PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. THE ROYAL SOCIETY. tions for 1812, containing the following interesting Papers. 1. On the Grounds of the Method which La Place has given in the second Chapter of the third Book of his Mécanique Céleste for computing the Attractions of Spheroids of every Description. By James Ivory, A. M. 2. On the Attractions of an extensive class of Spheroids. By J. Ivory, A.M. 3. An Account of some Peculiarities in the Structure of the Organ of Hearing in the Balena Mysticetus of Linnæus. By Everard Home, Esq. F.R.S. 4. Chemical Researches on the Blood, and some other Animal Fluids. By William Thomas Brande, Esq. F R.S. 5. Observations of a Comet, with Remarks on the Construction of its different Parts. By William Herschel, LL.D. F.R.S. 6. On a gaseous Compound of carbonic Oxide and Chlorine. By John Davy, Esq.. 7. A Narrative of the Eruption of a Volcano in the Sea off the Island of St. Michael. By S. Tillard, Esq. Captain in the Royal Navy. 8. On the primitive Crystals of Carbonate of Lime, Bitter-Spar, and Iron-Spar. By William Hyde Wollaston, M.D. Sec. R.S. 9. Observations intended to show that the progressive Motion of Snakes is partly performed by means of the Ribs. By Everard Home, Esq. F.R.S. 10. An Account of some Experiments on the Combinations of different Metals and Chlorine, &c. By John Davy, Esq. 11. Further Experiments and Observations on the Action of Poisons on the Animal System. By B.C. Brodie, Esq. F.R.S. From among these papers we have in the present month selected the Narrative of the Eruption of a Volcano in the Sea off the Island of St. Michael. By S. TILLARD, Esq. Captain in the Royal Nury. "Approaching the island of St. Michael's, on Sunday the 12th of June, 1811, in his Majesty's sloop Sabrina, under, my command, we occasionally observed, rising in the horison, two or three columns of smoke, such as would have been occasioned by an action between two ships, to which cause we universally attributed its origin. This opinion was, however, in a very short time changed, from the smoke increasing and ascending in much larger bodies than could possibly have been produced by such an event; and, having heard an account, prior to our sailing from Lisbon, that in the preceding January or February a volcano had burst out within MONTHLY MAG. No, 230, the sea near St. Michael's, we immedi❤ ately concluded that the smoke we saw proceeded from that cause, we anchoring the next morning in the road of Ponta del Gada, we found this conjecture correct as to the cause, but not to the time; the eruption of January having totally subsided, and the present one having only burst forth two days prior to our approach, and about three miles distant from the one before alluded to. "Desirous of examining as minutely as possible a contention so extraordinary between two such powerful elements, I set off from the city of Ponta del Gada on the morning of the 14th, in company with Mr. Read, the Consul General of the Azores, and two other gentlemen. After riding about twenty miles across the NW. end of the island of St. Michael's, we came to the edge of a cliff, from whence the volcano burst suddenly upon our view in the most terrific and mile from the base of the cliff, which was awful grandeur. It was only a short nearly perpendicular, and formed the margin of the sea; this cliff being as nearly as I could judge from three to four hundred feet high. To give you an adequate idea of the scene by description is far beyond my powers; but for your satisfaction I shall attempt it. 66 Imagine an immense body of smoke rising from the sea, the surface of which was marked by the silvery ripling of the breezes incidental to those climates in waves, occasioned by the light and steady summer. In a quiescent state, it had the appearance of a circular cloud revolving on the water like an horizontal wheel, in various and irregular involu tions, expanding itself gradually on the lee side, when suddenly a column of the blackest cinders, ashes, and stones would shoot up in form of a spire at an angle of from ten to twenty degrees from nation being universally to windward; a perpendicular line, the angle of inclithis was rapidly succeeded by a second, third, and fourth, each acquiring greater velocity, and overtopping the other till they had attained an altitude as much above the level of our eye, as the sea was below it. "As the impetus with which the columns were severally propelled diminished, and their ascending motion had nearly ceased, they broke into various branches resembling a groupe of pines; these again forming themselves into fes H toons