The San Francisco call., 1903-01-25
RAE NcTogHLGO d ~~

In a most interesting and comprehen-
sive chapter written popularity and with
out confusing mass of technicality, the
author discusses The Phenomena OF the
Eruption" and in connection with the
various theories advanced regarding the
character of so potent death-dealing
agent that could have annihilated a city
of 10000 souls has the following state
ment to make:
In article published in the August Q902)
number of McClure's Magazine expressed the
blast was seemingly one of the heavier (car-
bonO gases and that with it the force OF
the superheated steam was acting only IN a
presented the time of the second
death-dealing eruption of Mont Pelee of almost
Immediately visiting the field Of destruction,
of interrogating a number of the severely
wounded. and of examining the bodies and
clothing OF of the unfortunate dead, has
forced upon me a somewhat different eonclu-
sion as 70 the nature of composition Of the
tornado blast from that which / formerly held.
for it is now made clear that the acting force
to whatever extent it may have been aided
by other forces or agents whose testimony does
not appear-was superheated steam, or super
heated steam charged with hot ashes and
lapilli. The evidence proving this. both at
Morne Balat and Ajoupa. Bouillon. and, as
seems to me, conclusive This steam was shot
out as a violent blast. and its mechanical
force, whitening heat and possible mixture with
other gas shattered, asphyXiated and scorched;
and where charged with incandescent Particles
which overwhelmed Morne Rouge, also burned.
Neither at Morne Balai nor at Ajoupa- -Bouillon
did find the faintest indication of anything
carbonized, not even the dry palm -thatching
Of the cases" The trees that were left stand
ing were dry and largely stripped, and in the
less destroyed the leaves hung to the
branches, shriveled up as though having been
a scorch-blast The sap from the twigs was
completely gone. and the branches and branch
lets broke square across. There nothing
to fr1s7fr
and I failed fnd-although my examina ton
was not made with true minuteness-evidence
OF the presence or action Of any of the ter
restrial gases. A number of inquiries elected
the impression that sulphur was the only gas
whose presence was detected in the passing
storm. but even its actino action does not seem
TO have been badly felt The scorching red
dening or boiling and tumefaction of the bod
les plainly showed the terribly swift and sure
work of the passing steam and hot-air fernent
The opening OF door window only for an
inch and for an instant was sufficient to invite
the work of death . Professor Iacrojv
has, from an inspection of metallic objects
that have not been fused or undergone any
degree OF heat of the ST. Pierre blast This
as determined by the non-fuson of the cop
per telephone wires and plates iron ratings
degrees.
1t is difficult for the human mind to
grasp the idea Of gigantic forces at work
in the bowels of the earth that could
accomplish such devastating results as
same chapter of phenomena" the au-
thor gives some figures In connection
with the mud discharge of the volcano
that may bring the immensity of these
powers more within the grasp Of COM
prehension. In speaking on this point
he quotes Professor Israel c. Russell
who calculated that Mont Pelee was dis
charging 4O0OO,OOO cubic feet of solid mat
ter every five minutes
The discharge of 1000. 600 cubic feet of
solid sediment every five minutes means 4SO-
000, 600 cubic feet per hour and II, $50 OOO 600
cubic feet per day Of twenty-four hours. which
is one and half times the quantity of sedi-
ment that is discharged by the MissfssippI
River in the course of a whole yeari In other
words, II these figures are in any way ac-
curate the sedimental discharge from the
crater of Mont Pelee, taken at minimum
valuation. is In any period of time during a
condition Of moderate eruption more than 500
times that Of the Mississippi River, and con-
seQUently greater than that OF all the rivers
OF the world combined This aaily Discharge