s from the members of the commission,
the populace quietly but doggedly dispersed. The government from
this time forward did all that power and prudence combined could
effect to quell the reign of terror around Bruges. In this
country the telegraph, being a government monopoly, has been
rigorously watched and a cordon of military posts established
around the threatened district, so that it has been almost
impossible to convey intelligence of this disaster beyond the
limits of the danger. In the mean time, a congress of the most
experienced scientists was invited to the scene for the purpose
of suggesting some remedy against the prospective spread of the
devastation. The first meeting took place at the old Guildhall in
Bruges and was strictly private, none being admitted except the
diplomatic representatives of foreign governments, and the
members elect of the college. As in duty bound, I felt called on
to attend, and shall in this place attempt a short synopsis of
the proceedings.

Professor Palmieri, of Naples, presided, and Dr. Kirchoff
officiated as secretary.

Gassiot, of Paris, was the first speaker, and contended that the
theory of nucleatic fusion, now being fully established it only
remained to prescribe the laws governing its superficial action.
"There is but one law applicable, that I am aware of," said he,
"and that is the law which drives from the center of a revolving
body all fluid matter toward the circumference, and forcibly
ejects it into space, if possible, in the same manner that a
common grindstone in rapid motion will drive off from its rim
drops of water or other foreign unattached matter. Thus, whenever
we find a vent or open orifice, as in the craters of active
volcanoes, the incandescent lava boils up and frequently
overflows the top of the highest peak of the Andes."

Palmieri then asked the speaker "if he wished to be understood as
expressing the unqualified opinion that an orifice once being
opened would continue to flow forever, and that there was no law
governing the quantity or regulating the level to which it could
rise?"

Gassiot replied in the affirmative.

The Neapolitan philosopher then added: "I dissent _in toto_ from
the opinion of M. Gassiot. For more than a quarter of a century I
have studied the lava-flows of Vesuvius, AEtna and Stromboli, and
I can assu