toons of white feathery smoke in the most fanciful manner imaginable, intermixed with the finest particles of falling ashes, which at one time assumed the appearance of innumerable plumes of black and white ostrich feathers surmounting each other; at another, that of the light wavy branches of a weeping willow. "During these bursts, the most vivid flashes of lightning continually issued from the densest part of the volcano; and the cloud of smoke, now ascending to an altitude much above the highest point to which the ashes were projected, rolled off in large masses of fleecy clouds, gradually expanding themselves before the wind in a direction nearly horizontal, and drawing up to them a quantity of water spouts, which formed a most beautiful and striking addition to the general appearance of the scene. "That part of the sea where the voleano was situated, was upwards of thirty fathoms deep, and at the time of our viewing it the volcano was only four days old. Soon after our arrival on the cliff, a peasant observed he could discern a peak above the water: we looked, but could not see it: however in less than half an hour it was plainly visible, and before we quitted the place, which was about three hours from the time of our arrival, a complete crater was formed above the water, not less than twenty feet high on the side where the greatest quantity of ashes fell; the diameter of the crater being apparently about four or five hundred feet. "The great eruptions were generally attended with a noise like the continued firing of cannon and musquetry intermixed, as also with slight shocks of earthquakes, several of which having been felt by my companions, but none by myself, I had become half sceptical, and thought their opinion arose merely from the force of imagination; but, while we were sitting within five or six yards of the edge of the cliff, partaking of a slight repast which had been brought with us, and were all busily engaged, one of the most magnificent bursts took place which we had yet witnessed, accompanied by a very severe shock of an earthquake. The instantaneous and involuntary inovement of each was to spring upon his feet, and I said "This admits of no doubt." The words had scarce passed my lips, before we observed a large portion of the face of the cliff, about fifty yards on our left, falling, which it did with a violent crash. So soon as our first consternation "On the succeeding day, June 15th, having the Consul and some other friends on-board, I weighed, and proceeded with the ship towards the volcano, with the intention of witnessing a night view; but in this expectation we were greatly disappointed, from the wind freshening and the weather becoming thick and hazy, and also from the volcano itself being clearly more quiescent than it was the preceding day. It seldom emitted any lightning, but occasionally as much flame as may be seen to issue from the top of a glass-house or foundery chimney. On passing directly under the great cloud of smoke, about three or four miles distant from the volcano, the decks of the ship were covered with fine black ashes, which fell intermixed with small rain. We returned the next morning, and late on the evening of the same day I took my leave of St. Michael's to complete my cruize. "On opening the volcano clear of the NW. part of the island, after dark on the 16th, we witnessed one or two eruptions that, had the ship been near enough, would have been awfully grand. It ap peared one continued blaze of lightning, but the distance which it was at from the ship, (upwards of twenty miles,) prevented our seeing it with effect. Returning again towards St. Michael's, on the 4th of July, I was obliged, by the state of the wind, to pass with the ship very close to the island, which was now completely formed by the volcano, being nearly the height of Matlock High Tor, about eighty yards above the sea. At this time it was perfectly tranquil; which circumstance determined me to land, and explore it more narrowly. "I left the ship in one of the boats, accompanied by some of the officers. As we approached, we perceived that it was still smoking in many parts, and upon our reaching the island found the surf on the beach very high. Rowing round to the lee side, with some little difficulty, by the aid of an oar, as a pole, I jumped on shore, and was followed by the other officers. We found a narrow beach of black ashes, from which the side of the island rose in general too steep to admit of our ascending; and, where we could have clambered up, the mass of matter was much too hot to allow our proceeding more than a few yards in the ascent. "The