VESUVIUS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1719, 9 April 1906, Page 2

VESUVIUS

LAYA STREAMS TWO MILES SOUTH OF CRATER. By telegraph. Press Ass'n, Copyright. Received 4.60 p m , April 8. London, April 7. Lava from Vesuvius streamed down over tho vineyards in the neighborhood of Bosootreouße, two miles Bouth of the crater. Boulders loosened by the explosions rolled far beyond the lower s'afon on the Funicu’ar railway.

Tbe past of "Vesuvius is alarming, in view of any incipient outbreak. Leaving out the Pompeii eruption, there have been suoh convulsions as that of 472, when its ashes alighted at dißtent Constantinople ; in 512, when they were wafted south to Tripoli ; in 1036 ; and in 1500 ; after which ensued a period of inaotioD, broken in December 1641, by a destructive outbreak, which denuded tho mountain of the forest growth with which it had become clothed. The 18th centu y witnessed many of its eruptions, the most remarkable being that of 1793, when a lava stream 12 to 40 feet thick Bsvept over Torre del Greco and penetrated the Bea to a distauoe of 330 test, by which time its volume was 1204 feet wide and fifteen feet high. This stream was so liquid that to leave the orator and enter tbe sea—a journey of four miles—it took only six bouts. Another memorable outbreak was that of 1822, when the “ smoke ” from the era'er rose to a height of 10.000 feet, emitting flashes of lightning, raining torrents of hot water, and flooding the villages of S. Sebistiaeo and Massa. De* struotive eruptions of lava followed in 1855 and 1861. In 1871-72 the eudden emission of lava from a crater of 1855 killed 20 spectators on tbe spot. SS. Sebastiano and Massa were again greatly damaged, the cons threw up fragments of rcok to a height of 4000 ft, and the explosiens w.re so loud that the whole oountrysde fled panic-stricken to Naples. The aotivity of tbe voloano, accompanied by distinct shocks of earthquake, lasted for n week.