May 22, 1902] 
Mont Pelée and After-Glow. 
May I point out that the after-glow following the eruption of 
Krakatoa was—as I wrote at the time—remarkably emphasised 
on the west coast of British India. 
Following the letter of Dr. W. J. S. Lockyer in NATURE of 
May 15, the after-glow, now, after the eruption of Mont Pelée 
(and Soufriére ?) should be as remarkably emphasised in central 
and perhaps the southern part of North America. 
In Europe this eruption will not’(?) cause the same effect as 
to after-glow as the former. F. C. CONSTABLE. 
Wick Court, near Bristol, May 18. 
THE VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS IN THE WEST 
INDIES. 
See we went to press last week further details have 
become available as to the volcanic disaster in the 
West Indies. We give a summary of the reports which 
have been published in the 7zmes during the past week 
upon the sequence and character of the eruptions from 
the commencement of the disturbances, the particulars 
here given being supplementary to those in our last issue. 
April.—In the last days of April smoke was noticed on Mont 
Pelée and rumbling sounds were heard. 
May 3.—Mont Pelée threw out dense masses of steam. 
Next morning the sky was dark with clouds and ashes. Ashes 
fell on St. Pierre, which by evening was covered a quarter of 
an inch thick. The mountain was invisible. 
May 4.—A sea-breeze swept the ashy fog from St. Pierre, but 
at evening dust and scoria fell again. 
May 5.—A stream of lava 20 feet high suddenly rushed 
down the south-western slope of Mont Pelee, and, following the 
dry bed of the River Blanche, swept away buildings, plantations 
and people in a tremendous rush to the sea, five miles distant. 
It was all over in three minutes. The Guérin factory on the 
beach near the mouth of the river was embedded in lava ; only 
the chimney could be seen. The sea then receded along the 
western coast a distance of 100 yards, and returning invaded 
St, Pierre. 
May 5, St. Vincent.—The lake inthe old crater of the 
Soufriere became greatly disturbed. 
May 6, St. Vincent.—At 2 o'clock in the afternoon the 
Soufriére began a series of volcanic efforts. Severe earthquakes 
accompanied these. Terrible noises and detonations succeeded 
quickly, and at 7 p.m. an immense column of steam issued from 
the crater, continuing until midnight. 
May 7, St. Vincent.—Terrific explosions occurred, and at 
7 a.m. there was another sudden violent escape of steam. This 
ascended for three hours, when a quantity of material matter 
was ejected. At noon three craters appeared to open and 
began to vomit lava. Tremendous detonations followed in 
quick succession, rapidly merging into a continuous roar. The 
thundering was heard throughout the Caribbean Sea. 
A huge cloud in dark dense columns charged with volcanic 
matter rose to a height of eight miles from the mountain top, 
and darkness like midnight descended. The sulphurous air was 
laden with fine dust, and black rain followed the rain of scoric, 
rocks and stones. 7 
May 8, Fort de France.—St. Pierre was within ten minutes 
annihilated by a terrible volcanic torrent from Mont Pelée and 
by a combination of suffocating heat, noxious vapours, a shower 
of burning cinders, and a discharge of burning stones, which 
reached even to Fort de France. 
May 13, St. Vincent.—The Soufriére is still in eruption. 
The reports of the explosions, resembling a terrific cannonade, 
can be heard at a distance of 100 miles. Following the ex- 
plosions are columns of steam, which rise miles in height, and 
immense luminous tombs also issue from the crater. Lightning 
is playing fiercely in the upper sky.* 
May 15, Fort de France.—Mont Pelée continues in a state of 
eruption, but the wind is now carrying the smoke and the 
greater part of the matter thrown out to the north, thus relieving 
the parties of workers at St. Pierre. 
May 15, Kingston, /amatca.—For some days past the atmo- 
sphere here has been peculiarly hazy and sombre and the tempera- 
ture very high, which was thought to be due to dust brought by 
winds from the volcanoes. This is now proved to be the case, dust 
NO. 1699, VOL. 66] 
NATURE 
79 
being detected falling on the hills, which on microscopic 
examination is shown to be volcanic ash. 
