The Sun.
London, England, 1852-09-24 00:00:00

SWITZERLAND.

The Zurich Gazette of the 20th states that the
waters in that district have subsided considerably,
and that the damage caused by the innundation is
less than might have been expected.,lt appears, how-
ever, that the railroad near Dietikon has sustained
much injury, and circulation is interrupted. At
Basle, also, on the 19th, the waters had subsided, but
a great deal of property had been destroyed, and it
was said that some lives had been lost.

ERUPTION OF ETNA.
CATANIA, SEPT. I.—Zaffarana has been and still
is in considerable danger—by last accounts the lava
was at a very short distance from it, and apparently
nothing but the 'interposition of -Providence could
save it. The soil, on the sides of Etna generally, is
full of undulations, in some places mere hillocks, in
other places hills, caused by lava, or scoria, from pre-
vious eruptions. The lava, as it flows on in its down-
ward course, is naturally turned aside by these undu-
lations or irregularities, and some hill or obstacle,
may possibly turn aside the lava ere it reach Zaffa-
rana. I may here mention that it is calculated that
the course of the lava since the eruption first broke
out, is, owing to its devious course, caused by the
undulation alluded to above, full sixteen miles, while
the distance in a straight line, does not exceed three
miles. The first stream of lava, after nearly reaching
Zaffarana, suddenly ceased, as if the eruption were at
an end. It is a second stream, flowing on the first,
which now causes so much alarm. Great damage has
already been donetto the vineyards and chestnut woods
on the stope of the mountain, and it is to be feared
that the damage will still be very considerable, even
if Zaffarana escape. This village and Ballo, a suburb
thereof, have been deserted by the inhabitants, and
several houses higher up than it have been already
destroyed.

Yesterday evening, and the whole of today,
Catania has been visited by a heavy shower of black
ashes from the mountain, to such an extent that it is
perfectly disagreeable to be in the streets. Owing
to this cloud of ashes the mountain has been nearly
invisible to us, but we are warned by the conti-
nuous heavy explosions that it is still in a very active
state.

Curiosity has carried, and is daily carrying a large
number of Catanese to Zaffarana; there, however,
little more than the stream of lava is visible, I made
a trip on Saturday afternoon to Tre Castagne, three
hours' drive distant from Catania, thence on a mule
and on foot through the Bosco and over the lava of
1819, to the summit of Monte Pumiciaro, a trip of
four hours and a half. From its summit we had
a glorious sight of the two newly-formed craters,
casting up enormous red hot masses under our feet,
and we could trace the whole course of the different
streams of lava from the source to Zaffarana. The
trip there and back took sixteen hours. I would re-
commend it to any one wishing really to see what an
eruption is.
(From the Journal of Catania.)
August 22.—From the point of the eruption, the
lava descended to within a mile of Zappinelli, having
traversed nearly seven miles of ground, over desert
and desolate points, damaging a portion of birch trees
ifil this communal grove, and nearly all the zappini
of trees),
of the
rev and a portion of birch trees forming part
yesterday.
rue of the Bishop of Catania. One branch
prroeetion of Milo, a territory of Giarre. To-
took the
to have turned
day the
Trof the lava is less rapid than it was
named tat_h.e diisreicatio
ant
hsnetfi,
some lands little
towards
sudden the branch which appeared
of some vaTas Zaffarana, commenced an in-
vasiontions of Zaffarana.
beprivatetaking
property in the road below,
battaechketeini
activity.
taking the Inst.
ihbn jei uen fe
roura direction
the
eo of
habitations
Milolta.
and appears to
road to
The branch which is
ofhagsrneoatt
traetavhnaea .
Up to this moment
-e.gut of
covered with .. cultivated it has
spread over others birch, cherry, and
apple trees.
Its ordinary course may be calculated at about 40
Besides invading
feet an hour, but its course may be increased by de-
scending the steep ground above Zaffarana, from which
commune it is now distant about four miles, calcu-
lating its tortuous course.
August 23.—The lava, which last night showed a
front of about 18 palms high, attained during the
night a height of 30 palms, and acquired greater cele-
rity in its course. It has already invaded the heights
visible from the habitations of Zaffarana, and has
passed some, especially that of the Quercia del Vento,
the of the valley of Calanna. One branch towards
e openingopening of Calanna, and another to the Quercia
del Vento, appear to be directing themselves, the first
for the valley of Calanna course it will take
the hamlet of in its n
Zaffarana) the road to
Ballo ; whilst a third smaller the
second
branch, 0
which is seen
t
at the point understood astends towards th©
lands situated between o ars,
. .
eeu Ballo and Milo. This morn-