Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-28
PELEE INACTIVE NOW
Famous Volcano Quiet Since
June 6 Last.
DIR. JAGGARS VIEWS
SCIENTIST MADE RECENT INVEs-
LEGATION OF CRATER.
Says Reports of Subsequent Eruptions
Due to Water on Red Hot
Rocks.

Correspondence of the Associated Press.
FORT DE FRANCE, Island of Marti-
nique, Monday, July DIR. T. A. Jaggar of
Harvard University, representing the United
States geological survey in the West Indies
arrived for the second time at Fort de
France on June "a, and has since visited
Mont Pelee twice. He has also made ex-
cursions to the southern end of Martinique
and to the warm springs of the interior of
the island. DR.. Jaggar came directly from
st. Vincent
AS a result of recent examinations of
the crater of Mont Pelee and exploration of
the track of the devastating blast which de-
stroyed st. Pierre, it appears that there is
extraordinary similarity between the cruD-
tions of the Soufrere volcano of St. Vim
cent and Mont Pelee. The products are
the same, both are characterized by the alb
sence of lava, and the work of destruction,
both to inanmate objects and to mankind
was accomplished in much the same way
The destructive effects of the eruption in
st. Vincent covered a much more extensive
area, but the loss of human life WAS r.ucn
less.
Pelee Inactive Since June 6.
There has been no active eruption of
Mont Pelee of Importance since June g. A
great cone of powders and volcanic bombs,
explosion came has grown in size since the
middle of May, when DIR. Jaggar first saw
1t. Occasionally there are sudden slides of
debris down this cone into the deep gorge of
the Riviere Blanche
These slides produce great columns of
brown dust which resembles smoke that
rise In pillows from the mountains flank
and give the impression of an eruption
when viewed from the sea. At night these
slldlngs OF red-hot rocks make a glowing
streak in the mountains slope. This ac-
counts for the many reports by passing
vessels of eruptionS, hot lava and dust
falls. The phenomenon is merely a super
hclal one AS at ST. Vincent, the many
niuu -Spouts' steam jets and local craters
that nave been reported are all superficial
caused by ranwater draining into the beds
of hot, dry gravel.
The two volcanoes of ST. Vincent and
IN May. Both have gradually become
less active since, and it is probable that
they VIII continue to diminish in activity
TO Judge by the present signs. In this
headed by Prof. Lacroix of Paris, concurs
Favors Experiment Station.
DR.. Jaggar is strongly opposed however,
10 any rehabilitation of the devastated
slopes of the volcanoes until the respective
governments of the islands are willing 10
establish permanent experiment stations to
protect and warn the inhabitants In adj
dl'lon TO his work on the islands of ST Vim
cent ana Martinique, DIR. Jaggar has spent
some time in Barbados collecting informa
tion and specimens relative to the spread of
the dustfall, which appears to have been
mucn greater from the Soufriere than from
Mont Pelee. "
Or Jaggar has been in communication
win poth the British and French scientific
commissions now at work in the islands
BEFORE returning to the United States he
pans TO visit the northern volcanoes of the
lndWard Island group, with view to
studying the conditions of vegetation and
drainage on such mountains as PeIee as
they We're prior to the eruption.