New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-04-29
VESUVIUS.

Physicisfs have held theory that the hidden
forces of nature which shake the earth WIN
great commissions have long been gradually
losing strength, and there is constantly less ana
less danger of the recurrence OF such catastro-
Plies as the earthquake that destroyed LISBON
or the volcanic outbuIst which buried Hercula-
neum and Pompei Recent events must have
imperiled their faith in their comfortable DC
lief. Antioch has just been laid in ruins by
one of the severest earthquakes of the century.
A whole island in the Pacific was depopulated
q few months ago by similar catastrophe.
And now Vesuvius bursts forth with extraor-
binary violence, and the people are flying IN
dismay from the villages along its foot. III Is
eighteen hundred years since the first re-
corded eruption of scOrip and ashes from thls
mountain overwhelmed Iierculaneum and Pom
peii, and eight hundred years since the
flow of lava began which has continued
at intervals ever since. Long before
there was any written or traditional ac-
count of the phenomena, however, Vesuvllis
must have been vomiting forth the product
of the central fires, for its own substance Is OF
n volcanic character The quantity OF ashes
| thrown out by it in A. ID. 70 exceeded It's own
bulk. In 1888 a volcanic conc called Monte
Nu0yO. a mile and half in circumference, and
44O feet high, was raised by it in two days in
the Bay of Baia. In 1851 it threw out torrents
of lava ard boiling water over the villages at
its base. In 1919 it poured forth huge masses
of thick, white, sulphurOus smoke, three miles
in hight, and shot into them showers OF
stones, scorin, and ashes, at least 1000 feet
high, and sheets of flame which assembled
nearly two and half miles. When the town
of Tore del Greco was destroyed, IN l'04, 1t
was calculated that single stream OF lava
contained more than fOrty-six million cubic
| feet. When the same unfortunate place was
ruined again, in 1861, assures opened at various
| points in the side of the mountain, and the
| lava issuing from numerous craters united IN
, stream no less than twenty-five feet deep,
reaching TO the very roofs OF the houses.
| One can hardly understand the indifference
| to danger which draws the wretchcd inhab-
itants back time after time, TO villages which
have repeatedly been swept by the burning
| torrent and where the mutterings Of the earth,
the assures emitting smoke and gas, and the
Gears of former catastrOphes are such eloquent
reminders of ever-present danger. Yet III inc
accounts of the present eruption we una the
names of the same towns and villages which
figure in the story of former devastations
The activity of the volcano began to attract
crowds of tourists as early as the beginning
of April, but it seems TO have been only few
days AGO that the phenomena became especially
| alarming. The most terrible features OF such
! euptions are al, present. The violent explo-
sions. the columns of flame shooting
| inward to an immense hight, the
showers of stones and ashes, new
craters opening suddenly at unexpected
| places, burning gases breaking out of the earth
in the very midst of the villages, and worst
| of all the dreadful flow of lava pouring down
all sides of the mountains-such are the de-
tails of the scene depicted in our dispatches
this morning The people are camping III the
fields and the Government is feeding them.
Tore del Greco is deserted and once more In
imminent danger San Sebastiano and Massa
III Somma have been ruined, and the deadly
stream is advancing toward Porticl, Cercola,
San Giorgio, and POnticelh. The opening OF
new craters continues, but, fortunately with
eaeb of these outbreaks comes perccptlbe
dimimltion in the force of the whole eruption.
Though the strong winds now threaten many
towns hitherto considered sufficiently remote
from danger, the general impression Is that
the worst is over. The extent Of the destruc-
ton in, so far, much below that Ok some
former years, and, unless the eruption shall
largely increase, it will not compare with some
of the greater catastrophes of history.