The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-09 00:00:00

A SUBMARINE VOLCANO.

(From the San rrancisco Herald.)
Captain C. H. Newell, of the whaling barque Alice
Frasier, gives the following description of the action of
a submarine volcano which sprang into existence in the
Straits of Onriimah, in lat. 54 26, long. 165, on the 25th
of July last. There were five or six vessels in company
at the time when the volcano burst, and threw an im-
mense body of water to a tremendous height ; after which
it emitted lava and pumicestone on the decks of the ves-
sel. This singular oceanic phenomenon is corrobora'ed
by the maters of tie whaling ships William Thompson,
Scotland, and Enterprise :
" Borgne Alice Frasier, at Sea, Oct. 30, 1856.
" About the 25th of July, while passing in company with
some others through the Straits of Onnimah, I observed
many of the mountain peaks upon the adjacent islands
undergoing strong volcanic action, ejecting vast clouds of
dense black smoke.
" A few other whalers, in company with myself, had
just rounded the west point of the island, close to the base
of the volcano, upon that end of it, having been enjoying
the close view of its tremendous eruption, and listening to
the long rumbling roar as we underwent several successive
shocks of partial earthquake, when the wind suddenly died
away from a strong breeze to a calm, and left us entirely
at the mercy of the eruptions, close in with the land. After
several hours of various grades of action everything seemed
to grow for the worse. The throes of the elements and
groans of the sphere became rapidly more and more omi-
nous. It became perfectly calm—so calm that the dense,
black, unearthly smoke from the crater rushed headlong
into the heavens, without deviating to any point—an indi-
cation that there was a faint hope of a coming breeze for
us ; then gradually dissipated into cold grey clouds, from
which fell showers of ashes, looking in the distance like
rain, though falling rather like snow flakes. At this stage
of things, after about 12 hours' calm, there sprang up a
light breeze from the south, seemingly about to rid us of
our dangerous companion ; and you may make no doubt
but we endeavoured to profit by it, even to the smallest
sail we could set.
"But then came the worst of all. The winds, acting
upon so dense a body of smoke, blew it flat down upon the
surface of the water, making it for more than 100 miles, as
I ascertained from others, an almost total eclipse, shutting
the
land
theiln truckd
peoruoniptdl
e eenretxoipnr eoelsyezdfi:ero m sight. The ashes rained
down upon us like a snowstorm, covering everything from
anddeck
growingyrtlantl
mantle
deionnteras,ndalmmoorset
blinddense, nearly to suffocation, antil we began to conjure up
another scene of Pompeii and Herculaneum, and thick we
should come off rather worse than Pliny's little fleet in the
Bay of Naples. As the breeze increased we worked our
way to the westward, leaving the scathing, suffocating
mass rolling away to the north upon the eastern board.
Once clear, we had a long job to got clear of the ashes—
washing and scrubbing in abundance. I have visited seve-
ral volcanoes in their active stages, but that was a little
more of the coalpit business than agreed with my taste in
these matters. .

" But the grand sublimity of the thing was all to come.
As the breeze built up into a dashing wind along came
four other ships. When, just as they got fairly in with
the north base of this mountain, gazing upon the grand
ebullition above them, there followed a long low rumbling
directly beneath them, and there sprang into instant exist-
ence simultaneous with the sound a vast terrific volcano
among the very fleet. First, the waters boiled and rose
tumultuously into chaotic waves ; then sprang, as by an
effort of some vast kmintain, into a splendid column of
rolling waters to a great height. This gradually dissi-
pated. Then from earth to heaven, with a thundering
sound which reeked the very welkin, there sprang a burst
of smoke and flame as if earth's whole internal fires were
seeking a vent therefrom. Following this it commenced
casting up lava and pumicestone, from the size of a
pebble to that of a boulder, covering all the vessels with
lesser fragments of each, and keeping the ships' companies
in the most intense anxiety from fear of Dither being
blown into the air or crushed beneath the sea. These
grades of action continued only for a time, the eruption
sinking almost as sudden as it came, when the waters rolled
into the vacated chasm with the rush of a whirlwind,
meeting in the centre from every direction, and whirling
into a vortex only equalled by the Maelstrom, uttering a
voice little short of the British Niagara heard from Table
Rock.

"The ships escaped, leaving the submarine ♦olcano un-
dergoing a succession of changes of comparative quietude
and violent action, its throes assuming about the same
character as the first, with unequal intervals limiting the
various stages it passed through.

" C. H. NEWELL."

Naval and Military Intelligence.

I.M. steam troopship -Urgent, Commander Phillips,
arrived at Spithead yesterday morning from the Mediter-
ranean, last from Plymouth.
111.111. korai btockship Pembwcike, 60,. Capt. Fraseil
lesveg-Spithead to- d th .

