288 
A New Submarine Volcano.- 
tbe fact, that although in tlie comparatively narrow and steep 
valleys traversing tbis formation, tbere is but little gravel, and no 
implements bave boen found, yet on tbe uplands numerons and well- 
made flint implements bave been collected, from wbat M. Belgraud 
calls tbe hunting stations. 
It may seem stränge tbat if tliese pits really do present tbe 
similarity to Grimes Graves wliich I bave supposed, tbe idea sbould 
not bave occurred to tbe Frencb geologists ; tbey may never have 
lieard of onr pits ; but I find it stated tbat in tbe Memoires de la 
Societe des Sciences, etc., du Hainaut, Annee 1866-7, publisbed at 
Mons, 1868, tbere is a paper, relating to similar ancient works, by 
MM. Briart, Cornet and De la Haie (Kapport sur les Dicouvert es 
geologiques, etc., faites ä Spiennes en 1867), and tbat tbose works 
were known as long ago as 1842. I bave not seen tbis article, and 
can find no account of it in my books. 
If attention bas not previously been called to tbe prima facie 
possibility tbat tbese pits in Champagne are tbe work of manu- 
facturers of flint implements, perhaps you will consider tbe matter 
of sufficient importance to give it a place in your Magazine. Tbe 
description is too loose and general to be a ground for anytbing more 
tban Suggestion and inquiry. Henry Nokton. 
21, Untuanks Road, Kohwich, April 20 th , 1877. 
A New Submarine Yolcano ? in the Mediterranean. — An ex- 
citing story is going tbe round of tbe London journals, calling 
attention to “ a singulär accident wbicb lately befell tbe steam- 
sliip Kuiglit Templar, 1,550 tons gross register, from Cardiff to 
Bombay witb coal. Wben off tbe island of Galita, near tbe Gulf 
of Tunis, and, according to tbe Admiralty Cbart, being in a tbousand 
fatlioms of water, sbe suddenty received a violent sbock, and was 
immediately surrounded by a seetbing mass of foam. Being run 
asbore, and ultimately examined, it was found tbat at a distance of 
15 feet from tbe stem of the vessel some 10 feet of her keel had 
been torn out in a peculior manner, wliile tbe after part of tbe ship’s 
bottom bad also been seriously injured. Altogetber tbe character 
of tbe damage done to tbe sbip leads tbe writer, a Board of Trade 
surveyor, to tbe conclusiou tbat tbe sbip’s bull bad been strack by a 
submarine volcanic eruption, a tlieory mucb strengtbened by tbe 
well-known character of tbe locality.” 
Scrope long since pointed out tbat tbe volcanic line of disturbance 
extends from Calabria and Sicily in a soutb- wester ly direction 
towards tbe African coast, and embraces tbe volcanic island of 
Pantellaria, and tbe sunken volcanic island of Ferdinanda, to Cape 
Bon, tbe eastern promontory of tbe Bay of Tunis, linking Sicily 
with Africa ; and tbat tbe intervening tract is known to be venj 
shallow (“ Yolcanos,” p. 345). 
Is it not possible tbat a sunlcen rock was tbe cause of tbe “ Good 
Templar’ s ” scrape ? Anyhow be bad a narrow escape, wbetber strack 
by a volcanic bomb under water, or scraped on a part of tbe old ridge 
dividing tbe Eastern and Western basins of tbe Mediterranean. 1\ e 
bope tbe Admiralty will investigate tbis matter tborougbly. 
