146 Geological Society : — 



2. " On Volcanic Eruptions in Hawaii during the last sixteen 

 years." By the Rev. T. Coan. From the Foreign Office. 



In this letter, addressed to and transmitted by Mr. Consul-General 

 Miller, the Rev. Mr. Coan, who has been the resident Protestant 

 Missionary at Hilo for twenty-one years, and still resides there, 

 des;ciibed some remarkable volcanic eruptions on the Island of 

 Hawaii (Owhyhee) of which he has been an eye-witness during 

 the last sixteen years : viz. the great eruption of Kilauea in 1840, of 

 Mauna Loa in 1843 and in 1852, of Kilauea in May and June 1855, 

 and la«tly of Mauna Loa in August 1855. Mr. Coan added an 

 account of his visit to the summit crater of Mauna Loa in October 

 1855 ; and referred to his several subsequent visits to the lava-stream 

 which has threatened Hilo. 



3. " On the late Volcanic Eruption of Mauna Loa." By Mr. 

 Consul-General Miller. From the Foreign Office. 



In this letter, dated July 30, 1856, Mr. Miller referred to the 

 eruption as being still in a state of activity, and enclosed a Number 

 of the ' Pacific Commercial Advertiser ' in which Mr. Coan's visit 

 to the crater in October 1855 was reported in full ; and in which it 

 was stated that nearly an entire year had passed since the eruption 

 commenced in August 1855, and the flow, though diminished, was 

 still intense. Late advices state that the fresh or molten lava is not 

 met with until about three miles above the lowest point it reached 

 in November last, or about eight miles from Hilo. The lava now 

 appears to be spreading more laterally, bursting out through the 

 old crust and flowing off to the right and left. At present there 

 is no danger, nor will there be any unless the discharge should 

 be materially increased. 



4. " On the occurrence of an Earthquake at Rhodes." By Mr. 

 Consul Campbell. From the Foreign Office. 



This communication referred to the severe shock of earthquake 

 which was felt at the Island of Rhodes on the 12th October at about 

 3 o'clock A.M. It lasted for nearly two minutes, and was accompanied 

 with great destruction of life and property. Its first motion was 

 vertical, the second horizontal, and the third vertical. The shock 

 was felt also in the adjacent islands of Halki, Scarpantos, Cassos, 

 and Symi ; also at Marmarizza on the coast opposite. 



5. " Additional Observations on the Geology of Bulgaria." By 

 Captain Spratt, F.G.S. Having again visited the Bulgarian coast. 

 Captain Spratt has been enabled to confirm the observations on the 

 freshwater deposits of the Dobrudja, which were read before the 

 Society in June last. 



December 17, 1856. — Col. Portlock, President, in the Chair. 



The following communications were read : — 



1. "On some Freshwater Deposits in Euboea and Salonika." 

 By Captain T. Spratt, F.G.S. 



In former communications to the Society the author had described 

 a series of lacustrine limestone and marls, containing lignite, and 

 overlaid by reddish unfossiliferous loams and gravels, as occurring 