May 15, St. Vincent.—The entire northern part of the island 
is covered with ashes averaging 18 inches in depth, and varying 
from a thin layer at Kingstown to 24 inches or more at George- 
town. The streets of Georgetown are encumbered with heaps of 
ashes like snow-drifts, and several roofs have fallen in from the 
weight of the deposits upon them. 
May 15, Fort de France.—At intervals Mont Pelée and Lacroix, 
1350 metres high, are visible. Now thatall the points of eruption 
can be discerned, seven craters can be seen which seem still active. 
Yesterday a flow of lava 400 metres wide descended as far as 
White River, its foaming sound being audible to a great 
distance. A new crater is perceptible near the shore, pouring 
out blinding steam. The sea, affected by the disturbances of 
all the streams, seems itself troubled, invades Précheur, and, 
undermining several houses, adds the ravages of inundation to 
those of fire. On the other hand, the flow of lava drives back 
the bay 20 metres and increases the area of devastation, 
May 17, St. Vincent.—The bed of the lava in the windward 
district is still hot. An abyss 500 feet deep by 200 feet wide, which 
existed between Langly Park and Rabacci, is filled with lava, 
and the physical features of the mountain side are apparently 
more beautiful than before the eruption. A curious feature is 
that the earthquakes were not general. While at Chateau 
Belair there were, before the eruption, continuous convulsions 
every few hours, in Kingstown and Georgetown there were 
only sixty shocks in four hours. 
Although it resulted in fewer fatalities, the eruption of the 
Soufriére was no less violent than that of Mont Pelee. Sixteen 
square miles are covered with lava. 
May 19, St. Thomas.—A further serious eruption of Mont 
Pelée occurred. The search parties at St. Pierre were compelled 
to leave at once. 
May 20, St. Thomas.—Very loud detonations were heard in 
Dominica, Guadeloupe, Antigua and St. Kitts, and faintly in 
St. Thomas. At St. Thomas the sounds heard were louder 
than those of May 7. 
There is great reason to hope that a small scientific 
party from England will be promptly despatched to 
investigate the terrible volcanic outbursts in the West 
Indies. The idea was mooted in conversation in the 
ante-room of the Royal Society at last week’s meeting, 
and Dr. Tempest Anderson, who probably has examined 
and photographed volcanic phenomena in more regions 
than any other Englishman, at once expressed his 
readiness to undertake the journey. Strong hope is 
entertained that leave of absence may be granted to 
Dr. Flett, petrologist to the Geological Survey, to join 
in the investigation, the expenses of which might be 
defrayed, notwithstanding some technical difficulties, 
from the Government Grant. It is to be hoped these 
may be overcome, because no time should be lost, and 
the party should start by the next boaton May 28. They 
will naturally go first to St. Vincent and endeavour to ob- 
tain trustworthy accounts of the eruption of the Soufriére, 
to ascertain the changes which have been made in the 
physical geography of the district, and to collect speci- 
mens of the ‘materials ejected, as far as possible in 
chronological order. But we may hope that they will 
not restrict themselves to the British Island. The erup- 
tion at Mont Pelée in Martinique has been, not only more 
destructive to life, but also, according to what has been 
published, more abnormal in its phenomena. So con- 
tradictory are the reports that it is at present almost im- 
possible to say what really has happened, beyond the one 
melancholy fact that a paroxysm in an eruption of unusual 
violence has caused unwonted devastation and fearful loss 
of life. By examination on the spot, by conference with 
other scientific investigators, who may already have 
reached the island from America or France, rumours 
may be sifted and evidence obtained from examination of 
the materials beneath which St. Pierre has been buried. 
A good collection of them, and other ejectamenta of 
the volcano, will be of great value. A comparison of those 
from the two islands may throw light on some interesting 
