A Study of Recent Earthquakes — Edition Insights

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Authors: Davison, Charles, 1858-1940 Digital Source: Project Gutenberg Gutenberg Release Year: 2008 First Publication Year: Not confirmed

Key Word: Earthquakes Target Reader: Readers of public-domain and historical texts

Book Edition: Project Gutenberg digital edition Book Language: en

Edition facts

Words 89,194

Reading time 388 min

Text sections 15

For A Study of Recent Earthquakes — Edition Insights, the stored edition analysis reports 89,194 words, 6 hr 28 min estimated reading time, and 15 detected text sections.

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Project Gutenberg metadata also associates the work with “Earthquakes,” connecting these edition facts with the source record’s subject description.

Source: Project Gutenberg record #25062

Charles Davison's 1905 study examines individual earthquakes from 1857 to 1901, focusing on detailed accounts of specific events rather than general seismology, using isoseismal maps, acceleration calculations, and firsthand observations.

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THE NEAPOLITAN EARTHQUAKE OF DECEMBER 16TH, 1857 7

THE ISCHIAN EARTHQUAKES OF MARCH 4TH, 1881, AND JULY 28TH, 1883 45

THE ANDALUSIAN EARTHQUAKE OF DECEMBER 25TH, 1884 75

THE CHARLESTON EARTHQUAKE OF AUGUST 31ST, 1886 102

THE RIVIERA EARTHQUAKE OF FEBRUARY 23RD, 1887 138

THE JAPANESE EARTHQUAKE OF OCTOBER 28TH, 1891 177

THE HEREFORD EARTHQUAKE OF DECEMBER 17TH, 1896, AND THE INVERNESS EARTHQUAKE OF SEPTEMBER 18TH, 1901 215

THE INDIAN EARTHQUAKE OF JUNE 12TH, 1897 262

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

1. Diagram to illustrate Simple Harmonic Motion 4

2. Isoseismal Lines of the Neapolitan Earthquake 9

3. Diagram to illustrate Wave-path and Angle of Emergence 12

4. Diagram to illustrate Mallet's Method of determining Position of Epicentre 14

5. Plan of Cathedral Church at Potenza 16

6. Fallen Gate-pillars near Saponara 17

7. Model to illustrate the Motion of an Earth-particle during an Earthquake 19

8. Plan of Directions of Fall of Overturned Stone-lamps at Tokio during the Earthquake of 1894 19

9. Meizoseismal Area of Neapolitan Earthquake 22

10. Distribution of Death-rate within Meizoseismal Area of Neapolitan Earthquake 24

11. Diagram to illustrate Mallet's Method of determining Depth of Seismic Focus 26

12. Vertical Section of Cathedral Church at Potenza 27

13. Diagram of Wave-paths at Seismic Vertical of Neapolitan Earthquake 29

14. Geological Sketch-map of Ischia 47

15. Isoseismal Lines of Ischian Earthquake of 1881 51

16. Isoseismal Lines of Ischian Earthquake of 1883 59

17. Diagram of Wave-paths at Seismic Vertical of Ischian Earthquake of 1883 62

18. Diagram showing connection between Depth of Focus and Rate of Decline in Intensity 68

19. Isoseismal Lines of Andalusian Earthquake according to Taramelli and Mercalli 79

20. Isoseismal Lines of Andalusian Earthquake according to Fouqué, etc. 81

21. Magnetograph Records of Andalusian Earthquake at Lisbon 83

22. Nature of Shock of Andalusian Earthquake 88

23. Diagram to illustrate Variation in Nature of Shock 89

24. Structure of Meizoseismal Area of Andalusian Earthquake 100

25. Isoseismal Lines of Charleston Earthquake 106

26. Curve of Intensity at Charleston 110

27. Flexure of Rails at Jedburgh 113

28. Epicentral Isoseismal Lines of Charleston Earthquake according to Sloan 118

29. Epicentral Isoseismal Lines of Charleston Earthquake according to Dutton 119

30. Planes of Oscillation of Stopped Pendulum Clocks at Charleston 121

31. Diagram to illustrate Dutton's Method of determining Depth of Seismic Focus 124

32. Diagram to explain Origin of Regions of Defective Intensity 136

33. Isoseismal Lines of Riviera Earthquake 144

34. Meizoseismal Area of Riviera Earthquake 148

35. Nature of Shock of Riviera Earthquake 152

36. Seismographic Record at Moncalieri 155

37. Distribution of Observatories at which Magnetographs were disturbed by Riviera Earthquake 158

38. Record of Tide-gauge at Nice 163

39. Record of Tide-gauge at Genoa 164

40. Distribution of Seismic Activity in the Riviera 172

41. Isoseismal Lines of Japanese Earthquake 178

42. Structure of Meizoseismal Area of Japanese Earthquake 180

43. Plan of Directions of Fall of Overturned Bodies at Nagoya 187

44. Map of Mean Directions of Shock and Isoseismal Lines in Central District of Japanese Earthquake 188

45. Meizoseismal Area of Japanese Earthquake 190

46. Fault-scarp near Fujitani 191

47. Fault-scarp at Midori 192

48. Displacement of Field-divisions by the Fault near Nishi-Katabira 193

49. Map of Swamp formed by Stoppage of River Toba by Fault-scarp 194

50. Shifting of Trees by Fault at Uméhara 195

51. Daily Frequency of After-shocks at Gifu and Nagoya 196

52. Monthly Frequency of After-shocks at Gifu 197

53. Distribution of Preliminary Shocks in Space 202

54. Distribution of After-shocks in Space, Nov.-Dec. 1891 203

55. Distribution of After-shocks in Space, Jan.-Feb. 1892 204

56. Distribution of After-shocks in Space, March-April 1892 205

57. Distribution of After-shocks in Space, May-June 1892 206

58. Distribution of Audible After-shocks in Space, Nov. 1891-Dec. 1892 208

59. Map of Adjoining Regions in which Seismic Activity was affected by Japanese Earthquake 210

60. Isoseismal and Isacoustic Lines of Hereford Earthquake 216

61. Nature of Shock of Hereford Earthquake 222

62. Coseismal Lines of Hereford Earthquake 228

63. Map of Minor Shocks of Hereford Earthquake 239

64. Geology of Meizoseismal Area of Hereford Earthquake 241

65. Isoseismal Lines of Inverness Earthquake 248

66. Diagram to illustrate supposed Fault-displacement causing Inverness Earthquake 256

