Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-06-18
THE ERUPTION OF vEsUvIUs.
was it a Public blessing.

n COrTebpOuutHJ VI tnc hOuuou llhuCo
makes out strong case in sspport of
the theory that the eruption of Mount
Vesuvius saved the peninsular Of Italy
from still greater calamity. Writing
from Naples, under date of May Is, he
says:
During the last month the whole of
Italy seems to have been in state of
violent volcanic agitation and the cleo
trio phenomena gathered and re-
ported by Professor Densa as having
been observed in various parts of Italy
are worth nothing. He says: On the
26th of April, when Vesuvius displayed
the greatest activity, considerable
strong shock of earthquake was felt at
Mondovi. The movement, which first
appeared to be perpendicular, then be-
came undulatory from southwest to
northeast, the whole lasting from four
to six minutes. At the same hour an
earthquake was felt at Pinerolo, Cuneo
and Barge"
Professor Domenico Cont, director
of the new meteorological station now
heing organizedin Cosenza, writes, on
the 9th of April, that the shocks of
earthquake recommended there. with
greater vigor, and became again fres
quent and pereeptible. Moreover, Signor
Scotto Lachianchy, Professor of Astron-
omy in the Royal Technic and Marine
Institute of Messina, announces that at
eleven o'clock in the morning of the oath
of April the inhabitants of Catanini
we're surprised by hollow subterranean
rumbling, which, being repeated at fire.
quent intervals toward Etna, terminated
at one o'clock pm. At three o'clock
larger quantity of smoke began to rise
from the mouth of that crater, which, in
the evening, was illuminated from the
very bottom. Dense and black columns
of smoke continued to rise on the follow
ing day and through all the night of the
26th OF April, when the dreadful catas-
trophe of Vesuvius happened. For some
evenings later new phenomena Of augo-
raj lights were observed at Genoa, Volps-
glino and Messina. On the 29th of.April
another shower of very light sand, but
of little consequence, fell at Messina and
Syracuse, as we have learned from Signor
Lachianca, and from the director OF the
Observatory of Syracuse. bWt t.f
Lastly, many very splendid luminous
'meteors have been observed of late in
Piedmont, among which we're two very
brilliant '6olidi, on the evening of the
oath of April; the first having been seen
at quarter before at Montalieri and
Mondovi; the second at twenty minutes
past 10 at Volpeglino, near Tortona.
Professor Serpieri, too telegraphed from
Urbino on the 9th Of May; Great
inVasions of dry mist; color slightly
blue; Apprentices covered" In addi
ton to this we hear from all quarters
that there have been grave meteorologi-
cal oscillations throughout Italy. At
Rome and in the north and south of
Italy the temperature fell considerably,
while in Naples the cold for some hours
was as intense as at any time in the
winter. From Bolona we hear that
snow has fallen on the mountains in
as also at Bisbino, near
Como, and on some Of the mountains
around Lecco, while Monte Generose
was covered with snow.
At Gattinara and other places in Pied
mont there has been a heavy and con-
tinuaus fall of snow. 1t is added that
in Rome about the 18th and l4th inst,
it was as cold as in the depth of winter.
but it soon yielded to the brilliant sun
of Italy. Many scientific men are of
opinion that this great Inconsistency in
the weather may be attributed, among
other causes, to the electro magnetic
phenomena of the eruption Of Vesuvus.
As regards Naples, ! may observe
that the eruption was followed, as IS
usual, by a week of continuous stormy
Thunder and lightning we're
frequent and violent, and rain fell in
great abundance, bringing down large
quantities Of ashes deposited on the
mountaih, thus extending the damage
already done. In the plains, however,
somewhat removed from the mountain,
the rain did good by washing off the
dust which had fallen on yonng vegeta-
ton.
The catastrophe Of the eruption has,
indeed, been terriblei but every picture
has two sides, aud we have been saved
from most destructive earthquake.
The reports which / have given you
above show that the whole Of Italy was
one vast volcano in labor, aud had it
not been for the relief it found through
the crater of Yesuyius, God only knows
how much more tremendous the evil
might have been. On former occasions,
when Naples has been rocking, and my
chandelier has been waving from side TO
side like a pendulum, people have
anxiously 10 get q view Of
Vesuvius, and / among the number.
The FIRST jet Of smoke was, as il were, !