The Sun.
London, England, 1866-02-24 00:00:00

The New Greek Island.

(From the Athens Correspondent of the Times)
A new island began to rise above the level of the
sea in the Bay of Thera (Santorin) on the 4th inst.,
and in five days it attained the height of from 130 ft.
to 150 ft., with a length of upwards of 350 ft. and a
breadth of 100 ft. It continues to increase, and
consists of a rusty black metallic lava, very heavy,
and resembling half smelted scoria which has boiled
up from a furnace. It contains many small whitish
semi-transparent particles disseminated through the
mass like quartz or felspar.
The shape of Santorin on the map gives an idea
of its volcanic formation. It appears to be the
eastern half of an immense crater, stretching in a
semi-circle round a bay in which the sea now covers
the seat of volcanic action. The destruction of the
south-western rim of the crater let in the water.
The north-western portion is the island of Therasia.
The bay is about six geographical miles long, and
upwards of four broad. Near the centre there are
three islands which have risen from the sea during
eruptions recorded in history,—Palaia, Nea, and
Mikre Kahnene, or Old, New, and Little Burnt
Island, naming them in their order from west to
east.

The present eruption commenced on the 31st of
January. A noise like volleys of artillery was
heard, but without any earthquake. On the follow-
ing day flames issued from the sea, in a part of the
bay called Vulkanos, where the water is always dis-
coloured and impregnated with sulphur from abun-

dant springs at the bottom. The flames rose at
intervals to the height of 15ft., and were seen at
tines to issue from the south-western part of Nea
Kaimene. That island was soon rent by a deep
fissure, and the southern part sank considerably.
On the 4th of February the eruptions became
more violent and the sea more disturbed. Gas
forced itself up from the depths with terrific noise,
resembling the bursting of a steam boiler; flames
arose at intervals, and white smoke, rising steadily,
formed an immense column, crowned with a curled
capital of dark heavy clouds. The new island was
visible next morning, increasing sensibly to the eye
as it rose out of the sea at no great distance to the
south of Nea Kaimene.

The new island has been visited by Dr. Deki-
, galla, a man of science and an able observer, who
will record accurately all the phenomena of the
present eruption as it proceeds. The heat of the
sea rose from 62 Fahrenheit to 122 as near the
vicinity of volcanic action as it was safe to approach.
The bottom of the sea all round Nea Kaimene ap-
pears to have risen greatly. In one place, where
the depth is marked on the Admiralty chart 100
fathoms, it was found to be now only 30, and at
another where it was 17 it is now only three fathoms.
The new island, as it increases, will probably form
a junction with Nea Kaimene. It grows, as it were,
out of the sea, the mass below pushing upwards
that which is already above water. The lower part
is hot, its fissures where they are deep being 170
Fahrenheit, and the upper part after four days' ex-
posure was found to be still 80.
At present the centre of the volcrnic force lies
evidently far below the bottom of the sea, and only
gases and smoke work their way through the in-
cumbent earth to the water, and escape in noise,
flames, and smoke to the surface. But should a
fissure at the bottom of the sea allow the water to
penetrate to the fires that throw up the melted
metal of the new island to the surface, an eruption
may take place of a kind similar to that which de-
stroyed Pompeii, but far more terrible.

The eruption that formed the present island of
Nea Kaimene began in the year 1707, and the vol-

canic action continued, without doing any serious

injury to the inhabitants of Thera, until 1713. It
is possible the present eruption may continue as
long, and be as mild in its operation. But as late
as 1650 a terrible eruption laid waste great part of

he island, and raised an island on its north-eastern

coast, which soon sank again into the sea, leaving a

shoal.

The island of Old Kaimene made its first appear-
ance in the year 198 before the Christian era. Its

size was increased by several eruptions mentioned in
history. The last addition it received was in 1457.
The Small liaimene, which is nearest to Thera, was

thrown up in 1573. All the eruptions in the bay
have been attended with similar phenomena, and
the best accounts of them will be found in the

works of the Abbe Pegues and Dr. Louis Ross :
Histoire et Phenomenes du Volcan et Iles Volcaniques
de Santorin. Paris, Imprhnerie Royale, 1842. Reisen
auf den Griechischen Inseln des Aegaeischen Akers.
Von Dr. Ludwig Ross.

TIIE HERTFORDSHIRE HOUNDS.--This fine pack
of hounds, heretofore and for the last quarter of a century
known as " Loi d Dacre's," have been taken up, on his
lordship's resignation of the mastership,
in a very spirited
manner by Mr. John Gerard Leigh, of Luton 1100. Mr.
Leigh has undertaken to erect new kennels and stables on
the confines of his father's park.
_ _

MEXICAN CITIES.—The Mexican Times gives the
following estimates of the population of the six largest
towns of the new Empire :—Mexico, 200,000 ; Puobla,
75,000; Guadalajara, 70,000; Guanajuato, 60,000; Quere-
taro, 48,000; Matamoras, 41,000,