Amphitrite, 25, was undocked at Portsnionth
yesterday. She is intelided.art 6a4tguai'd service.
The Dee steam vessel was taken into Portsmouth
steam basin yesterday to discharge boilers and machinery
for the Diadem, &c.
The Alban, 3, steam vessel, Lieutenant-Commander
Blaquire, left Portsmouth yesterday afternobn for the
west ward.
The Trident, 6, Commander Close, was taken into
the steam basin at Portsmouth on Wednesday to have
defects repaired.
The Algiers, 91, is to be docked on Monday at Ports-
mouth, to be refitted for further service.
The paddlewheel frigate Furious, 12, will be undocked
at Portsmouth to-morrow, and forwarded for farther
service.
The screw steam ship James Watt, 91, Captain T. V.
Anson, sailed from Plymouth on Tuesday, and the screw
steam frigate Shannon, 51, Captain W. Peel, on Wed-
nesday, both for Lisbon.
Commander Gordon and 20 of the crew of the paddle-
wheel steam vessel Hecate, 6, being on the sick list with
fever, she has been ordered off the coast, and is probably
at Ascension.
The funeral of Captain A. J. B. Hambly, of the
Chatham division of the Royal Marines, took place yes-
terday,afternoon, and was conductied with all the military
honours usually observed on the occasion of the burial
of an officer of rank. The deceased officer, who had
been 20 years in the corps of the Royal Marines, died
at his quarters in the barracks, from which his body
was subsequently removed to Melville Hospital, where
the funeral procession was formed. In addition to the
officers of the Royal Marines a large number of naval
officers, belonging to the ships of war lying at Chatham,
with the officers of the Provisional Battalion and the
Royal and East India Company's Engineers, attended.
Captain Hambly entered the corps of Royal Marines in
1837, his commission as second lieutenant bearing the
date of August lof that year. He obtained his com-
pany in 1851. In 1842 the deceased officer served in
the Chinese expedition, where he was severely wounded.
He also served on board the Monarch in the Baltic dur-
ing, 1854, and afterwards on the Pacific station until
invalided home in May last.
The Southampton, 50, Captain E. P. Charlewood
(1855), left Chatham yesterday in tow of the African
and A.dder steamers for Sheerness. She is to be sta-
tioned at Harwich, where she will be employed as the
guard-ship of the Coastguard.
Another discharge of troops from the army took place
at Chatham garrison yesterday morning, consisting of
159 non-commissioned officers and men selected from
various regiments. Nearly 2,000 troupe have been dis-
charged from Chatham during the past three months.

INTERESTING DiseovEßT.--7Thelast accounts received
from the Danubian provinces mention a discovery very
interesting to arclimologists, which has just been made
in a convent of the Bukowina. There has been found in
the convent of Putna the tomb and crown of Stephen
the Great, sovereign prince of Moldavia, who ascended
the throne in 1498, and died in 1504. This prince, who
was as great a warrior as he wa a governor, extended the
limits of his states, and supported numerous wars against
John, Albert, Alexander 1., and Sigismund 1., King.
of Poland, and in which he was always the conqueror. In
1496 in the plains of Bukowina, which then formed part
of his government, be gained the battle of Suczawa over
a Polish army, 80,000 strong. He took 20,000 priso-
ners, whom he afterwards employed tillingin the ground,
and to whose labours historians attributed the inagnifi.
cent forests which still c,ver the country and constitute
its
theriches.Poles,
b
Stephen u t
after the
hisdeathMoldavia, e Great resisted the
Turks
whichas ‘hv ellae
as
under his reign acquired so brilliant a position,
lost her
independence. Ills successor, Bogdan IV., sucantted
to the Sultan &Um. Since that period Moldally has
remained under the suzerainty of the Porte, whit lk some
years after assumed the right of nominating the sovereign
chief of the province. • The discovery jest made in the
Bukowina has awakened the glorious souvenir of Stephen
tne Great. A commission has been formed at Jassy for
the purpose of raising a subscription to erect a monu-
ment and a statue to his memory, and the idea has been
.
i
'.well received by the whole of the inhabitants.

[PRICE 4D. STAMPED 5 ii•

if OrA t INSTITUTION.

