States corvette Alert, which is now on this station, in a report to the Navy Department, just received, says:—While on a surveying cruise in the Pacific, south of Fort Sizio and Bevin Islands, on approaching the island of San <Alexandro, the commander's attention was called to a arrange appearance on the water. Apparently ten 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 anc breaking of a school of whales, the question was definitely settled by the upheaval of an immense black mass. As the ship approached the submarine volcano, the black masses thrown up were distinguished as mud and ashes. The upheavals were accompanied by dull reports like those 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 voleano 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-ni fathoms. 'The water was full of ashes and mud, and some of this and one specimen of the bottom were brought on board, 'The voleano bears north, 44 degrees' west; distant three miles from landing place, on the south-west end of the island. At night, flames were noticed issuing from the voleano.
The report of Commander Huntington has been referred to Capt. De Kraft, in charge of the hydrographic' section of the Bureau of Navigation, and the change will be made on the charts.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.