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New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume XII, Issue 1289, 9 December 1857, Page 4

The Bay of Vulcano. —During tbe Greek war of independence, it was a frequent custom to send the vessels whose sheathing had been incrusted with shells, pebbles, and earthy matier, as is generally the case after a long voyage, to the Bay of Vulcano, in the island of Santorin (26 leagues north of Candia). After a stay of only a fe« hours in that Bay, the incrustation above alluded to, coold be swept away from the copper sheathing with a common broom. This property of the waters of Vulcano was known throughout tbe East, but bad seldom been turn ed to advantage, and bad been quite neglected during the last few years. In 1856 tbe Gr.ek Government resolved to put it to the test, and appbed to Rear-Admiral Bouet Vtllaumez to send a vessel there by way of experiment. Accordingly the Solon, an iron-built ship, protected by a strong coating of red-lead paint, and haviig her keel encumbered with a quantity of sea-weed and shells, which adhere firmly to the surface, received orders to repair to the Bay of Vulcano, and to stay there three or four hours. Th is short stay, however, appeared to have no effect on the tenacity of the weeds, and the Solon proceeded 'o Canea and Milo with the usual incrustation on her keel. Nevertheless, on arriving at tbe latter place, the Captain thought ir best to try (gain, and to have the keel slightly bruised with a broom. This lime the experiment was perfectly successful, and the Solon acquired an increase of speed of a mile per hour by tbe operation. Since then the experiment has been often repeated both by French and English vessels ; and it is now an acknowledged fact that the waters of the Bay of Vulcano have the singular property of cleansing the keels of ships. These waters have a fetid smell, and in calm weather jets of a reddish kind of water are seen issuing from the bottom, as if caused by some secret volcanic agency. Hence it may be presumed that a strong current of sulphuretted hydrogen gas is generated, which combines with tbe oxide of copper of the sheathing, transforming it into asulphuret; and as it is the oxide which cements the shells and weeds together, its transformation destroys their cohesion. Similar effects have been observed in the old port of Marseilles, where the sulphuretted hydrogen gas, instead of being produced by volcanic agency, is furnisbed by tbe sewers of the city.— Galignani's Messenger.

Galignani says:—“ The Seine appears as if it were nbout to give in its resignation as a river, and sink to the rank of a mere stream, Yesterday it was below the level of 1719. The swimming schools at Paris have been obliged to shift their quarters, and follow the river, which had left them almost dry. Julius Csesar relates in his commentaries’ that the Romans, when encamped on tbe heights now called the Butte Ste. Genevieve, crossed the Seine almost dry-fooled a little above the He de la Cite, behind NutreDame, and thus marched to Poutoise. At this moment the Parisians may cross the river al the ante place without any danger,”