67. Map of Epicentres of After-shocks of Inverness Earthquake 258

68. Isoseismal Lines of Indian Earthquake 263

69. Section of Tombs in Cemetery at Cherrapunji 270

70. Time-curve of Indian Earthquake 278

71. Seismographic Record of Indian Earthquake at Rocca di Papa 282

72. Seismographic Record of Indian Earthquake at Edinburgh 283

73. Displacement of Alluvium at Foot of a Hill 287

74. Twisting of Monument at Chhatak 294

75. Epicentral Area of Indian Earthquake 303

76. Plan of Chedrang Fault 305

77. Re-triangulation of Khasi Hills 313

78. Diagram of Thrust-planes 318

79. Seismographic Record of Tokio Earthquake of 1894 329

80. Time-curves of Principal Epochs of Earthquake-waves of Distant Origin 338

A STUDY OF RECENT EARTHQUAKES.

I propose in this book to describe a few of the more important earthquakes that have occurred during the last half century. In judging of importance, the standard which I have adopted is not that of intensity only, but rather of the scientific value of the results that have been achieved by the study of the shocks. Even with this reservation, the number of earthquakes that might be included is considerable; and I have therefore selected those which seem to illustrate best the different methods of investigation employed by seismologists, or which are of special interest owing to the unusual character of their phenomena or to the light cast by them on the nature and origin of earthquakes in general.

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Charles Davison's A Study of Recent Earthquakes (1905) is not a textbook but a collection of detailed accounts of individual seismic events, each treated as a distinct case study. The preface explicitly distinguishes the work from general seismology, aiming to save readers the trouble of consulting multiple foreign-language reports. The book covers earthquakes from 1857 to 1901, including the Neapolitan, Ischian, Andalusian, Charleston, Riviera, Japanese, Hereford, Inverness, and Indian earthquakes.

The catalog subject "Earthquakes" is accurate but broad; the excerpts reveal a work focused on empirical measurement and physical effects rather than narrative or human impact. Davison relies on isoseismal maps, acceleration data from overturned objects, and seismographic records, as seen in the detailed table of maximum horizontal and vertical motions from the Japanese earthquake.

Empirical Methods and Isoseismal Mapping

The excerpts show Davison's reliance on quantitative methods. For the Japanese earthquake of 1891, he reports that seismographs at Gifu and Nagoya were thrown down within seconds, failing to record the principal motion. Instead, Professor Omori calculated maximum horizontal acceleration at 59 locations using overturned stone lanterns and tombstones. At five sites, acceleration exceeded 4000 mm/s², about five-twelfths of gravity. Davison reproduces isoseismal lines drawn by Omori and notes discrepancies with Professor Koto's boundaries, attributing differences to the intensity scale adopted.

Davison also describes wave phenomena: witnesses in the meizoseismal area saw ground waves "one foot" high and "ten to thirty feet" long. At Tokio, 175 miles from the epicentre, ground tilting was noticeable. These observations are presented without embellishment, emphasizing measurement over drama.

The Role of Visual and Auditory Evidence

Davison notes that for the Japanese earthquake, "the published records of the accompanying sound are so rare that it seems as a rule to have passed unheard." This contrasts with other earthquakes in the book where sound is documented. The scarcity of auditory data is itself a finding, not a gap. Davison also reports visual observations of ground waves and shoreline oscillations: "the shoreline rose and fell, and with this rising and falling the waters receded and advanced." Such details are presented as raw testimony, not interpreted.

The author's method is to compile and compare reports without imposing a single narrative. The excerpts do not reveal his own field observations; he synthesizes others' work, as seen in the acknowledgments to Omori and Koto.

Comparative Scope and Geographic Range

The table of contents lists earthquakes from Italy, Spain, the United States, Japan, Britain, and India. The preface notes that no other work covers this ground except Fouqué's chapters on 1854–1887 and Lyell's earlier accounts. Davison's selection spans 44 years and multiple continents, but the excerpts only detail the Japanese event. The book's structure is chronological, with a concluding chapter that likely synthesizes patterns.

Each chapter appears to be self-contained, allowing readers to study individual earthquakes without reading the whole. The Japanese chapter was reprinted from a Geographical Journal article, and another chapter from Knowledge. This suggests some content was previously published, but the book integrates them with new material.

Readers should approach this work as a reference compendium rather than a continuous narrative. The excerpts show that Davison prioritizes data—acceleration values, isoseismal areas, seismograph readings—over human stories. Those interested in the social or architectural impact will need to supplement with other sources. The book's value lies in its collation of early 20th-century seismological methods and its detailed case studies, each grounded in contemporary scientific practice.

What struck me about Charles Davison’s earthquake study wasn’t the science, but how he lingered on each individual tremor’s own character—like remembering a specific ache. That same quiet attention to how our minds misread things lives in Visual Illusions: Their Causes, Characteristics and Applications — A Reader’s Guide. Both left me seeing familiar ground as suddenly, strangely unsteady.