The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-12-18 00:00:00

EARTHQUAKE IN NAPLES.

Ll.

A Correspondent of the Standard, writing from Naples,
the 6th that., says :

lit& morning, at about half•past three o'clock, all
Naples was awakened by a most severe shock of earth-
quake, which lasted eighteen- seconds in its different
phases. The movement, first undulatory from N.E.
to S. W., became afterwards vertical, and there is not
a quartrr of this large city that was not most severely
shaken. The greatest wonder is that as yet no
damages are reported.
_ _ _

Professor Palmieri, the well-known and learned
director of the Vesuvian Observatory, had, by means
of his newly-invented instrument, the "sysmogra[,h,"
been able to foretell an imminent volcanic perturba-
tion, which it was expected would have found its vent
through Mount Vesuvius, so well styled the safety
valve of Naples, but his calculations have been at least
partly mistaken, inasmuch as the mountain, instead of
vomiting flames and smoke, is since yesterday quietly
reposing under an immaculate shroud of snow. Never-
theless we are permitted to suppose that the present
state of repose of Vesuvius will not last long, because
for several days past the awful subterraneous noises
which usually precede violent eruptions have been fre-
quently heard, especially at night. These noises may
be compared to the rumhling of distant and prolonged
thunder, and when heard amidst the still repose of
night have a very grand effect.
The morning's shock of earthquake caused a great
fright amongst the population of Naples, especially
in the lower quarters, where the inhabitants fled from
their houses and sought refuge in the open spaces that
offered nearest; and, to add to the horrors of the
scene, the weather was abominable. It was only when
daylight began to dawn upon the city that the poor
frightened natives began to regain courage, and ven-
tured to return to their houses. A party of devotees
repaired to the Duomo (or cathedral) and insisted upon
having the miraculous effigy of St. Gennare brought
out and carried in procession in the streets. Happily
for public quiet, at that time the tesoriere, or
guardian of the treasury of the Duomo, was tv,t to be
found, so that they had to abandon their idea.
Numbers of poor half-clad wimen were gathered in
groups in the public squares at the Municipio, at
Santa Lucia, &c., all telling their beads with great
fervour.

I hear that the ifnmerous prisoners confined at the
Vicaria, where they are awaiting trial for their 7arious
offence; got so excited upon hearing the crowd in the
adjoining square that they nearly mutinied to get out,
and thus avoid the danger of being, as they expected
at every moment to be, buried beneath the ruins of
the old castle.

The population has now returned to its usual calm,
but the earthquake of this morning is the topic of the
day, and the first words of greeting are, as a rule,
"Have you felt the shock ?" Were you frightened ?"
&c. Everybody is looking with anxiety towards the
Montagna, as Vesulus is generally called here, and
eagerly, watching for the first symptoms of the pro-
mised eruption which is to avert from us all danger
of such shocks as we have had this morning.
, • ,

