9 2 



NA TURE 



[November 27, 1902 



similar to those which fell at Fori <le France and Francois on 

 May S and 20. On July 9 ihe character of the ejeciamenta 

 became more pumiceous. Bombs I '3m. in diameter were 

 projected 800 metres. There does not appear to have been any 

 change in the depth of the ocean near to St. Pierre. 



On May 8 at the time of the eruption the sea at Fort de 

 France receded Im., and there were five or six undulations at 

 intervals of about five minutes. Similar movements were also 

 observed on May 20 and 26. June 6 and July 9. From May 7 

 to May 10 an unusually strong current was observed on the west 

 coast. Each eruption was accompanied by a barometric oscil- 

 lation from I to 3mm. in amount. 



In Mediae's Magazine for August, and in the Fortnightly 

 Review for September, Prof. Angelo Heilprin contributes an 

 article on " Mont Pelee in its Might." 



For the first time we are told that for three months before the 

 fatal explosion of May 8 Pelee had been rumbling, and that 

 there had been occasional emissions of steam. The hour at 

 which this explosion took place is fixed by the s.s. Ponyer 

 Qaertier and by the cable office at Fort de France at 8h. 2m. 

 a.m., but according to the dial of the Hopital Militaire of St. 

 Pierre the time was 7h. 52m. a.m. 



The first explosion would therefore appear to have resulted in 

 ruin the distribution of which was quaquaversal. It might, for 

 instance, have been produced by the explosion of a gas 

 cloud. The latter, which left ruins with a definite orient- 

 ation, may have had the character of a blast propagated in 

 one direction. 



No doubt, Prof. Fleilprin concludes, there were numerous 

 electric explosions, unmistakable evidence of which is found in 

 perforated pottery and metal wares. 



In the Popular Science Monthly for August, Dr. Thomas A. 

 Jaggar gives an account of his visit to Martinique and St. 

 Vincent. His first landing at St. Pierre was on May 21, the 

 day after the second great eruption of Mont Pelee. Masonry 

 had been completely destroyed, there was an absence of large 

 volcanic fragments, and "everything was coated with a green- 

 grey powder or sand." No sign of molten rock was found either 

 here or in St. Vincent. At the latter island La Soufriere was 

 ascended twice, after which Dr. Jaggar proceeded to Barbados 

 to learn something of the dust showers which had covered that 

 island. 



At Walliabou and Richmond the same fiery blast swept down 

 from La Soufriere as that which swept down on St. Pierre, and 

 iust as St. Pierre is buried so is Richmond buried, the ashes at 

 the northern end of the town being 45 feet in thickness and 

 three feet at the southern end. The masonry in the village was 

 sw r ept over, and 5-foot blocks of the same were blown to dis- 

 tances of 40 feet. On the west sea front of the Soufriere there 

 are now vertical walls of earth in certain places 50 feet in 

 height where before there was a village 



M. M. Ballou, in his "Equatorial Africa," writing in 1S92, 

 says that "it is confidently predicted (that Mont Pelee) will 

 one day deluge St. Pierre with ashes and lava, repeating ihe 

 story of Pompeii," a prediction, Dr. Jaggar remarks, based on 

 "well-authenticated data." 



Before this last eruption, so far back as January, the lake in 

 the crater at Pelee was warm and the odour of sulphuretted 

 hydrogen was perceived. In April, steam was emitted and 

 rumblings were heard. From April 24 there were actual 

 eruptions. 



In St. Vincent, local earthquakes had been on the increase 

 for a year, and so far back as May, 1901, people were frightened 

 away from the north-west slope of the Soufriere by rumblings 

 and quakings. The lake bubbled and sulphurous coatings were 

 found on the rocks. In short, the signals were so pronounced 

 that the leeward slopes of the Soufriere were abandoned, and 

 hence the small loss of life. Had the Governments of both islands 

 maintained vulcanological stations, the records of " tremors, 

 sounds, sights, smells and temperatures" would no doubt have 

 formed an increasing series of warnings. 



In the Blue-book (Cd. 1201) we find 144 official communica- 

 tions relating to the volcanic eruptions in St. Vincent and Mar- 

 tinique in May, 1902. These, as may be expected, are varied 

 in their character. Some refer to earthquakes, others to erup- 

 tions. Many are requests for assistance, whilst others are 

 expressions of sympathy. In communication No. 129, Mr. 

 Secretary Chamberlain calls the attention of the Board of 

 Trade to the bravery of Captain Freeman and suggests that it 

 should not be allowed to pass without recognition. The reply 



to this states that the Board has decided to award Captain 

 Freeman a piece of plate in recognition of his gallantry. Other 

 communications deal with the mineralogical character of the 

 ejectamenta, personal experiences within the devastated zone, 

 pecuniary losses and other matters. Although many of the notes 

 in this volume have but a small scientific value, there yet remains 

 much not to be overlooked by those who compile the history of 

 these terrible disasters. 



Dat. 



West Indian eruptions are marked X. 

 Unusual seismic disturbances are marked — . 



From the above, which is chiefly compiled from the writings 

 of Rockstroh and Fuchs, it will be noticed that all the West 

 Indian eruptions have been accompanied by unusual seismic 

 disturbances either in the West Indies themselves or in neigh- 

 bouring rock folds. J. MlI.NE. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 



CAMBRIDGE. — In consequence of the large number of 

 students in the department of anatomy, it is proposed to 

 appoint two additional demonstrators, to be paid from the fees 

 received for instruction. 



The State Medicine Syndicate report that ninety candidates 

 have been examined by them in the present year ; of these, fifty- 

 two were successful in obtaining the University diploma rn 

 public health. The Syndicate propose that a second grant of 

 1000'. be made from the funds in their hands toward the new 

 Medical School buildings, in which provision will be made for 

 teaching and examinations in sanitary science. 



The Sedgwick Memorial Museum of Geology is nearly ready 

 for occupation ; the building syndicate estimate the cost for 

 structure and fittings at more than 45,000/. Of this, some 

 27,000/. comes from the accumulated subscriptions to the me- 

 morial fund, 3000/. will be obtained from the University Press 

 profits, and the balance probably from the benefaction fund. 



The Right Hon. Sir William Hart Dyke, Bart., M.P., will 

 distribute the prizes at the Merchant Venturers' Technical 

 College, Bristol, on Friday, December 12. 



The Athenaeum announces that Sir William Muir has 

 resigned the post of principal of the University of Edinburgh, 

 which he has held since 1SS5. 



In his inaugural address at the opening of the session of the 

 Royal College of Science, Prof. Perry expressed his anxiety 

 for the creation of a fund to provide bursaries to assist the 

 national scholars and other Government students. We are glad 

 to hear that this fund has been started with a gift of 100/. from 

 the Drapers' Company, to be divided equally among ten of the 

 scholars. The Company do not pledge themselves to continue 

 this help. 



Local museums and local natural history societies can be 

 of much assistance to nature-study in schools by directing 

 attention to observations of natural objects. We are, therefore, 

 glad to see that there will be a conference on nature-study at 

 the Stepney Borough Museum on December 3, at 5.30 p.m., 



NO. 1726, VOL. 67] 



