“From the Bardstown Repository”

Creator

Mathias Speed

Date

3-19-1812

Newspaper

Georgetown Telegraph

Page and Column

Page 2, Column 4

Newspaper Location

Georgetown, Kentucky

Serial Number

57

Abstract

Mathias Speed account printed March 19, 1812

Transcript

TO THE EDITOR OF THE WESTERN SPY. SIR--With some considerable degree of pleasure and amusement, I read, in the Liberty Hall of the 1st. January some Philosophical remarks on the cause and effects of the Earthquake signed "Indigena"--I heartly concur with him, in reprehending the ignorance and willful bindness of those, who were superstitious ??? torture those natural Phenomena, into portentious omens of dire calamities, rather than investigate their causes or consider their effects; and who, if they would give themselves leave to reason on the subject, must acknowledge, that an Earthquake is not so complicated or so extraordinary a production arising from natural causes as a thunder storm--only that in this part of the world 'tis more uncommon.--But I, cannot so readily, subscribe to his opinion as to the cause; however, I do not now address him through this medium, for the sake of argument, but with the sole view of gaining information, and broaching and, enlarging on new ideas, in the further investigation of the subject and altho I am fully sensible of my inability, and sincerely with some abler hand had untaken the task, I cannot refrain from hazarding a few observations on my friend Indigena's Potstulatum.-- He attributes the cause of the Earthquake to the state of the atmosphere, this is to me a new idea, and would in my opinion, require some more feasible arguments to support it than has yet been advanced, and to remove some very strong objections, that appear to strike me against this theory. The atmosphere, has been found by Philosophers, to press on the surface of our Globe, with a weight equal to that of a sea of quick-silver surrounding the world 29 inches deep, or one of water 30 feet deep; this pressure however is constantly liable to variation, which changes are exactly pointed out by the Barometer, it has also been ascertained, that the higher we ascend, the air becomes lighter, by regular, and exact gradation; if therefore, the absence of this pressure to a certain degree on the surface of a country, will cause a vibration in the earth, we must believe that the earth has always a tendency from some latent cause to this modual motion, and is only restrained, or prevented from constant vibratory motion, by the weight of the atmosphere; and with every sudden change of the weather we should experience an Earthquake:--for we cannot suppose, that the Earth is possessed of that elasticity that would make it capable of being compressed, by any external agent (even admitting it possible that the Atmosphere was capable of such extraordinary power) and of again expanding, on removal of such force.--It also follows, that as the quicksilver in the Barometer, in ascending mountains, is found to sink about the 10th of an inch in the ascent of every 90 feet, which in a mountain of 3000 feet high would make 3.33 inches, the top of the mountain being eased of so much of the pressure usual in the valley, would keep in constant motion. Prior to the first shock taking place, there was not any remarkable change in the weather noticed; 'tis true that nigh" (16th Dec) the air seemed much charged with vapours; but since, at different periods, and very different states of the atmosphere, we experienced the same effect; then surely not from this cause!--Let us now take a cursory glance round the known world, and enquire where those convulsions are most common? and what in such place may apparently be the cause?--We see they are not confined to any particular region, or climate, they have them in Iceland; and also in Peru, nearly under the line; they have them in Italy, one of the mildest climates in the world; and in the West India Islands, one of the most boisterous.--In the neighbourhood of volcano's they are common, and always invariably precede an explosion or eruption; but where a free, and copious discharge takes place, the Earthquake ceases; and on the other hand in regions remote from volcanoes they are seldom or ever felt, and if any, in a very slight degree. We find the Earthquake which happened in Sicily in the year 1693, and which destroy'd 19,000 of the inhabitants and totally overhwelmed the city of Caranea--was sensibly felt in Germany, France, and England to a circumferense of 2500 leagues--it is not then in the least extraordinary that we should here feel the vibrations of an Earthquake which might have taken place in the West Indies, up the Missouri, or in some other remote region--But the cause may possibly originate in our own country, several parts of the country west of the Allegheay mountains abounds in Coal mines; some of which have been on fire, and constantly burning for upwards of 10 years, and if this combustion has been excited on any considerable mass confined in the bowels of the Earth, I should suppose an Earthquake a very natural consequence, tho' not attended as yet with an eruption. It is not necessary that external fire should actually be applied to Coal mines to cause inflamation, for when the Pyrites is very abundant in Coal, exhibiting yellow veins of the mineral, the coming in contact with air, or water, will decompose them and produce combustion; in which case, if there is not sufficient vent for the quantity of vapours arising from and produced by such inflamation, they will with amazing force, act on the obstructions, and if effectively confined, and considerably radified and expanded by internal heat, will con???? the Earth--may shake it to its very ??????;--this will not appear extraordinary, when we consider that it has been proven by actual experiment, that one drop of water converted into vapour, or steam, and properly applied, is capable of raising one hundred tons weight. I submit those low cursory remarks for the present, in hopes to induce further enquiry into the origin, and cause of Earthquakes. QUERITAS

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