New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-09-06
NO VESUVIAN ERUPTION
F.. Il. Pe,ret Says Disturbances Are
Really LandSlides IN Crater.

Frank A Perret an assistant at the Vesuvlan
Observatory who recently arrived IN this city from
Italy yesterday gave The Tribune authoritative
regarding the cabled reports of an erup
ton of Mount Nesuvius. He declared there had
been landslides in the crater and that the clouds
Of dust arising therefrom perfectly resembled a
true eruption
Mr. Perret also gave The Tribune photographs
taken by him recently showing the effect OF land
slides in the crater and illustrating at the edge or
the crater the masses which become detached and
form landslides. He said:
The recent press reports of a eruption Of
Vesuvius known by me to be errone-
In the first place, II was quite easy 70 recos-
nze in the account from Sorrento one Of those
large internal andslides which are familiar post
eruption feature and of which there have been
considerable number since the great outbreak OF
last year.
The interior walls OF the crater are very steep.
and. as the cone is a conglomerate mass OF loose
materials portion Of the rim may become undef-
mined and detached by a slight earth trernor and
fall into the abyss This mass. which may weigh
hundreds OF tons congresses the air below II ana
on reaching the bottom of the crater Is al once
elected as an immense cloud Of dust and ashes.
which perfectly resembles n true eruption and
presents sufficiently terrifying appearance to the
uninitiated
Other landslips often follow the first. and the
effects may continue for time and the dust
be carried by the wind 10 great distance. pro
ducing IN that particular direction light fall Of
described an outbreak OF considerable violence
with lava streams all OF which is practically I'M
rossible AT this time. Vesuvius IS OF those
volcanoes which have a fairly well defined cycle Of
operations After q great eruption Ike that OF lst
year there follows a period of absolute rest. the
duration OF which is variable, but would not De
less than the present lapse Of time and may LAST
for several years. During this rest period the
bottom OF the crater closed and there is no sign
Of activity excepting the smoking 'fuTnaroIi winch
emit vspors from the still hot lava ~ the last
er7Ipt{on And when the awakening comes X IS
gradual The bottom OF the crater caves in. and
small explosions begin TO build up little cones on
the crater floor as the lava which has forced and
melted It's way up the central conduts, enters te
crater cavity.
Then comes long period OF moderate activity.
with lava filling and cone building. and with O.
casonal outbreaks OF greater violence until at ast
great eruption clears the vent. all Of which may
take another thirty years or more This cycIe o.
events Is not Inevitable but IS extremely pTo"aoe
~ MI events Il absurd 70 speak OF lava streams
and detonatlons at the present time
How can there be lava streams when there Is
m lava in the crater? The only possible eHPIsna-
ton would lie that lava had risen In the central
conduit 10 point not Jar below the crater bottom
and that f. had been driven through some lat
eral assure by the force OF the landshde' oH' TINS
IS so improbable that do not think It need he
considered.
1T is regrettabe that many erroneous reports
ora cent our as the actual occurrences are sufh-
GENTLY interesting and indeed. terrifying. without
a,, exaggerated details So far Vesuvius Is con-
carned let me repeat that there Is no danger OF
sarious outbreak FOR some time 70 come ttna
should be next
Mr.. Perret will return TO Italy In octooeF-