Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1899-01-12
WORKINGS OF VESUVIUS.
What Prof. Semmoin, Director OF the
Observatory OF the Mountain,
Thinks About IL.

In an interview Prof Semmola, di-
rector Of the observatory OF Nesuyius,
has some suggestive remarks concern
ing the workings of the great volcano.
With Other. observers the professor has
discarded the idea of the molten in
terrier Of the earth. The belief pre-
vailed for some time, he says, that the
periods Of greatest activity OF Nesuvius
were coincident with those of the
moons greatest attraction. ] investi
gated this question very thoroughly
both by observations for two years and
an extended comparison of past reco~ds
OF the moon and the volcano. 1t became
fully evident that no variations what
ever in activity were to be attributed
to the moons phases. We're there o
molten interior, this, of course, could
not be So"
What mechanical power" the pro-
fessor was asked, seems to be respon-
( sible for the tremendous force of the
! eruptions?" He answered.: steam,
/ superhcated, under great pressure.
/ Given matter at high degree of heat,
/ and water which by some means
reaches it, and you have n sufficient
/ physical force to account for all the
work done. That water plays a very
! important part in the eruptions is clear
, " evident. In some eruptions of Nesu-
! vius an enormous amount of water has
been thrown out. The eccentric action
( of the sea, and of the wells and springs
] in the surrounding country established
/ an obvious relation. Many unofficial
| records of past eruptions describe the
sinking of the sea, fish stranded on the
shores thus laid bare, etc. Palmieri,
! however came to the conclusion, based
on his investigation of the eruption CT
1861, that it was not the sea that sank,
but the coast that lifted. He found
that in the eruption the coast was
lifted for several miles, the highest ele-
vution being at Tore del Greco, where
the elevation was Az feet. 1t Slowly
sank to its former level, but two years
afterward had not quite attained it.
This explosive and eruptive action OF
water is shown whenever a lava flood
passes over spring. \ miniature vol
cano forms and spouts. The water
turns to steam, and this, superheated
and confined, bears the superincum-
bent weight only as long as il is unable
to lift it. When the amount and power
of the steam is equal to the demand, it
erupts with violence through the lava
flood and gives us a, small volcano
After an eruption of Nesuvius the lava
which has cooled fills all the canals and
vents leading from below. The steam
and other gases which form below are
thus unable to escape, and may go Oh
augmenting in force for a long period
When the force of expansion attains
the bursting point, it either blows out
the cid vents or forces new ones, some
times in the VOLCANO and sometimes
elsewhere, as when the new volcano ot
Monte Nuovo appeared above PoZZuol
in 1888. The so-called smoke from We
suvius is almost entirely steam. Steam
is absorbed by The lava before eruption
under great pressure, and is given of
for long periods. as has been the case
with the lava stream on the mountain
for many months past"
''Iow deep. then, do you think the
center of activity of Nesuvius lies?' 81
can only give you my opinion, and al
opinion does not call for demonstra
ton | think it is a matter of miles
perhaps ten, but probably less"
The mystery of the volcano remain:
still, therefore, the mystery of the earth
itself; and we shall understand the one
only when we understand the other
But the enormous heat and force ot
Vesuvius. only utilized thus far in sup
plying building stone and destroying
buildings, recall practically the proph
ccy of Prof. Berthelot, that In Tho
golden age that is coming we shall draw
all our heat and the mechanical force.
which result from its conversion di
rectly from the earth itself-that, in
stead of digging 1000 feet for coal, We
shall dig a little further when the Goa
gives out. and bring up the heat itsel-
by thermo-electricm me ethods.-McClure':
Magazine.