In Inverness, the damage to buildings, though seldom serious, was by
no means inconsiderable. One brick building used as a smithy was
destroyed, several chimneys or parts of them fell, and many
chimney-cans were displaced or overthrown. At Dochgarroch and other
places within the meizoseismal area, walls were cracked, chimneys
thrown down, and lintels loosened.
But, for this country, an unusual effect of the earthquake was a long
crack made in the north bank of the Caledonian Canal near Dochgarroch
Lochs. It occurred in the middle of the towing-path, and could be
traced at intervals for a distance of 200 yards to the east of the
Lochs, and 400 yards to the west, being often a mere thread, and in no
place more than half-an-inch wide. Soon after its formation, however,
the fissure was obliterated by heavy showers of rain.
ISOSEISMAL LINES AND DISTURBED AREA.
The map (Fig. 65) shows the area over which the earthquake was
perceptible. The isoseismal lines are drawn partly continuous and
partly dotted--continuous where some confidence can be placed in their
accuracy, and dotted where their course must be regarded as doubtful,
owing to the rarity or absence of observations.
The innermost isoseismal (shown on a larger scale in Fig. 66)
corresponds to the intensity 8 of the Rossi-Forel scale, and includes
the places where the shock was strong enough to cause slight
structural damage to buildings. It is elliptical in form, 12 miles
long, 7 miles broad, and 67 square mile in area, with its centre at a
point about 1-1/2 mile east-north-east of Dochgarroch, and its longer
axis running N. 33° E. and S. 33° W.
[Illustration: FIG. 65.--Isoseismal lines of the Inverness
earthquake. (_Davison._)]
The remaining isoseismals are less accurately drawn, owing to the
scarcity of observations made in the west of Scotland. Except towards
the west, however, the course laid down for the isoseismal 7 may be
trusted. Its length is 53-1/2 miles, width 35 miles, and area 1,500
square miles. Its longer axis is almost exactly parallel to that of
the preceding isoseismal, but the distance between the two curves is 9
miles on the north-west, and 14 miles on the south-east, side. The
isoseismal 6 is 105 miles long, 87 miles wide, and contains 7,300
square miles; and the isoseismal 5, 157 miles long, 143 miles wide,
and about 17,000 square miles in area.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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