I "The declivity below the surface of the sea was equally steep, having seven fathoms water scarce the boat's length from the shore, and at the distance of twenty or thirty yards we sounded twen ty-five fathoms. From walking round it in about twelve minutes, I should judge that it was something less than a mile in circumference; but the most extraordinary part was the crater, the mouth of which, on the side facing St. Michael's, was nearly level with the sea. It was filled with water, at that time boiling, and was emptying itself into the sea by a sinall stream about six yards over, and by which I should suppose it was conti. nually filled again at high water. This stream, close to the edge of the sea, was so hot, as only to admit the finger to be dipped suddenly in, and taken out again immediately. "It appeared evident, by the forma tion of this part of the island, that the sea had, during the eruptions, broke into the crater in two places, as the east side of the small stream was bounded by a precipice, a cliff between twenty and thirty feet high, forming a peninsula of about the same dimensions in width, and from fifty to sixty feet long, connected with the other part of the island by a narrow ridge of cinders and lava, as an isthmus of from forty to fifty feet in length, from which the crater rose in the form of an amphitheatre. "This cliff, at two or three miles distance from the island, had the appearance of a work of art resembling a small fort or block-house. The top of this we were determined, if possible, to attain; but the difficulty we had to encounter in doing so was considerable; the only way to attempt it was up the side of the isthmus, which was so steep, that the only mode by which we could effect it, was by fixing the end of an oar at the base, with the assistance of which we forced ourselves up in nearly a backward direction. "Having reached the summit of the isthmus, we found another difficulty, for it was impossible to walk upon it, as the descent on the other side was immedi. ate, and as steep as the one we had ascended; but, by throwing our legs across it, as would be done on the ridge of a house, and moving ourselves forward by our hands, we at length reached that part of it where it gradually widened itself and formed the summit of the cliff, which we found to have a perfectly flat surface, of the dimensions before stated. Judging this to be the most conspicuous situation, we here planted the Union, and left a bottle sealed up containing a small ac count of the origin of the island, and of our having landed upon it, and naming it Sabrina Island. "Within the crater I found the com plete skeleton of a guard fish, the bones of which, being perfectly burnt, fell to pieces upon attempting to take them up; and, by the account of the inhabitants on the coast of St. Michael's, great numbers of fish had been destroyed during the early part of the eruption, as large quantities, probably suffocated or poi soned, were occasionally found drifted into the small inlets or bays. The island, like other volcanic productions, is composed principally of porous substances, and generally burnt to complete cinders, with occasional masses of a stone, which I should suppose to be a mixture of iron and lime-stone. To Dr. Ainslie, M.D. for his plantations at Griezedale, of 151,240 forest trees-the gold medal. To the Rev. Dr. F. Haggitt, for his improvement of fifty acres of land lying waste at Pittington, near Durhamn-the gold medal. To J. Austin, esq. of Grange, near Strabane, in Ireland, for gaining 300 acres of land from the sea-the gold medal. To J. C. Curwen, esq. M.P. of Wokington-hall, Cumberland, for his improved method of feeding milch-cows-the lesser gold medal. To J. Finch, esq. of Red-heath, near Watford, for 128 stocks of bees-the silver medal, or twenty guineas. To Major Hesleden, first West York regiment, for improving twenty-one acres of boggy land, at Clapham, in the county of York-the lesser silver medal To Miss L. Adams, of Billericay, Essex, for an original historical drawing of the Raising of the Widow's Son-the lesser silver medal. To Miss M. Geddes, Alderbury, near Salis bury, for an oil painting, a copy from Guido the lesser silver medal. To Mr. W. H. Harriott, Clipstone-street, for a View of Trossac Mountains, a copy-the silver medal. To Mr. H. Parke, Dean-street, Soho, for an original painting of a View at the Norethe silver medal. To Master F. Y. Hurlstone, aged eleven years, of King street, Covent-garden, for a drawing of the Head of Neptune, after Raphael, a copy-the silver pallet. To Miss H. Eyre, of Reading, a chalk drawing of a