JvLi 1, 1904.] 



SCIENCE. 



23 



are brought to the attention of the author will 

 receive due consideration. 



Katharine E. Dopp. 

 ExTENSiOisr Division, 

 The University of Chicago. 



SPECIAL ARTICLES. 



MONT PELE FROM OCTOBER 20, 1903, TO MAY 

 •20, 1904. 



The publication in the daily papers of the 

 statement that Mt. Pele had celebrated the 

 second anniversary of the destruction of St. 

 Pierre by a heavy eruption, has renewed popu- 

 lar interest in the volcano. A few days before 

 the appearance of this item, the author re- 

 ceived, from a correspondent in Dominica, 

 information that Mt. Pele had been in serious 

 eruption on May 8 and had blown out the 

 new central cone. Inquiry at the office of the 

 American Trading Co. in this city elicited 

 the statement that letters from their repre- 

 sentative in Martinique, under date of May 

 11, made no mention of the volcano, which 

 would hardly have been the case had there 

 been a great eruption. 



To-day copies of the Journal Ofpciel de la 

 Martinique for May 10 to 20 have come to 

 hand and the following quotation (transla- 

 tion) of the ' Bulletins concernant le volcan ' 

 will be of interest: 



May If to 6, 1904. — ^Mountain almost constantly 

 covered. Discharge of vapor moderate. A few 

 rather heavy rumblings from time to time. Some 

 shattering was produced at the top of the dome. 

 The height has slightly diminished. 



May 6 to S, 190^. — Mountain constantly cov- 

 ered. Discharge of vapors very feeble Saturday 

 morning, becoming rather abundant Saturday 

 evening and Sundaj' (8th). Several discharges 

 (flows) accompanied by rather heavy rumbling. 



May S to 9, X90/f. — ^Mountain remained con- 

 stantly covered. Discharge of vapor rather 

 abundant. 



May 9 to 10, 190Jf. — The mountain which was 

 covered in the morning, became clear after five 

 O'clock in the afternoon. jModerate discharge 

 of white vapors. Several rumblings. The sum- 

 mit of the dome has risen about five meters since 

 April 26. 



May 11 to 12, 190.i. — Mountain covered during 

 the day and free from clouds at night. Moderate 

 discharge of white vapors. Frequent rumblings. 



Yesterday evening from 5:30 to 6 o'clock out- 

 bursts of rather thick red clouds to slight ele- 

 vations succeeded one another almost without 

 interruption from the southeast side. At 7:45 a 

 rather bright luminous point appeared near the 

 middle of the dome. 



May 12 to 13, 1904. — Mountain clear in the 

 afterpoon. Rather abundant discharge of white 

 vapors mixed with red vapors. Several rum- 

 blings, one of which was very heavy, yesterday at 

 10:25 P.M. 



May 13 to 15, 1901f. — Mountain almost con- 

 stantly covered Saturday and uncovered yester- 

 day. Several low outbursts of red cloud. Many 

 rumblings. Moderate discharge of vapors. Yes- 

 terday morning at 9:50 a dust-flow of slight ex- 

 tent descended slowly as far as the base of the 

 talus of debris. 



May 17 to 18, 1904- — ^Mountain almost con- 

 stantly covered. Some flows and rumblings Mon- 

 day. Nothing noteworthy yesterday. 



May IS to 19, 1904. — ^Mountain constantly cov- 

 ered. Nothing to note. 



(Signed) Pebnet. 



Since October 19, 1903,* the history of 

 Mont Pele has not been characterized by any 

 very startling events. The dome which has 

 formed the summit of the mountain since the 

 famous spine or obelisk was destroyed in Au- 

 gust, 1903, has suffered many minor changes 

 in altitude and form which have altered its 

 appearance entirely from what it was at the 

 beginning'. 



The history of the dome, as gathered from 

 the Journal Officiel, is as follows : 



Octoher 21, 1903. — Loss of 5 m. 



October 22. — Loss of 3 m. 



October 25. — Slight modifications. 



October 26. — Additional modifications. 



October 29. — The dome has suffered certain 

 changes; its height has been stationary for sev- 

 eral days. 



November 3. — The dome has suffered certain 

 modifications of form without change in altitude. 



November 5. — A considerable portion of the 

 dome was blown off at 11:34 a.m. 



November S. — The dome rose 4 m. between the 

 6th and 8th. 



November 10. — The dome seems to be destined 

 to rapid disappearance on account of successive 

 outbursts on the southwestern side. 



* See Hovey, ' Mont Pel6 from May to October, 

 1903,' Sciexce, N. S., Volume XVIIL, p. 633, 

 November 13, 1903. 



