Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-08-26

A PORTION OF A MOUNTAIN IN IRELAND
FALLING INTO THE ATLANTIC. The following
interesting letter, written by the Rev. Patrick
Malone, p P, appears in Dublin newspaper:
BELMULLErr July 81, 1867 Ser:-The
most extraordinary convulslon OF nature ever
known or heard Of in this part Of the country
occurred within four miles OF this town on the
Saturday, the 18th inst. and which, uniortu-
natey, has been attended with fearful conse-
quences to three or four families. 1t was a
syphon, or more properly speaking an earth
quake, by which the entire side ola mo untain
was raised from its bed, and suddenly breaking
up into huge fragments, proceeded down the
inclined surface, carrying destruction in its
course until it spent its fury in the waters OF
the Atlantic. The portion Of the mountain
thus broken up contained an area offorty acres,
and singular to relate, the elevation was not
more than one foot 10 every fifteen. But as it
10y at the base of the great mountain OF Glen
caste, the subterranean current descended from
a streat altitude. which accounts Tor the IRE
siStible force which produced the frightful con
sequences referred Co. The great drouth of
ahe preceding two months created vacuum
between the peat surface and it's gravely sub
stratum. The heavy fall of rain on the above
mentioned Saturday being pressed into cavity,
produced the eruption. 1t vas unfortunate
this phenomenon occurred in the night when
there we're no spectators to behold the gran
dcur of the scene. If we argue from the effect
to the cause, there is evidence that this vast
surface yielding to the force Of the water press
beneath was raised one hundred feet above its
original level, and breaking up into thousand
pieces, the avalanche desc ended the inclined
plane with fearful momen tum and rapldity.
Hundreds of these huge pieces, some of which
measured 1000 cubic feet, are now to be seen
thrown in on either side and strewn upon the
uudisturbed plain without the appearance of a
4 drop of water having accompanied them.
THE TINES. We stand in the midst Of con-
i iusion-and no eye can pentrate the future. 1t
isidle to worry ourselves That the great coil Of
history is unwinding itself here, as it has done
heretofore, and will continue to do, until the
intricate mechanism of human destiny has
achieved its assigned limits, and ceased its
pulsations, only an atheistical philosophy can
refuse to believe 1t is not whit darker than
1t has often been. There was utter confusion
10 France in the days of the long haired kings.
There was utter confusion under the successors
OF Charlemagne There was anarchy and con-
4 iqson and civil wars under the successors Of
3 Hugh Capet There was anarchy under the
% Gulses and Colignys. There was fearful mis-,
& government under the Bourbons. And then
/. followed the Revolution. We have had FIVE OF
8 SIX years of civil troubles, and if many or few
@ more are in store for Us, we do not know.
G r, Our business is with what lies at hand
3 Unable to cast the horoscope of the future, ii
81 u our our assigned part to 60 to work, and tc
q believe in God.
81 II we are bent on securing beyond per-ad-
q venture onr future well-being, here is q soyer-
\. elen receipt-to work with our hands and have
Is iaith In God. Faith in God and good honest
q Iaoor will put these military districts beyond
I. t1e nt experiments of the American Congress-
SIS charlottesville Chronicle.