Magdalen, a copy-the silver medal. To Miss M. Sheppard, of Oley, Glocestershire, for the copy of a drawing from Maratthe silver pallet. To Miss E. E. Kendrick, Upper Mary-lebone-street, for a miniature of Jesus, from Guercino-the silver medal. To Mr. G. R. Pain, Dixon's-place, Newroad, for an original Design of a Gothic Church-the gold medal. To Mr. W. Pitts, James-street, Lambeth, for an original. Model in Wax of two Warriors-the lesser gold medal. To Mr James Craig, of Charlotte-street, Rathbone-place, for an original etching of the Holy Family-the lesser gold medal. To Mr. J. H. Wright, High Holborn, for an original engraving of a landscape-the sil ver medal. To Miss E. Craig, Charlotte-street, Rathbone-place, for an original drawing of fruit and flowers-the lesser gold medal. To Miss M. A. Say, Norton-street, for a drawing of Two Fallen Angels, a copy-the lesser silver medal. To Miss Violet, Upper James-street, for a miniature drawing, a copy-the silver pallet. To Mr. Jones, St. Chad's-row, for a drawing of Mr. Kemble, in the character of Coriofagus-the silver medal, To Mr. Petherick, of Penydarron Ironworks, near Merthyr Tidvil, Glamorganshire, for an original drawing of the said ironworks the lesser silver medal. To Mr. W. Morrison, Carburton-street, Fitzroy-square, for a drawing of two Heads after Raphael-the silver pallet To Miss Eliza Hay, Tavistock-street, for a drawing of fruit, after an old painting-the silver pallet. To Miss A. Hayter, Wells-street, Oxfordroad, for a drawing of Aurora, a copy-the silver pallet. To Miss Steele, of Union-place, Lambeth, for a drawing of a landscape, a copy-the silver pallet. To Miss Edwards, Great Suffolk-street, Southwark, for a drawing of a Shepherd's Boy, a copy-the silver pallet. In Mechanics. To Mr. M. Cooke, Winchester-row, Paddington, for a machine, by means of which blind people can both learn and teach musicthe gold medal. To Mr. T. Machell, surgeon, Wolsingham, near Durham, for an annular saw, which can cut deeper than its own centre-the gold medal, To Dr. G. Cumming, M.D. Denbigh, Wales, for a vapour, fumigation, or shower bath, adapted at a cheap expense, for the use of public hospitals or private families-the silver medal. To Mr. I. Goss, of Enfield, for a mechani、 cal instrument to work addition of numbers with accuracy and dispatch-the silver medal and fifteen guineas. To Mr. T. Perry, of Farnham, for a chirographagist, intended to form the hand in writing, so as to manage the pen with correctness thod of relieving a horse fallen down in the shafts of a loaded cart-ten guineas. To Mr. J. King, Mulberry-court, near the Bank, for a machine to enable shoe and boot mikers to work without pressure upon the breast and stomach-ten guineas. To Mr. D. Ritchie, Princt's-street, Clerkenwell, for a compensation-pendulum to prevent the going of a clock from varying by heat or cold-twenty guineas. Among the papers published in the last volume of the Transactions of this useful Society, was the following account of the culture of Sea-Cale, or Sea-Kale, by H. B. WAY, esq. of Bridport: "The mode which I consider the best for the culture of sea-cale, is to draw lines in a very dry soil and dry situation, on ground with a southern aspect, about two feet one way by about eighteen inches the other, and where the lines cross to put in three or four good perfect seeds in a square or triangle, about three inches apart; this may be done any time in November or December in open weather, and it will require no other care afterwards but keeping the ground clear from weeds till the autumn of the following year, when all the plants but one of the finest in each square may be taken up, which if wanted will serve to form other beds set the same distance apart. The ground in the intervals of the plants should be dug in the spring and fall of the year, taking eare not to injure the plants. The leaves should be left on the plants till they fall off naturally, which will not in general be sooner than the latter end of November. In the autumn of the second year the same attention should be paid to the plants, and to remove the dead leaves. In the third year, about the middle or latter end of November, when the leaves have been cleared away, and the ground dug, each plant should be covered over close with a tub, pan, a heap of small stones, coarse cinders, or coarse bark fit for use. soil in which it grows naturally here, as I' that this vegetable will succeed as well, for some days in a pan of cold water, but of course it cannot be better than when recently cut. It precedes the use of asparagus, being ready for the table in Febru ary and March." |