Catalogue of Violent and Destructive Earthquakes in the Philippines With an Appendix: Earthquakes in the Marianas Islands 1599-1909

"Catalogue of Violent and Destructive Earthquakes in the Philippines" by Rev. Miguel Saderra Masó is a historical science publication that recounts major earthquakes which shook the Philippines between 1599 and 1909. It details the intensity of each quake, the destruction it caused, and the specific locations that were impacted. Written in the early 20th century, the catalogue’s goal was to create a thorough list and examination of considerable earthquakes and their impact. The book explains in the beginning how it was made after a request from a seismologist, Prof. John Milne, to combine a list of destructive earthquakes to be added to a global catalog. The book discusses how hard it was to collect these exact historical records because in the past there were no detailed accounts of the events recorded. Saderra Masó points out the differences in documentation between seismic events before and after 1800, while also coming up with a system to organize earthquakes depending on their impact, to give insight on their impact on the region.