of Vesuvius, and the New Conejbrmed in 1822. 69 



attached by the philosophical geologist to the study of the 

 volcanic phenomena, give a peculiar value to accurate deter- 

 minations of the height of this interesting mountain. 



The formation of a new cone no less than 200 feet high in 

 the eruption of February 1822 is a most remarkable fact in 

 the natural history of this mountain ; and as it was entirely 

 carried away by the eruption in October of the same year, * 

 it is fortunate for science that the particulars respecting its 

 position and its altitude have been so well ascertained. 



Under these circumstances, our readers cannot fail to pap- 

 take in our gratification in perusing the following account of 

 the barometrical observations made by the Earl of Minto, 

 which he has, at our request, permitted us to use. 



Barometrical Measurement of Vesuvius^ l^th March 1822. 



H. M. Station. B. A. D. 



A. M. Inch. 



10 30 Naples, in my room, 21 feet above 



the sea, - . 30.554 16«.6 \4P,S 



p. M. 



1 30 Hermitage of St Salvadore on Ve- 

 suvius, - . 28.436 13 .5 11 .6 



4 20 4| feet below the old Palo summit 



of Vesuvius, - 26.405 9.1 8 . 



5 ^^ Hermitage of St Salvadore on Ve- 



suvius, - 28.435 11 .6 11 .4 



6 Hermitage of St Salvadore on Ve- 



suvius, - 28.433 11 . 10 .5 



9 15 Naples, in my room, 21 feet above 



the sea, - - 30.524 16 .5 12 .1 



The above observations were made with an excellent baro- 

 meter of old Gary's. On the same day I measured the new 

 cone formed by the eruption of February 1822. But on ac- 

 count of the intense heat and acid exhalations from the crater, 

 I could not venture to employ the same instrument, and was 

 obliged to use an Englefield barometer, made by Gourdon of 



* This eruption blew the whole summit of the mountain into the air, 

 and replaced the convex plane which formed that summit, hy a vast chasm 

 or crater, nearly a mile in diameter, and 800 feet deep. See p. 14. 



