Descriptive Report.
05
Mr. Symons reports that the building, although not old,
appeared to be considerably strained, and it was stated that
scarcely any of the doors would open or shut. Glass was
thrown off shelves and two clocks stopped, the planes of
vibration being (hall) S. 8° E.— N. 8° W., and (kitchen)
E. and W. Another small clock on a mantelpiece was
turned half round, but did not stop ; and small pictures sus-
pended by a single cord were turned completely round. A
chest of drawers standing against a wall running E. and W.
was moved some inches towards the N.N.E., the western end
being at least three inches further away from the wall than
the eastern end. The time of the shock was given at about
9.20, and its duration at first stated to be 30 seconds, but in
a subsequent communication Mr. Parkinson states that "it
could not be less than 20." The cracks which were reported
to have opened in the Rectory garden, were nothing more
than the cracks which usually appear in paths after long-
continued dry weather, and they were present before the
shock.
Respecting the prevailing direction of the seismic move-
ment at this locality, the evidence is most contradictory.
Mr. G. H. Kinahan, F.G.S., who visited the area of damage
about a week after the earthquake, states31 that the shocks
seem to " have had a rotary motion," the main direction
appearing to have been from the S.E., but the evidence
which led this observer to form an opinion as to the direction
is not given.82 On the other hand, an observation communi-
tion, were now turned almost south-easterly." It will be shown, how-
ever, in the subsequent portion of this Report, that the direction of twist
of chimney-stacks gives no clue whatever to the direction from which the
disturbance comes, and quite independently of dynamical principles the
same conclusion was arrived at during our visit, since we occasionally
observed that stacks on the same or neighbouring houses were twisted in
quite opposite directions.
31 ' Nature,' June 5th, 1884, p. 124.
32 In a later communication with which I have been favoured by
Mr. Kinahan, he informs me that his evidence was derived from the per-
sonal experiences of individuals present during the shock, and the
directions towards which structures fell. "In the neighbourhood of
Langenhoe the waves seemed to be going in different directions, if the
F