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SUNSPOTS AND SEISMIC
DISTURBANCE.
MR. CLEMENT WRAGGE'SPREDIC
TIONS.
STATEMENT BY THE ACTING
ASTRONOMER.
In yesterday's issue of the "West Aus
tralian" a telegram from Wellington,
New Zealand, stated that Mr. Clement
Wragge had written to a Christchurch
paper to the effect that a great storm
had suddenly broken out on the sun's
disc, and that people might expect to
hear of further seismic disturbances
and auroral displays. It was probable,
he added, that ships' compasses would
be affected by the etheric vibrations. and
accelerations of electrons caused by this
unusual energy. ,In reference to the
above message Mr. H. B. Curlewis. act
ing Government Astronomer. writes:
"'Th-re is no doubt that these erup
tions 6n the sun cause great magnetic
disturbances in our atmosphere: that
earthuanakes result is not so well estab
lished, but is veiy probable. The im
portance of the sun in determining the
weather is. however, generally conceded.
and it is recognised by all scientists thlat
it is only by careful and systematic
study of solar phenomena that meteor
ology can be put upon,a scientific basis.
At present Australia is not assisting in
this work. which will be of such world
wide value, but steps are being taken to
induce the Commonwealth authorities to
establish -an .Observatory to undertake
this work albne. The Perth Observa
tory is not equipped with the necessary
instruments. nor Is the staff sufficient to
cope with the amount of work that solar
research would entail. However, this
morning the equatorial was turned on the
sun, and a large sun-spot was plainly
visible at a little distance from the east
ern edge. The sun has been very active
for some months pa'st, and.mention might
be made here of a large group of spots
visible to the naked eye. which made
their appearance at the begnning of lpst
month. From the descrptions appear
ing ih the scientific periodicals it must
have been a wonderful sight. The pre
sent uns-asonable weather for this time
of year may probably be accounted for
by the present solar activity, showing
how necessary a study of the sun s min
all matters connected with the weather.
A record of an earthquake which occur
red comparatively close to us was regis
tered on the Perth, seismographic last
Friday. It commenced at 2.48 a.m.
Perth standard time, and lasted till 5.22
a.m. The time of the maximum shock
was 3.7 a.m.
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