Daily National Intelligencer

MOUNT VESUVIUS

Vesuvius. The following interesting account of a late eruption of Mount Vesuvius is extracted from a German paper:

Naples, Dec. 7.

"Although Vesuvius for the last thirteen months has never ceased to pour forth streams of lava, its activity is now rather increased. The eruption of the 25th of November was much greater than the last two years. It commenced during a terrible storm, amid showers of rain, snow, and hail, accompanied by a hurricane blowing from the south, and violent peals of thunder.

On the previous day, strong explosions, which excited dismay in the neighborhood, were heard in the crater. About 4 o'clock in the morning they were strongest, and a smart shock of an earthquake, which was felt as far as Naples, accompanied them. At the same time there rose from the mouth of the crater an immense pillar of fire, and a powerful stream of boiling lava rolled down the dark sides of the mountain with such velocity, that it traversed a space of more than a mile in less than an hour; and, being divided into two streams, arrived before noon at the foot of the mountain. There it threatened with destruction Torre del Grece, and Torre del l'Annunziata. In the latter place are singularly situated the manufactory of gunpowder, and the only foundry which the kingdom contains. Fortunately, the currents of lava grew cold as they descended; they lost themselves in the ravines and did not touch the vineyards of the two neighboring communes.

"M. De Gimbernat, Counsellor of the Legation of Bavaria, has attended to these different eruptions, which he saw commence on the 20th of October, 1818. He has observed that the torrent of lava issued from a new fissure, which extended itself from the edge of the crater to a depth of more than a hundred feet, in a vertical line. The breadth of the torrent of fire which rushed forth by this breach exceeded twenty-five feet, but it became a great deal larger on the declivity of the mountain, where it divided itself into two branches; the principal fell down a perpendicular precipice, forming a cascade of flame 25 feet high by 20 broad After this fall, the lava accumulated in the abyss below, upon the lava which had been deposited there in past ages; a part of it passed away by another precipice, and formed a second cascade, less steep, but more wide than the former. It was then lost in the gulph beneath for above a quarter of an hour, but only to burst forth again for the third time, and to form a cascade of more than 60 feet in height, & 30 in breadth. The torrent then descended in a direct line like a river on an inclined plane of about a quarter of a league, and meeting a Vesuvian pyramid was again divided; these subdivisions multiplied to a great number, and at length were absorbed in the defiles at the foot of the mountain

Since this eruption, the velocity and quantity of the lava have diminished, but, up to the 7th of December. it continued to run through the issue of the crater; the agitation in the interior seems to continue the same, if one may judge by an unceasing noise there like thunder.

"A few days before the last eruption, M. De Gimbernat carried a barometer to the top of Vesuvius, when he discovered that its height was lessened by more than 60 feet since January, 1819, in consequence of the frequent fallings of the crater. It appeared to have become still lower since that period, as the brow of the mountain upon which the barometer was then placed, sunk two days after into the interior.

"It is very remarkable that, notwithstanding the agitation of Vesuvius, the well which M. De Gimbernat discovered a year ago near the concave of the old crater, still continues to supply pure and drinkable water, while a second well which he has discovered since, within 20 yards of the first, furnishes water strongly impregnated with caloric acid, the quantity of which varies from one day to another, in proportion to the activity of the volcano."