A SUBMARINE VOLCANO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6063, 23 April 1881, Page 7

A SUBMARINE VOLCANO.

The North China Herald says :—Commander Huntington, of the U.S. corvette Alert, which is now on this station,: in a report to the Navy Department, just received, states that while on a surveying cruise in the Pacific, south of Fort Sizio and Bovin Islands, on approaching the island of San Alexandro the commander's attention was called to a strange appearance on the water. "Apparently ton miles distant a volume of vapour was rising as though some vessel was blowing off steam. This was followed by the appearance of breakers, and while some of the officers were discussing the probable cause, some thinking it was the blowing and breaking of a school of whales, the question was definitely settled bythe upheaval of an immense black mass. As the ship approached the. submarine volcano, the black masses thrown up -were distinguished as inud and ashes. The upheavals were accompanied by dull reports like these from submarine mines, and by an odour of sulphur." Several days were spent. in making a reconnaissance. Commander Huntington says he did not think it prudent to approach the volcano in the Alert, but a boat was lowered and pulled within one hundred yards of it. A reef, or island, is in process of formation. Soundings were obtained in from five to twenty-nine fathoms. The water was full of ashes and mud, and some of this and one specimen of the bottom were brought on board. The volcano hears north, 44' west; distant three miles from landing-place, on the south-west end of the island." At night flames'were noticed issuing from the volcano. The report of Commander Huntington has been referred to Captain de Kraft, in charge of the hydrographic section of the Bureau of Navigation, and ,tho change will be made on the charts. >