Yesterday afternoon, Professor Faraday delivered the
last lecture of his Christmas course, which was, as on
the former occasions, attended by the Prince of Wales.
In the preceding lectures, the attractions of gravitation,
of cohesion, of chemical affinity; of electricity, and of
magnetism, formed separately the subjects of considera
tion ; and in this lecture the relation of these several
attractions to each other was exemplified, and they were
shown to be the Fame force differently modified. The
similarity of gravitation and cohesion had been previously
noticed, and it was to exhibit the identity of chemical
affinity, electricity, and magnetism, that Professor Fara-
day eri_shis occasion had particularly in view. He coin-
menced by giving illustrations of the actions of chemical
force by the combustion of iron in oxygen gas, and by
the ignition of zinefoil when held in the flame of a spirit
lamp, in which phenomena the action of the, chemical
attractions subsisting between the metals and the oxy-
gen produced not only new bodies, but caused the evo-
lution of light and,beat. Another instance of, chemical
affinity was the coating of a piece of clean steel with
copper, by immersing it into a solution of that metal.
The same solution. when, poured into a silver bowl, at
first produced no change, but When apiece of zinc was
introduced into the liquid and touched the silver, an
immediate deposition of copper ensued. This increase of
chemical affinity, occasione r by contact with a dissimilar
metal, Professor Faraday observed, was the door into
most important phenomena which present chemical affi-
nity actively exerted in one case and quite inert in
another, and as transferred from body to body. The
elementary combina'ion of a voltaic battery was then
shows by a plate of zinc placed between two plates of
copper—the latter being kept apart from the zinc by
pieces of wood. This simple arrange rent, which brought
chemical affinity into action when the separated zinc and
copper plates were immersed is acidulated water, was
shown to be sufficienk to make.a piece sal pialtitpum7 wire;
that 'con neeted the twb Metals, raid hot.: ---.A.notdier peen,
culiarity of the force thus generated by the contact of
metals having different chemical affinities to oxygen, was
shown try placing affounder on a plate of silver, then
putting a small pieoe of zinc on its back, and making
communication between the two metals. The flounder
jumped and opened its mouth each time that the con-
tact was made. The effects thus produced by a single
pair of plates were repeatedwith a Grove's voltaic battery,
consisting of 40 pairs, with greatly increased energy.
The brilliant ignition of charcoal, of platinum, and of sil-
ver, wa- exhibited, and an eel in a tub of water jumped out
on to the floor. These phenomena, Professor Faraday
taid, were the effects of electricity ; and, to show this
more distinctly, he made use of a Zainboni's pile, con-
sisting of a great number of alternations of metal leaves,
by which instrument the gold leaf electrometer was de-
flected in the same manner as by an excited glass rod.
After thus exhibiting the conversion of chemical force
into electricity the pr rcess was reversed, and electricity
was converted into chemical force. A. solution of Glen-
ber's salt was decomposed by the voltaic battery, and
the opposite actions of the two poles of the apparatus
was shown by litimus paper being turned red when
connected with one pole of the battery, and restored to
its original bins colour when the poles were reversed.
Having by this and by other experiments illustrated the
convertibility of electricity into chemical force, Professor
Faraday next proceeded to show that the current of the
voltaic battery can produce magnetism. This was
done by first exhibiting the deflections of a balanced
needle by a single wire connecting the poles of a voltaic
battery ; and afterwards increasing the power by coiling
the wire, an electro magnet was made of sufficient at-
tractive force to hold large masses of iron. Lastly,
magnetism was shown to be convertible into electricity ;
and the original magneto-electric machine, made by Mr.
Saxton, was exhibited is action, exciting brilliant elec•
tric sparks by the rotation of a piece of soft iron co-
vered with wire in the front of a powerful permanent
steel magnet. The seemingly different attractive
pciwers were thus proved to be one and the same force
differently modified ; and Professor Faraday observed
that the problem now remaining to be solved is the ,me-
termination of the nature of the force which, under dif-
ferent conditions, produces the varied phenomena which
on a first view seem to result from the operation of dis-
tinct forces. At the conclusion of the lecture there was
a loud burst of applause. The Prince of Wales remained
for some time examining the apparatus on the lecture
table.

_HEALTH OF LONDON DURING THE
WEEK.

(Irma the Repart.of the Registran.-General.)

In the week that ended on Saturday, the deaths of 1,497
persons, viz., 761 males and 736 females, were registered
in London. In the first week of the year, dnring the period
1847-56, the average number of deaths was 1,321 ; and if
this is raised in proportion to increase of population, for
comparison with the number in the present return, it be-
comes 1,463. The deaths now recorded exhibit an excess
of 44 over the corrected average.
The number of deaths registered last week is augmented
to a very considerable extent by deaths, in reference to
which inquests have been held, 'loving been entered in.the.
register books in'more than their just weekly proportion.
Manz, of such cases were not registered till the end of the
quarter, though they had oceur:ed and been investigated
by the coroner at earlier dates ; for 25 deaths were refer-
red last week to burns and scalds, 16 to banging and suf-
focation, 29 to drowning, 48 to fractures, 7 to wounds; 45
deaths were returned of persons found dead, or who died
suddenly front an unknown or unstated cause. Under
these heads and a few others the excess will chiefly be
found.

