake.-For a fortnight before the earthquake in September, the weather was serene, mild and calm; and one evening, there was a deep red aurora borealis covering the cope of heaven very terrible to behold. The whole year had-been remarkable for fire balls, thunder lightning and coruscations, almost throughout England. And all these meteors are supposed to be caused by the electrical state of the atmosphere. In these previous circumstances of the state of the earth and air, nothing, he says, is wanting to produce the wonderful effect of an earthquake, but the touch of some non electric body, which must necessarily be had ab extra, from the region of the air, or atmosphere.-Hence, he infers, that if a non-electric cloud discharges its contents upon any part of the earth in that highly electrical state, an earthquake must necessarily ensue. It has been observed, that the noise which commonly attends earthquakes, generally precedes the shock: whereas it must have been quite the contrary if the concussion had depended upon a subterraneous eruption. This noise attending earthquakes, the doctor thought, could not be accounted for, but upon the principles of electricity. He also thought that the flames and sulphureous smells which are frequently observed during earthquakes, are more easily accounted for upon the supposition of their being electrical phenomena. The impression made by an earthquake upon land and water, to the greatest distances, is instantaneous, which could only be effected by electricity.

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