Early on Sunday morning England was visited by an earthipake
of 'which the effect was felt over a wide area, but with greatest force in Warwickshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire and Radnorshire. Some material damage was done by falling masonry, but the effects were merci- fully not- very serious in that respect. The movement and noise lasted nearly a minute. We have received a vivid account of the curious lateral motion that shook beds violently from side to side. Houses creaked and groaned in every part, but there was also "a deep and distant growl coming from nowhere," and diminishing until "all was silent but for the screaming of the pheas- ants." Many of us will be reminded by this of the behaviour of pheasants during air raids. There was a severe shock in the Channel Islands a fortnight ago, but English people fortunately are not accustomed to these visitations, which more perhaps than anything else make us realize the impotence of the puny human race before the forces of nature.
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