Fred M. White & Fred Merrick White 
The Invisible Force [EPUB ebook] 

There was a sudden splitting crack as if a thousand rifles had been discharged in the ballroom. The floor rose on one side to a perilous angle, considering the slippery nature of its surface. Such a shower of white flakes fell from the ceiling that dark dresses and naval uniforms looked as if their wearers had been out in a snowstorm. … "An earthquake, " somebody said at length. "An earthquake, beyond doubt, and a pretty bad one at that. That accounts for the failure of the electric light. There will be some bad accidents if the gas mains are disturbed." … A scared-looking policeman came staggering along. "My man, " Lord Barcombe cried, "what has happened?" The officer pulled himself together and touched his helmet. "It's dreadful, sir, " he sobbed. "There has been an accident in the tubes; and they have been blown all to pieces." … Nobody knew what to do; everybody had lost their heads for the moment. It seemed hopeless from the very start.