Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-20
A NEW MISREPRESENTATION
PHENOMENA.

A correspondent of the London Times
writing from Athens, Greece, announces that
a new island began to rise above the level Of
the sea in the bay Of Thera, (Santorin), in
the Grecian Archipelago, on the 4th Of Feb
ruary, and in five days it attained the hight
of from 40 TO $50 feet, with length of up
ward Of $50 feet and breadth Of 100 feet.
II continues 10 increase, and consists Of a
rusty, black metallic lava, very heavy, and
resembling half-smelted seoria which has
boiled up from the surface. 1t contains
many small, whitish, semi-transparent par
ticles, disseminated through the mass like a
quartz or feldspar.
The eruption began on the 31st January.
A noise like volleys Of artillery was heard,
but without any earthquake. On the follow
| ing day flames issued from the sea, in part
of the bay called Vulkanos, where the water
| is always discolored and impregnsted with
| sulphur from abundant springs at the bot
| tom. The flames rose at intervals from the
hight of fifteen feet, and were seen at times
10 Issue from the southwestern part Of Nea
Kaimene. That island was soon rent by a
| deep assure, and the southern part sank con-
| siderably.
On the 4th Of February the eruptions be-
came more violent and the sea more dis
turbed. Gas forced itself up from the depths
with terrific noise, resembling the bursting
| of 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 al
no great distance 10 the south of Nea Kai-
| meme.
The new island has been visited by DIR
Kekigalla, a man Of science and an able OBJ
server, who will record accurately all the
| phenomena of the eruption as it proceeds
The heat Of the sea rose from 81 Fahrenheit
10 l22 as near the vicinity of volcanic action
as il was safe to approach. The bottom o.
the sea all around Nea Kaimene appears tc
have risen greatly. In one place, where
the depth is marked on the admiralty char
100 fathoms, it was found to be now only so
and at another where il was II il is now only
fathoms. The new island, as it increases
will form a junction with Nea Kaimene. II
grows as it were, out into the sea, the mass
below pushing upward that which is already
above water. The lower part is hot, its ifs
sures, where they are deep, being 10 Fab
renheit, and the upper part, after four days
| exposure, was found TO be still 80.
At present the center Of the volcanic force
lies evidently far below the bottom of the
sea, and only gases and smoke work theil
way through the incumbent earth to thC
water, and escape in noise, flames and smoke
to the surface. But should a assure at the
bottom of the sea allow the water 10 pene
trate to the fires that throw up the melted
mettle Of the new island to the surface an
eruption may take place Of kind similar
10 that which destroyed Pompeii, but fal
more terrible.
The eruption that formed the present
island of Nea Kaimene began in the yea
1907, and the volcanic action continued
without doing any serious injury to the in
habitants of Thera, until 1713. 1t is posi-
bic the present eruption may continue a
long, and be as mild in its operation. Blu
as late as 1850 a terrible eruption laid vast
great part Of the island, and raised al
island on its northeastern coast which sooI
sank again into the sea, leaving a shoal.
The island of Old Kaimene made its frs
appearance in the year 1913, before the Chris
tian era. Its size was increased by severa
eruptions mentioned in history. The las
addition II received was in 1457. The Small
Kaime, which is nearest TO Thera; wa
thrown up in 1873. All the eruptions il
the bays have been attended with simila
phenomena.
The British naval commander at Malt;
has sent two ships TO the scene Of these phe
nomena. A letter dated February Z, con
tanning the latest news, says:
The same smoke and fire in the evenin,
as yesterday, and the hillock continued it
operations. The sea, too, boils beyond tn
cove more than yesterday. The hillock, o
land, will probably by tomorrow increase a
far as the entrance to the cove, and be joine,
by its sides.