Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-03-12
4 NEW ISLAND.
Remarkable PhenOmen0n-A Volcanic
fnitcaga1,

correspondent of the London Times writing from
A'Hens s & reefS annopnsei that new island began
antorln) in the Grecian ArchiP eagO on the 4th of
eeoruary, and IN five days it attained the height of
fom one hundred and thirty feet to one hundred and
fifty feet with length of upwards of three hundred
and fifty feet and breadth of one hundred feet It
continues to increase, and consists of rusty black
metallic lava, very heavy, and bling half
smelted scoria which has boiled up FROM a furnace
1t contains many small whitiSh semi-traGsparent
PARTICLES disseminated through the mass like quartz
or telspar.
The ERUPTION began on the $lst of January. noise
earthquake. On the following day flames issued
from the sea, in part of the bay called NulkanOS
where the water is always diScoored and imtregnated
WIN sulphur from abundant springs at the bottom
The flames rose at intervals to the height of fifteen
1ee and were seen at times to issue from the south
western part Of ca kaimene. That island was soon
considerably.
On the 4th of February the eruptions became more
Vloen and the sea more disturbed Gas forced itself
up IRON 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 cured capital of dark heavy
Clouds. The new island was visible next morning
increasing sensiby to the eye it out of the sea
at no great distance to the south of Nea kamene
Ihen9w sland has been visited by DR.. Dekigaa,
man of science and an able observer, who will te-
coTd accurately all the phenomena of the eruption
as II proceeds The heat Of the sea rose from Y Fab
renhel TO 10, as near the vicinity of volcanic action
as ~ vas sale TO approach The bottom Of the sea all
In one place, where the depth is marked on the Ad
mlfalty cnart one hundred tathOmS found to
be now only thirty, and at another where it was
enecn it is now only three tathomS. The new island
as 1t increases will probably form junction with
Nea kaimene. 1t 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 fs-
Sures, where they are deep, being 10 Fahrenheit
and the upper part, after four days exposure, was
found to be still 50.
At present the centre Of the volcanic force lies evil
IDENTIFY tar below the bottom of the sea- and only gases
and smoke work their way through the incumbent
earth TO the water, and escape in noise flames and
smoke tc the surface. But should a assure at the
hreS that throw up the melted metal of the new
island to the surface eruption may take place of
kind similar to that which destroyed POmpei, but
far more terrible.
The eruption that formed the presentisland of Nea
halmene began in the year 1907. and the volcanic
action continued, without doing any serious injury
to the inhabitants of Thera, until ll3 1t possible
the present irruption may continue as long, and be
as mid IN Its operation. But as late 1850 terrible
eruption laid waste great part of the island, ard
raised an island ON Its northeastern coast which
sank again into the sea, leaving a shoal.
The Island of Old kaimene made its first appear
ance IN the year lgS before the Christian era It's
SIZE was increased by several cruptiOns mentioned in
history. The last addition it received in li5I
Inc Small halmene which is nearest to Thera, was
thrown up In 1913. All the cruptions in the bays
have been attended with similar phenomenal.
The British naval commander at MALTA has sent
TWO ShlpS TO the scene OF these phenomena. letter
dated February I, containing the latest news says:
The same smoke and fire in the evening as yester
day, and the hliock continues its operations. The
sea- too, boils beyond the more than yesterday
The hillock or land, will probably by tomorrow in
crease as far as the entrance to the cove, and be
hy sid