Earthquakes are frequently reistered at the Observatory, and do not have for the authorities there the sensational aspects which they possess for the layman. According to Father Gherzi they may be regarded from to points of view, the tone being the "human" and the other the selentifie aspect.
An earthquake, for example, which destroys thousands of lives and millions of dollars worth of Droperty, as in the ease of the Japanese disaster a few years ago, takes on an importance unparallel: eq by any greater seismic disturb-othe which may occur in the middle of the Pacific. The latter would register in all its horror on the seismograph at Siccawei, but the World at large would be uncognizant, Likewise, from point of view of the scientist, the earthquake in Kansu last year was a far greater upheaval than that of finan, but sparse population and Undeveloped country made it almost a local matter, as far as the press of the world was. concerned, This. scientific aspect depends upon two things, how much and how fast the cartk is shaken. The human aspect: s spoken of in terms of tragedy to human beings.
Worst camehatka Another interesting point is that Kamtchatka, in' the Okhotsk Sea region near Siberia, some of the most severe earthquakes in the world take place, but a3 the dis is practically uninhabited, only the seismograph shares the periodic secret. Likewise, in the Pacific, southeast of Mindanao, is a "deep" wherein the earth under the ocean displays a frequent violence of temper which fortunately cannot be wreaked upon human habitations. The seismograph shudders, figuratively speaking, at the shocks which it receives from this part of the world well known to the scientist. conclusion, Father Gherzi pointed out that' the Balkans are regarded by scientists as a seismic region, wherein earthquakes are of not infrequent origin. The feu that the recent shocks caused so much damage to human beings and habitations accounts for the widespread interest in it, This aspect must always receive our horrified attention, but as far as the seismograph is conosened, a bland indifference is maintained to anything but how much and how fast the rth happened to shake at a given time and place—L. B. W.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.