WARNINGS FROM VESUVIUS.
The Naples Correspondent of The Times writes,
under date the 7th inst. :
"The citizens of Naples are manifesting a great desire to
Increase the amusements and to improve the sanitary condi-
tion of Naples, with a view to attracting more strangers. It
is very possible, however, that a greater power than that of
our citizens will induce strangers to visit Naples during this
season, for Vesuvius is beginning to awaken Its rumblings
have been heard at the distance of many miles, aud, though
very little vapour is emitted, we are told by Professor
Palmieri that something may be expected to happen of an
unusual kind. After a long repose,' he says, ' Vesuvius
slowly indicates a new period of action In the interior of
the great crater of the last eruption a large portion has fallen
in towards the 8.8 E , and a quantity of black smoke has been
sent forth. The scientific instruments on the Observatory
have also been sensibly affected. How long may be the in-
terval between these early indications and the fiery manifes-
tations (usually called eruptions) it is impossible to say.
Similar phenomena were observed in the month of December,
1854, but the central eruption, followed by c liiinitidiacharget
of lava, did not occur ttli May in the following year? It is"
not at all unlikely, then, that one of those extraordinary
spectacles which foreigners so long to see may be witnessed
during the Winter or early spring Should it, however, be
deferred; Vesuvius will be a highly interesting object of .tudy
to every one. Palmieri speaks of black smoke as having
been emitted, and this is one of the unerring signs of
activity. The thin white- graceful column which we have
observed for a long time is tiol haw hut vapeur, and ascends
in greater or less quantities during a state of repose. It was,
indeed, reported last week that the mountain had already
bur,t out, and there were many who rutft;ed Into the streets
to a itness it, but the alarm was false ; but had it been true
the mazy mists which covered Vesuvius would have pre-
vented a! y one from witnessing the grand and awful spec-
tacle. That whicii has often happened, however, when there
is some delay in the eruption has happened now—earthquake
has shake', our houses and rattled our doors and windows
There have been for some days local shocks hi the teilzhbour-
hood of the eieuntain. but the most alarming one occurred
yesterday n. ruing at about 3h: 24m. before midday. It
lasted 18 si ode, and proceeded frora north-west to sonth-
east—was : first in dulating, then vertical. The effect
was, of cot. terrible, and not unlike what I witne, sed
and felt ,e years ago, when many lives were lost
xi the provieee of Basilicata. Bells rang, windows shook,
and the walls of our houses in some directions were sensibly
moved, but, as a heavy storm was raging yesterday, the indi-
cations, which in some parts of the city were so strong, were
mistaken as proceeding from the violence of the wind. As
may have been expected, numbers of people left their houses,
and the roads and squares were crowded with fugitives, who
added to the terrors of the moment by their cries. Those
who could find refuge in carriages and omnibuses were only

too glad to obtain shelter in them, but many were oompetled
to pass the night in the open air, exposed to one of the most
torted storms we have had during this extraordinary season.
It Is the opinion of some whose opinion is of value that
the shock which created such a panic is not directly con-
nected with Vesuvius, and that the centre of illeturintuce
may be at some distance. However that may be, it is cer-
telnly the avant courrier of a fresh, and perhaps speedy
eruption. That the opliden I alluded to above is correct
, may be inferred from the wide extent of country which has
been agitated. Despetches from Amalfi, Caserta, Capri,
Team), Benevento, Aveilino, Potenza, and even Foggia. speak
Of the violence of the shock. At S. Al-iroo,' in the Province
of Capitanata, there were three shocks, and at Barile, ie the
Be.iocate, one shock lasted one minute thirty-five se condo.
Vesuvius, ther,fore, could scarcely have been the centre
of action, and Professor Pahnieri places it in Peelle. How-
ever this may be, the shock in Naples and all round the
coast, extending even to the Islands, was greet, and pro-
duced inter, se alarm. What is to come next I People
call to their reo illection the incidents of tbe last great
earthquake, when our house bells rang and we watched
the enandellers waving backwards and forwards, and
when so many thousands of unfortunate persona in the
Provinces were buried under the ruins of their houses.
Happily there is nothing of this kind to report as yet.
Several public bui;dines have had lesions, and large &sures
have been opened, sufficiently so to make them unsafe. In
-Cesetta- the- troops- left their barracks and encamped in the
open piazze, but no loss of life has been reported either from
there or any other place, though disasters to life and pro-
perty were at first very generally announced. In the aillages
under Veinvius the panic was indescribable, for the
feelings of the inhabitants—as a private despatch in-
forms me—had been painfully excited for s)me days
by a series of. slight shocks. Our mountain has nothing
to do, however, with the great shock, which has ex-
tended through several Province; though it daily gains
increased activity, and gives almost certain indications of a
coming eruption. When it does come indeed it will be felt
to be a greet relief, whatever may be the amount of land
destroyed ; for there is nothing so awful as that lifting up of
the ground under one's feet, and the apprehension of the
replica or return shock, with the usual incidents which attend
it. It is to be observed that the shock seemed to affect the
heights more even than the lower, ground, putting in peril
unfinished or crazy houses, as I witnegsed in the case of one
which fell in.

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