Hooping-cough appears to have been more fatal last
week than any other disease in the zymotic class ; 51 chil-
dren died of it. Measles was fatal in 38 cases, typhus and
common fever in 37, scarlatina in 29, small pox in 5.
Measles prevail chiefly in the north districts, Marylebone,
Camden-town, Islington. Six children died of it in the
sub-district of Islington West. A family is mentioned by
the registrar of Hackney-road, in which four children
have been attacked by scarlatina maligns, and two have
died. A seaman died on the 20th December from " want
of sufficient nourishment," and a widow on the 28th, " ap-
parently from destitution."

The deaths of 8 persons were registered last week who
had attained the age of 99 years or upwards. A man who
hail been a butler was the oldest, and died at the age of
91 years.
irast week the births of _1,025 boys and 948 girls, in all
1,913 children, wore registered in London': In the ten cor-
respoildiAg weeks of the years 1847-56 the average dumber
was 1,598
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean height
of the barometer in the week was 29.746 in. The mean
daily reading was above 30 in. on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Tha highest reading was 30.13 in. on Wednesday, and the
lowest 23.97 in. on Saturday. The mean temperature of
the week was 40.6 deg., which is 3.7 deg. above the average
of the same week in 43 years (as determined by Mr.
Glaisher). The mean temperature was 11.3 deg. below the
average on Sunday, and was as much above it on Thursday.
The lowest temperature on Sunday was 18.5 deg., and on
the following Thursday it was 44.5 deg. The highest tem-
perature occurred on Friday, and was 52.7 dog., and the
range of the week was 34.2 deg. Tho mean dew-point
temperature was 37.1 deg., and the difference between this
and the mean air temperature was 3.5 deg. The mean tem-
perature of the water of the Thames was 39 deg. The tem-
perature of the river ranged from 36.9 deg. to 41.5 deg.
The direction of the wind was generally west-south-west.
Tho horizontal movement of the air on Saturday was 410
miles. A very heavy gale of wind blew on the evening of
that day, accompanied with frequent showers. Between
7 and 10 o'clock p.m. the pressure of wind on tho square
foot varied from 10 to 12 lhs. The amount of rain in the
week was 0.23 in. which fell on three days.

HEALTH OF LONDON DURING THE
QUAIITE.R.

(F,oni, the Official Report.)

The number of deaths registered in London during the
quarter ending December 27, 1856, was 14,118. On com-
paring this result with the number returned in the last
quarters of 18 )2.55, and taking the growth of the popula-
tion into account, it will be seen that the public health was
tolerably good ; and, as regards children, the reduction
of mortality from some of those diseases which waste infant
life appears to show that it was rather better than usual.
But the comparison now made shows only an improvement
which may be temporary, not that superior and permanent
condition of health which only measures that promote the
moral and physical well-being of a populous community
can effect.

The deaths from zymotic diseases in the quarter were
altogether 2,902, being little more than a fifth part of the
total number. 74 persons died of small pox ; the numbers
in the two previous corresponding quarters were 289 and
177. Scarlatina was fatal in 1,297 cases in the last three
mouths of 1854 ; in the same period of 1855 it was fatal in
774 cases ; last quarter the number was 556. Measles was
rather prevalent in the quarter, and carried off 372 child-
ren. The number of persons who died of typhus and com-
mon fever was 611, which is less than usual in the autumn
months. Of th,se cases 194 occurred in the east division—
Shoreditch, Bethnal-green, Mile-end, Although the
east division contains a much less population than the
south, the deaths from fever were considerably more in the
former than in the latter. But the deaths from measles
on the south side of the river were 102, being double the
number that occurred ins. he east districts, which appear
. enjoyed_ also grter exemption from small-pox
to have
than the other parts of London. The mortality from
diarrhoea was not great : this complaint was fatal in 316
cases, and was not, apparently, more common in one part
than in another.
Phthisis carried off 1,785 persons in the quarter, bronchitis
1,432, pneumonia 1,179, asthma 174. Pulmonary diseases
were more fatal than in the same quarter of 1855 • and this
was due, at least in
part, to those rapid atmospheric tran-
sitions which marked the beginning of December. In six
weeks of the quarter the mean temperature was above the
average ;in seven below it. Iu oue week it fell to 35 deg.,
and in the next it rose to 51 deg.; and by the end of the
year the mean weekly temperature was again 35 deg.
Of the 14,118 deaths, 2,285, or about a sixth part, oc-
curred in public institutions—namely, 1,271 in workhouses,
20 in prisons, 65 in military and naval asylums, 72 in luna-
tic asylums, 17 in hospitals for foreigners, 58 in military
and naval hospitals, and 782 in general and special hospi-
tals for the sick.

From January to Novembe the value of plate glad'
exported as an arsicle of British manufacture was,
57,851/.
THE CONVICT MANSELL.—Yesterday, upon the fiat
of the Attorney-General, the writ of error against the
judgment and sentence of this prisoner, who is now
under respite of sentence of death for the murder of
his superior officer, was issued from the Petty Bag
Office.