The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1867-11-28
vesuvIus I'm Action.

Old Vesuvius is again in action. a
dispatch from Naples says that the vol
cano is sending up pillar of fire,
which has a magnificent effect as seen
from the city. New craters have been
formed, and the usual point Of issue
IN latitude 40 40 north and longitude
IA 26 east IL also engaged. During
the night of Wednesday red hot stones
were elected in large quantities from
the burning mountain. g..
The surrounding earth is in tromu-
lOus motion for considerable distance;
the lava is pouring forth and running
down the sides of the mountain in
volume and with rapid flow, and the
general upheayings from the volcano
give warning Of IN unusually grand
eruption, from which very serious con-
sequences arc looked for.
Vesuvus, rs all the world knows, is
volcano of Southern Italy, on the
east shore of the Bay Of Naples. 1t is
about ten miles from the city. Its up
per portion is divided into two peaks,
one of which towers 3,747 feet above
the sea, and thu other reaches an Gle.
vation of 3,947 feet. The latter is Yes
uvius proper. Ia A. d., 20, It's first re-
corded eruption occurred, when Pom
peii and Herculaneum were buried in
the flood OF lava and ashes.
Since then II number of eruptions
have occurred. That Of December.
1851, was of great violence. On Sun
day morning, the 9Th, the tremblings
Of the ground commenced and IN lhe
afternoon a large opening was made
in tho ground about one qnarter Of the
way up the mountain. Other opens
ings followed, loud explosions were
heard aud Jets of flame were seen TO
rise. On the morning of the 4.h, II
stream of lava quarter of mile
broad was flowing, crevices opened in
the streets of Torro del Greco, (Which
had population Of 10000 tho walls
Of the houses and the roofs were tot u
open. No wonder that the town was
almost deserted The condition of
affairs at this period has been thus de-
scribed "A quarter Of mIle only up
the mountain, the broad stream of la
va was slowly moving down, in conse-
Guence of the accession continually
made tO it from the numerous and
changing craters half mile further
up. The semhuid stream was about
twenty-five feet in depth, reaching TO
the roofs ef the houses which il eu-
quilted. Fine black dust was carried
up with the matters elected, and, driv-
en- by tAe north wind over the bay ov.
crhung the whole surface in dark
cloud. 1t covered The road several
inches deep and on tho houses in Tor
re del Greco il accumulated to the
depth Of u inches, and its appearance
was very sensible over the ground at
Capri and Salerno The explosions,
like the sound OF heavy artillery, con-
tinued till toward evening, and at
night were succeeded by the most bril-
liant effects of electric lights, forkod
lightning, and columns of fire and
smoke continually rising from the era
ter. Tho commissions continued for
several days; and even up To January
IL loOAi Lho tICulollllSs VI luo tHIlu
had not ceased, and eXhalatons ofgas
in the streets Of Tore del Greco, near
the sea, was SO strong as to be nearly
insufferable. The effect Of this erup-
tion has been to materially alter the
shape Of Vesuvius, and it is stated that
the old crater has been decpened and
ten new ones have been produced,
According to Humboldt, the total
number of volcanoes in action upon
tho globe, during the last one hundred
years, is at least 225 and the total
number extinct and active not less than
407, These are enumerated by HIM,
but there are )ubtIoss other which he
failed to name, particularly among
the islands OF the Pacific Newark
Advocate,