296 Supposed Connection of Volcanic Emanations 



In the Philosophical Transactions there are several accounts 

 of an electrical phenomenon, in December, 1737, witnessed at 

 Naples, by the Prince of Cassano ; at Padua, by the Marquis 

 Poleni ; at Bononia by Dr. Zanotti ; at Rome by Professor 

 de Revillas; also at Edinburgh by Mr. Short; and at Rose- 

 hill, Sussex, by Mr. Fuller ; the character of which was of the 

 nature of the aurora boreal is, and yet so apparently connected 

 with a preceding eruption of Vesuvius, that Meyer and other 

 celebrated persons concluded that it was indebted to the vol- 

 cano for its origin, being the ignition of ascended inflammable 

 matter. One remark I take from Dr. Zanotti, " that several 

 persons positively asserted, that, in the evening of the sixteenth 

 day, they perceived a certain stench in the air, like that which 

 is sometimes occasioned by a Jog. The same has been noticed 

 at other times, when such phenomena have appeared" * Here 

 we have meteoric appearances clearly connected with volcanic 

 agency; and it is too well known to need mention, that, during 

 the actual eruption of a volcano, electrical appearances, such 

 as lightning, &c, are amongst the most interesting of the phe- 

 nomena.! 



I would now attempt to show a connection between vol- 

 canic agency and great storms of wind. It cannot appear 



* The great aurora of 1574 was followed by earthquakes. In 1726, 

 the aurora was both preceded and succeeded by great earthquakes ; and, 

 on the latter occasion, during the aurora, persons at Chelsea " perceived a 

 sulphureous smell in the air." (Phil. Trans., 1727.) 



T I may append here the following proofs : — 



1. The earthquake at Lyons, in 1822, affected the magnetic needle 

 violently at Paris. (Journal of Science, No. 26. p. 434.) 



2. At the time the desolating earthquake of 1820 took place at Zante, 

 about three or four minutes before the shock, a meteor five or six feet in 

 diameter was seen burning and almost swimming on the sea, at the dis- 

 tance of two miles from the nearest point of land. (Id, No. 25. p. 230.) 



3. Immediately after the earthquake of January 19. 1825, at Santa 

 Maura, torrents of rain fell, and lasted a considerable time. 



4. Previously to the earthquake which desolated Blida and Algiers on 

 March 2. 1825, the barometer fell for several days; but, immediately 

 before, the thermometer suddenly rose 4|°. 



5. The eruption of Kattlagia, in Iceland, in 1823, after sixty-four years' 

 repose, was accompanied by electrical phenomena which destroyed 

 cattle, &c. 



6. The eruption of the same mountain, in 1625, was attended by most 

 extraordinary electrical appearances : twenty- miles off) ignited vapours 

 attached themselves to the dresses and flesh of the inhabitants, and all 

 who witnessed the lightning, &c, were affected by it. 



7. The eruption, also, of 1755-6 is well known by the effects produced 

 by the earthquake at Lisbon, &c, which was caused by it. The dis- 

 engagement of electrical matter on that occasion was most awful. 



8. The eruptions of Leirhnukr and Krabla, in Iceland, in 1724 — 1730, 

 were attended by electrical phenomena still more striking: balls of fire 

 rose and fell ; lightning, &c, ran along the ground. (Henderson.^ 



