CHAPTER VIII.[ToC]
THE HEREFORD EARTHQUAKE OF DECEMBER 17TH, 1896,
AND THE INVERNESS EARTHQUAKE OF SEPTEMBER 18TH, 1901.
Among the earthquakes described in this volume, the Hereford and Inverness earthquakes hold but a minor place. The damage to buildings, though unusual for this country, was slight when compared with that caused by the preceding shocks; there was no loss of life, not a single person was injured by falling masonry. The interest of the earthquakes lies entirely in the detailed study rendered possible by numerous observations of the shock and sound,[61] and in the bearing of this evidence on the general theory of the origin of earthquakes.
THE HEREFORD EARTHQUAKE OF DECEMBER 17TH, 1896.
The principal earthquake of this series occurred at 5.32 A.M. on December 17th, and was preceded by at least nine minor shocks (the first of which was felt at about 11 or 11.30 P.M. on December 16th), and followed by two others on the same day, and by a third and last on July 19th, 1897. The accounts of these preliminary movements will be found on a later page, as their bearing will be more fully apparent after the discussion of the principal shock.
Fig. 60.—Isoseismal and Isacoustic lines of Hereford earthquake. (Davison.)[ToList]