40 The East Anglian Earthquake.
themselves felt to the inmates. Such effects are, of course,
the result of the exaggeration of the movement at the free
upper parts of the buildings.
Preceding and succeeding shocks.—It has been repeatedly
observed, that in earthquake districts, a period of great
disturbance is often preceded and succeeded by slighter
shocks. There are not wanting numerous statements in the
present case of such shocks having been experienced, but
these are for the most part wanting in confirmation, and are
too vague to be admitted in the absence of concurrent testi-
mony. It is, of course, possible that slight shocks may have
occurred before the 22nd, and these, owing to the totally
strange character of the movement, may have escaped notice,
except by one or two of the more observant individuals ; but
as the circumstances were only put upon record after the
great shock of the 22nd, and as no instrumental confirmation
was possible, it has been deemed advisable to neglect such
statements.
Of premonitory shocks, the only one about which there
seems to be no doubt is that of February 18th, which has
already been recorded (p. 27), and which was felt, not only at
the coastguard station at West Mersea, but also by many
other people throughout the island, as well as by Mr. Hugh
Green, of Strood Villa, whose house, as will be seen
subsequently, was most seriously damaged by the shock
of the 22nd. Mr. Green informed the Rev. T. E. Mussel-
white, of West Mersea Vicarage, of this circumstance, on the
same day that it happened. On the occasion of our visit to
West Mersea, the chief officer of the Coastguard Station,
Mr. Larman, gave a circumstantial account of this shock,
which happened during his watch, at about 1.10 or 1.20 on the
morning of February 18th, and was preceded by a loud
report, which much puzzled him, as the sky was cloudless,
and the idea of a clap of thunder, which first naturally sug-
gested itself, had to be abandoned. It is most probable that
the main axis of the disturbance of the 22nd was the seat of
this premonitory shock.