The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1907-01-25
ERUPTION OF vEsUV|Uj
FOR A COMPARISON

The following scientific summary of
the recent outburst Of Vesuvius. from
the Geographical Journal, will afford a
comparison picture to study with ac-
counts of Mauna Loas stupendous
throes:
Among the earliest scientists to visit
Vesuvius after the late eruption was
DR.. Venturino Sabatini. from whose re-
port the following description of the
outburst and it's results has been taken.
The eruption brought to close phase
in the activity of the volcano which
had lasted thirty years, during which
period the crater formed in 1872 became
gradually filed by the quiet yelling up
of lava in the Interior, only a few of
the eruptions making their effects Wis
ible externally, though in course of
time the piling up of material changed
the profile of the summit considerably
Between and a. m. on April
fissure opened on the southeastern side
of the cone at an altitude of $500 feet,
an avalanche of blocks of all dimen-
sions destroying the Albergo Firoenza,
while narrow stream of lava flowed
down q gully of the mountainside. At
3 p. m. the small lateral cone fell in.
and n dense column of smoke rose
above the crater black ashes falling at
Naples in the evening. on April 5 a
second fissure opened at a lower level,
and n lava stream flowed two and one
half miles to within some 500 yards OF
Bosco Trecase. On April still more
copious stream poured forth, and by
midday OF April had approached to
about 500 yards from Tore Annun-
ziata. By the evening the main crater
began to hurl out huge white hot
blocks with the accompaniment of loud
detonations and flashes OF light, while
at the same time Il rain of lapilli and
ashes began the destruction of Otta-
jano and San Giuseppe. Earthquake
shocks We're felt at Naples and else
where on April S the ashes which
continued to fall in great quantities,
We're reddish gray, instead OF black, as
at first. and were sometimes so dense
as to form a dark pail, rendering arti-
fetal light necessary in the daytime.
This cloud extended 10 a distance of 100
miles, while fall OF ashes took place
at Venice, Paris, etc.
A rough calculation places the total
amount OF ashes and lapilli which fell
at S5,O00,000 cubic meters, the place
most damaged being ottajano. The
lava streams occupied n sector of 80
degrees and evidently had their source
at various points OF the crater The
three principal ones reached height
OF ten to twelve feet. and in places
double this amount. This lava was
very rapidly disintegrated. probably
because 1t was formed of chaotic
mixture OF irregular blocks and frag-
ments. As regards the more general
results. DR.. Sabatini points out that
while lesser outbreaks increase the
height OF the volcano, a catastrophe
like that of April last tends to lower
1t. Whatever may have been the case
in 70 A. D., we know that this was the
result In 1851 and 1874. when the cone
appeared after eruptions as II truncat-
| ed. Similarly. the pointed profile OF
March last exists no longer. and the
present height seems below that OF tho
crater OF 1872, though the reduction
does not probably exceed $50 feet. Besides
this. the whole form and composition OF
the surface OF the mountain have been
changed. the old fissures bavihg dis