W. S. Brigham and Horace Mann were elected corresponding members, being about to proceed to the Sandwich Islands to make a thorough scientific exploration, under the auspices of the Boston Society of Natural History.
The name of Mr. Louis Janin, elected in 1861 but accidentally omitted from the list of members, was directed to be published in the proceedings.
Donations to the Cabinet: About two hundred specimens of rocks and ores from Humboldt River District, by Mr. Highton.
Dr. Trask presented the following paper:
Earthquakes in California from 1800 to 1864.
BY JOHN B. TRASK.
As the subject of earthquakes for some years past has engrossed much of the attention of scientific observers, I have, at the request of several members of the Academy, made out a complete report upon the occurrence of those phenomena upon this coast, as far as personal observation is concerned, and also so far only as we have authentic records prior to the occupancy of the present State of California by the American Government.
The present paper contains, probably, all that can be verified, and places the subject in a form to which future reference may be made by other observers abroad; thus enabling them and ourselves also, to bring together the statistical facts which, it may be hoped, will help to form some rational theory in future years relating to the causal agency of those phenomena, as well as the physical laws governing their action.
In this paper I have reduced the periods of their occurrence for the thirteen years past to astronomical time, in all instances where the hour on which the shocks occurred have been known with certainty, and, without attempting to combat any theory that has been advanced, or the suggestion of another relating to their origin, their history has been left as a record of facts, which will become useful when others of like character accompany them. Our record, in this State alone has reached a little more than one-tenth of the number on which M. Mallet has founded his theory of their origin, and which were drawn from all parts of the world, and although this may seem a large proportion for this district of country alone since 1850, it is not to be presumed that a greater frequency of shocks have occurred here than elsewhere, but that the same attention has not been bestowed in recording their occurrence in other countries where they are known to be much more frequent and severe than upon our coast.
It might be asked why, if such unquestionable frequency occurs within the limits of this State we are not subject to momentary destruction from their effects; the answer to this is found in the preceding paragraph, from which cause it will be seen that our experience is more apparent than real, relatively, and farther still, we should find a much greater frequency of shocks, beyond all doubt, if the instruments for their registry in different parts of the State were more plentiful than at present.