32 ' proceedings: geological society 



That there has been an influx of heat along the throat of the old 

 volcano is highly probable, but the limit is not yet evident. 



H. S. Washington: The condition of the southern Italian volcanoes. 

 The speaker gave an account of the conditions of volcanic activity at 

 Vesuvius, Etna, Vulcano and Stromboli as observed by Dr. A. L. Day 

 and himself during the summer of 1914. The talk was illustrated by 

 lantern slides. 



Vesuvius was in a fairly active, solfataric condition, with numerous 

 fumaroles. A descent into the crater permitted observation of the 

 mouth formed in May, 1910, in the southwestern part of the crater floor. 

 Two separate columns of brown and white smoke were issuing contin- 

 uously from an orifice near the bottom of this. No liquid lava was 

 seen, but there was recent pumiceous scoria, which analysis shows to be 

 like the recent Vesuvian lavas. The crater was filled with acid vapors, 

 chiefly SO3, SO2 and HCl. 



Etna was in a state of mixed solfataric and strombolian activity, 

 though not violent. There was a constant emission of acid smoke, and 

 occasional outbursts from one or more of the five mouths seen at the 

 bottom of the crater, which sent up tall columns of dark smoke to a 

 considerable height. There was no emission of lava, but a constant, 

 though sKght, fall of fine ash. The "hocca^' of 1911 on the northeast 

 flank of the cone had increased in size and was fairly active, emitting 

 much smoke and some ash, but no lava. 



At Vulcaiio the solfataric condition since the eruption of 1888-9 still 

 persists — fumaroles of two distinct types being abundant both within 

 the crater and in the outer slopes of the cone. Many samples of gas 

 were collected, as well as specimens of the very abundant salts covering 

 the upper parts of the cone. These are mostly sulphates of potash and 

 alumina, with some boric acid, for the most part quite free from chlorides. 



At Stromboli five distinct small vents in the crater floor were emitting 

 smoke and lapilli, though the mode of activity of each was different. 

 The volcano seemed to be in a state of moderate and normal activity. 



At the 288th meeting, December 9, 1914, the presidential address 

 was delivered by the retiring president: 



Arthur Keith: Main features of Appalachian structure (illus- 

 trated). The address will be published on a later date. 



At the twenty-second business meeting, which followed the address, 

 the following officers were elected for the ensuing year: 



President, T. Wayland Vaughan ; Vice-Presidents, AnTUVRC. Spen- 

 cer, W. C. Mendenhall; Secretaries, Clarence N. Fenner, C. H. 

 Wegemann; Treasurer, C. A. Lesher; Members-at-large-of-the-Council, 

 R. S. Bassler, G. F. Loughlin, G. C. Martin, Eugene Stebinger, 

 J. B. Umpleby. 



Frank L. Hess, Secretary. 



