地震史料集テキストデータベース

[未校訂]次の慶應三年ノ基隆大地震ニ關スル記事ハ「デビッドソン」
氏著書「臺灣」ヨリ譯出セルモノニシテ地震ノ狀況ヲ叙スル
コト頗ル詳ナリ。
「……此ノ時代ニ大地震アリ。其ノ激烈ナルコト、蘭人ノ渡
來以後未夕曾テ無キ所ナリキ。災害ノ今一層大ナラザリシハ、
激震區域ノ廣カラザリシト、住民ノ稀少ニシテ且ツ家屋ノ構
造輕易ナリシニ歸セザルベカラズ。此ノ地震ハ千八百六十七
年（慶應三年）十二月十八日ニシテ、全島ニ亘リテ感ジタル
ガ、殊ニ北方ニ於テ強ク、就中基隆附近ハ最大ノ損害ヲ蒙レ
リ。當時税關ニ奉職セル外國人ノ報告セル所ニ依レバ、同日
基隆ニテ約十五回ノ地震ヲ感ジタリ。而シテ損害ヲ與へタル
ハ最初ノ震動ニシテ、地震ガ始マルト思フヤ否ヤ、約十五秒
時間内ニ全市既ニ潰倒セリ。震動ハ實ニ激烈ニシテ、基隆港
ノ水ハ一時外洋ニ流出シテ灣内ノ海底ヲ露出セリ。幸ニシテ
當時外國船ノ碇泊セルモノ無カリシガ、大小ノ支那「ジヤン
ク」船ハ一瞬時ニ露出セル海底ニ置キ去ラレ、間モナク又大
波ノ歸リ寄スルニ遇ヒテ、伏沒スルモアリ、或ハ恐ルベキ速
度ヲ以テ市街ニ突入シテ、僅ニ潰倒ヲ免レテ海岸ニ存立セル
家屋ニ衝キ當リ更ニ損害ヲ釀セリ。又魚類ノ海岸ニ打チ上ゲ
ラレタルモノ無數ニシテ、人民ハ直チニ之ヲ收獲セリ。處々
ニ地割レヲ生ジ、殊ニ山腹ノ大龜裂ニ因リテ、大ナル澤ヲ生
ジ、今日ハ之ヲ通ジテ火山口ヨリ熱湯ヲ流シ、硫氣ヲ帶ベル
噴水、噴泉ノ發生多シトス。地面ノ變化ハ尚ホ他ニ種々アリ
シ中ニモ、基隆港碇泊地ノ水深數尺ヲ增シタリ。此ノ地震ノ
爲ニ人命ノ損失幾何ナリシヤハ知ルコトヲ得ズ。思フニ當時
ノ政府ニテハ其ノ計算ヲスラ曾テ爲サザリシナランガ、實數
ハ百ニ達シタルベシ。實ニ此ノ種類ノ天災アルトキハ支那人
住民間ニハ二重ノ苦痛ヲ感ズル理ニシテ、何人モ人民ノ慘狀
ヲ救助セントスル者無キナリ。本回ノ地震モ亦々常例ニ漏レ
ズシテ淡水在住ノ一外國人ノ記錄中ニ次ノ文句アリ、「人民
ノ蠢愚無慈悲ナルコト驚クベキ計リニシテ、怪我人ヲ救助ス
ルヲ徒ラニ見物シテ、恰モ最上ノ喜悦ヲ感ジタルガ如ク見ヘ
タリ。」
武者註　右引用文ノ原文ハ左ノ如シ。
“At Keelung some fifteen shocks were felt during
the day, but it was the first movements that did the
damage. In fifteen seconds after the first perceptible
shock the damage was done and the town of Keelung
was in ruins, The force of the earthquake may be
judged when itis noted that the water of Keelung
harbour ran out, leaving the bottom of the bay exposed.
Fortunately there were no foreign vessels present, but
the Chinese junks which were there, large and small,
were in one second left dry on the bottom and in
another caught by the huge returning wave to be either
swamped or dashed into the town with fearful speed,
to work havoc among the few remaining houses left
near the shore. Multitudes of fish were thrown upon
the shore and promptly gathered by the populace. The
earth opened in places and closed again. A large gorge
was formed by the splitting of a mountain side through
which now runs a stream of hot water from a volcanic
pit abounding with sulphurous springs and geysers.
Many other physical changes were noted, in cluding the
deepening by a few feet of the anchorage at Keelung.
The loss of life was never known, it is extremely
doubtful if there was any count made, but probably
several hundred perished.”