The Rev. H. Miles, D. D. & F.R.S. to the President, Containing Some Additional Observations to His Former Accounts

what was the Matter? saying, the Wainscot Partition between the 2 Rooms seem'd as if rending asunder. The Whole seem'd to have lasted about 3 Seconds. I find that a Post, which supports the above-mentioned Partition close to the Door-case, has given way a little; the Paint being freshly crack'd; and a Crack in a Wall upon the Stairs is grown something wider. The Door between the two Rooms, which shuts with a Fall-Latch, that was unlatch'd by the first Earthquake, and flapp'd to and fro' three or four times, was not unlatch'd by this last; which I think is an Argument, that by the first the House was lifted up, and that it was not so by the last, but only rock'd from Side to Side. I am credibly informed of a Pannel of Wainscot in the City being wrenched out of the Groove, and not returning into it again. XXIII. The Rev. H. Miles, D.D. & F.R.S. to the President, containing some additional Observations to his former Accounts *. SIR, Read March 22. It having been commonly reported, 1750. that there was much Lightning on the Morning, and about the Time when the Earthquake happened on the 8th of this Instant, I was induced to get what Information I could of the Truth of it, in this Neighbourhood. If you shall judge * See this Trans. p.619 and 629. judge the Result of my Inquiry may be satisfactory to any of this honourable Society, I submit it to be communicated; and am Tooting, March 22, 1749-50. Your and the Royal Society's most obedient and most humble Servant, H. Miles. A PERSON who went into an open Cart at 4 o'Clock that Morning at Mitcham, for London, saw no Appearance of Lightning at all. Several other Persons, who were abroad, going to Work, some time before the Earthquake happen'd, declare that they saw none; nor were they sensible of any Noise, or Motion in the Earth. I got Inquiry to be made of the Watchmen, who belong to the Calico-Printers, and watch all Night in the Grounds, and received this Answer from one, that he neither saw any Lightning, nor heard any Noise, and had no Perception of an Earthquake; and from another, who watched in other Grounds, a Mile or more distant from the first-mention'd, that he saw no Lightning all that Night; but says, that he heard an unusual Noise about the Time in which the Earthquake is said to have happen'd; but this it seems was not so remarkable as to have caused him to take notice of it to any one, had he not afterwards been told there was an Earthquake. I have I have, besides this, made Inquiry of various Persons, and cannot meet with one, who did see any Lightning, or who heard others say that they had seen it. P. S. I am credibly informed, that a Gentleman's Servant at Wandsworth was watering his Master's Horse by the River-Side, at the time when the Earthquake happened, who found the Water so much agitated on a sudden, that the Horse started back, and would not drink. XXIV. The Rev. W. Stukely M. D. & F. R. S. to the President, on the Causes of Earthquakes*. Read March 22. 1749. WHEN so great and unusual a Phenomenon as an Earthquake, and that repeated, happens among us, it will naturally excite a serious Reflection in every one that is capable of thinking; and we cannot help considering it in a philosophical as well as religious View. Any Mind will take the Alarm, when we perceive a Motion that affects the Earth, that bears the whole City of London, and some Miles round; and at the same time, whilst it gives us so sensible a Shake, so gently sets us down again, without Damage to any Buildings, and without a Life lost. In the Works of Nature and Providence there are no Degrees of Great and Little: Comparisons are incompatible; nevertheless we ourselves are * This Paper is published separately by the Author, in a Pamphlet, at London, 1750, in 8vo.