Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-06-14
THE ERUPTION OF VESUVIUs.
Prof Palmieri's Description of the
Phenomena

Prof. PaImieri's Description of the
Phenomena.
A correspondent Of the London Times
sends to that journal an account of a lee
ture recently delivered in Naples by Prof.
Palmieri, who remained on Mount VesuYius
for the purpose of making scientific obser
vations during the late eruption.
"The terrible cOnfagration of the 10th Of
April, said the Professor, may be regarded
as the finale of the eruption which began
Oh the 1st of Jan, 1871, and has lasted,
with alterations up to the present time.
It generally happens that the eruptions,
which are small and gentle at their COM
mencement, terminate with great violence,
carrying destruction to human dwellings
and devastation to the country. Among
the most fearful eruptions which bis DRY
records was that of 1881. 1t is re-
lated that on that occasion four thousand
human beings were killed, and six thousand
animals, cattle and sheep. Three centuries
had elapsed since the mountain had given
signs of activity; grass grew in the very era
ters, and shepherds took their hOcks there
to pasture. Thus it happened that, taken
unexpectedly, many were swallowed up IN
the abyss which was opened; many were
drowned or bruised in the fiery food, and
others were destroyed by the pumice and
burning stones which were vomited out of
the summit and from other mouths. In
strong centrical eruptiOns-by which is to
be understood those which come from the
upper cone of Vesuvius-great assures
are usually produced, which eject
matter from as many different mouths,
the lowest Of which are the most danger
Gus. Such was the case with the recent
eruption; for on the night Of the 26th of
April, a mouth was opened in the long
assure which had been made previously,
The opening of this mouth formed as it
were, a hill in the Atrio del Cavallo re-
sembling a chain of small mountains, and
from underneath the lava issued calmly
and rapidly, like river Of fire, while from
the principal cone was elected a Continu-
Gus and violent shower Of lava, smoke,
ashes and other fiery proiectiles which
rose to the height Of 800 metres (between
5000 and 5000 feet) while the mountain
Numbered terrible, Many had gone on
that day and evening to see the lava, sever.
al of whom the Professor had en1eaYored
to dissuade from entering the AtriO del Ca
Vallo. Those who arrived later and re-
manned until after midnight became the
victims Of their curiosity. Between 2 and
3 O'Clock in the morning the AtriO opened
with a fearful roar, and from the new
mouth issued the lava with great impetu-
Osity, wrapped in a cloud Of boiling
smoke, ashes and red-hOt stones. Those
wretched persons who were there were
scalded by the smoke and wounded by the
proiectiles; some of them died Immediately,
others later. OF the others who renamed
on the farther side no traces remained, they
having been swallowed up and buried by
the burning stream. On the night of the
Goth of April the lava precipitated itself into
the FOssO della Eetrana, and, descending
on the incline of the mountain over former
beds of lava, invaded st. Sebastiano, Nassa
di Somma and CoreOla in the Cupa GiOTva-
no, so called because, as it is said, that
famous painter had a villa there. From
1852 to the present time the lava has
filed up the FOsso della Vetrana TO the
height of two hundred metres; if fur
Their additions be made hereafter, the OBJ
serVatory must be destroyed, as the last
lava is only few metres under its level.
The lava here has the breadth of a kilome-
tire, and on the banks of this river of fire
a remarkable and novel phenomenon
small Craters have been formed by the lava,
which Numbered like the principal crater,
and elected smoke, ashes and stones TO
the height of seventy or eighty metres.
The velocity of the lava varies from one
hundred and eighty metres a minute to
a few millimetres, depending much on the
condition of the land, being quicker on
the incline, less so on the plain and
where there are obstacles. Issuing in a
liquid form from the mouths it runs with
great velocity, but Slackens its pace as it adj
vanceS, cooling gradually, and forming as it
were, a skin on the surface. When the
lava ceased, Vesuvius continued to eject
ashes and pumice, and still Numbered; then
the roar ceased, and the rain of ashes de-
creased in quantity. Afterwards came
heavy storms, which are commonly danger
Gus, as they are the occasion of great floods,
which carrying down the ashes aud pumice
which cover the mountain complete the
ruin OF the lands which have been spared by
the lava After the eruption of 1881, the
floods were so strong that the damage done
by them was not less than that occaSioned
by the lava, and the lands Of those who suf-
fered were exempted from taxes for ten
years, like those which were damaged by
fire.
which has been exposed to the recent con- |
fagration is now a scene Of squalid desOla-
ton. The harvest of this year is absolute
ly lost, and of that of next year we cannot
indulge any cheerful hope. During the
late eruption a report was spread that the
crater of Vesuvius had become an electric
pile. That report was exaggerated, but the
currents of electricity developed in the vol
cano were very strong. These phenome-
ma DO not accompany all eruptions. In
this, the latest, the Professor observed a
large quantity of lightning which flashed in
the great pile of smoke and ashes which |
rose from the crater.
"The lava is now FIRMS spent ard yet |
smokes-not to be wandered at after so re-
cent an eruption. We have seen the lava
of 1858 still smoking in several places.
These Jets of smoke are called 'fumaroh."
These smoke holes are communications be-
tween the upper crust of the lava, which has |
hardened, and the internal mass, still in |
candescent. Around these holes are formed |
sublimates of oxide Of copper, of chloric |
acid, ofsal ammonia, of sulphur, etc, which |
invest the lava with forms and colors at |
times the most beautiful. The Professor !
said he had analysed the smoke which rose |
from the lava and had discovered that it |
dissolves in salt water. From this he in |
ferred that the waters Of the sea are dis |
turbed by those terrible commissions, and |
are mingled with the fire."
THE demand for early fruits and vegeta- |
bles has of late years been immense. It |
II fuAn ~