From a careful discussion of several thousand earthquakes which have
been recorded between 1801 and 1850, and a comparison of the periods at
which they occurred with the position of the moon in relation to the
earth, M. Perry, of Dijon, infers that earthquakes may possibly be the
result of attraction exerted by that body on the supposed fluid centre
of our globe, somewhat similar to that which she exercises on the
waters of the ocean; and the Committee of the Institute of France have
reported favourably upon this theory.