May 27, 1886] 
NATLGRE 8 
we 
eruption which has taken place in Etna itself another one 
occurred about 2 a.m. in Prince of Naples Mount, situated 
about 9 kilometres north-east of Nicolosi. This is one of the 
‘red’ mountains, formerly volcanic, but which has hitherto been 
regarded as exhausted. The lava is running in two streams 
towards the open country. Repeated and very severe shocks of 
earthquake are being felt in the vicinity of Etna. 11.55 a.m. 
A short time ago a severe shock of earthquake of an undulating 
kind was felt. The eruption of Prince of Naples Mount is in- 
creasing in severity. The lava is running rapidly in a double 
stream towards Nicolosi, to the great danger of the town. Panic 
amongst the inhabitants.” ‘‘ Nicolosi, May 19, noon. The 
eruption is assuming terrific proportions. The lava has ad- 
vanced over 3 kilometres in 8 hours, continuing its course 
steadily towards Nicolosi. From the central crater, where 
the eruption is still very active, the lava is flowing towards 
Montegrosso.” ‘* Catania, May 19, 2 p.m. The eruption 
threatens the destruction of the western portion of the Etna 
forests. Last night several volcanic rents occurred between 
Nicolosi and Pedara. May 20. Eleven craters have been 
opened, of which three have assumed enormous proportions. 
The lava is advancing rapidly. In some places the stream is 
200 metres broad. The central crater, however, emits only 
vapour and cinders.”  ‘‘ Nicolosi, May 20. Three of the 
craters are raging fearfully, emitting huge stones to a consider- 
able height, and the roar and tumult is terrible. The lava is 
advancing rapidly, but for the present it is uncertain what direc- 
tion it may take, whether towards Nicolosi or Belpasso. Shocks 
of earthquake still continue, but they are less severe in charac- 
ter. The craters are situated behind Montezzano, in the valley 
between that place and Montenero, The people of the district 
assert that they can remember no eruption so sudden and alarm- 
ing as this has been. The scene is indescribable. The streams 
of lava are in some places more than 200 metres in width. The 
central crater on the summit continues to yomit larze columns of 
smoke ; but from this, according to Prof. Silvestri, no danger is 
to be apprehended.” ‘‘Acireale, Miy 20. Last evening, 
through the night, and this morning, many shocks of earthquake 
were felt at Piedimonte, Acisantangelo, Linguaglossa, and Aci- 
reale.” ‘‘Catania, May 20. This morning, with a severe 
shock of earthquake, the volcanic orifice which was so active 
in 1883 was reopened.” ‘‘ Nicolosi, May 20. The activity of 
the central crater is increasing. Montegrosso is the principal 
site of eruptive force. Great alarm exists among the inhabitants, 
and the houses most likely to be in danger are being evacuated. 
The local authorities are on the spot.” On Sunday the eruption 
had greatly diminished, but on Monday morning it broke forth 
with great violence, and a fresh crater sent out a stream of lava 
150 metres wide and 23 deep towards Nicolosi. On Monday 
evening the news was very disquieting. The violence of the 
eruption was then greatly increasing, and Nicolosi seemed 
doomed to destruction. The noise at a considerable distance is 
described as resembling a continuous cannonade. 
AT the meeting of the Paris Academy of Sciences on Monday, 
M. de Lesseps asked for the appointment of a committee to 
report on the alleged difference of sea-level on the two sides of 
the Isthmus of Panama. A similar objection to the Suez Canal 
had, he said, proved unfounded ; and if the present objection 
were also disposed of, no locks would be necessary in the canal. 
On the motion of Admiral Jurien de la Graviere, who suggested 
that the tides might be higher on one side cf the Isthmus than 
on the other, the question was referred to the navigation and 
astronomy sections. Meantime it is stated that the Technical 
Commission to whom M. de Lesseps had referred certain ques- 
tions have affirmed unanimously that there is no insurmountable 
difficulty to the completion of the Canal according to the tech- 
nical programme adopted by the Company—that is to say, that 
there will be no necessity to construct the Canal with locks, the 
level of the two oceans being the same. 
THE committee for the celebration of the centenary of Arago 
will issue shortly an appeal for subscriptions to erect a statue to 
the celebrated astronomer on the Place St. Jacques. A new 
boulevard will be opened in the direction of the meridian for 
connecting Paris and Montsouris Observatories. 
A COUNTY Scientific Society for Middlesex has been consti- 
tuted, to which both ladies and gentlemen are eligible. The 
Right Hon, Viscount Enfield, Lord-Lieutenant of the county, 
has consented to be the President of the Society ; and the Right 
Hon. the Earl of Crawford and Balcarrés, the Right Hon. the 
Earl of Aberdeen, the Right Hon. the Marquis of Ripon, Prof. 
T. H. Huxley, Sir John Lubbock, Prof. W. H. Flower, Sir 
Frederick Abel, and Dr. Archibald Geikie having intimated to 
the Provisional Committee their approval of the scheme and 
their readiness to become Vice-Presidents of the Society, were 
at the meeting constituting the Society elected to this office. 
The following gentlemen were elected members of the Council 
of the Society, the list to be subsequently increased : —W. Lant 
Carpenter, Herbert Druce, J. N. Dunning, E. Fitch, G. 
Griffiths, R. B. Hayward, J. Logan Lobley, Rev. Dr. C. 
McDowall, Wm. Simpson, Rev. Dr. F. A. Walker, Rev. J. 
Crane Wharton, W. Mattieu Williams. It is intended that the 
Society shall hold monthly meetings (evening) from about 
October to May, and field-meetings during the summer months. 
Names of ladies or gentlemen desirous of joining may be sent to 
the Hon. Secretary, Mr. Sydney T. Klein, Clarence Lodge, 
Church Road, Willesden, N.W. 
Tue eleventh public annual meeting of the Sunday Society 
was held on May 22. Sir Henry E. Roscoe, M.P., F.R.S., 
took the chair as President for the year. Mr. Mark H. Judge 
read the annual statement, pointing out the progress that had 
been made during the year in accomplishing the objects which 
the Society has in view. Sir Henry Roscoe, in his Presidential 
Address, quoted copiously from the utterances of past Presidents 
and of eminent men in all departments on behalf of the opening 
of museums, art galleries, and similar institutions on Sunday, 
Having had the honour, Sir Henry said, to serve on the Royal 
Commission on Technical Instruction, he had had full oppor- 
tunity of observing the effects of the Sunday opening of the numer- 
ous museums, industrial, artistic, and scientific, which exist in 
Continental countries, and he stated that aftersuch observations the 
unanimous conclusion to which the Commissioners arrived was 
that the influence which the opening of these museums on Sun- 
day exerted, not only upon the industrial progress of those 
countries, but upon the moral and intellectual condition of their 
peoples, had been in the highest degree satisfactory. And so 
forcible was the evidence on this head then brought before them, 
that the Commis ioners placed a distinct recommendation at the 
close of their Report, to the effect that museums of art and 
science and technological collections in this country should be 
opened to the public on Sundays. They point out in their 
Report that, in respect to museums, the people of this country 
stand in a position of great disadvantage as compared with Con- 
tinental nations, and that to the influence of these collections, 
as regards the direct bearing they have on art and industrial 
training, is due much of the abundance of art resource so 
advantageous to many Continental industries and manufactures. 
Almost all these Continental art galleries and mu-seums are 
opened to the public freely on Sundays, and Sir Henry had yet to 
learn that opposition has been anywhere raised to this, or 
that any objectionable features have there been introduced. 
Sunday opening in the United Kingdom, so far as it has gone— 
and that isa long way—has had an effect the reverse of that 
