Litchfield enquirer., 1838-08-23

er fowls, but at length IS discovered, claim.
ed aid occupied by man. In this .oE ill.a
similar manner we're formed all The coral
islands which exist IN the different oceans
and seas whose surfaces are low and hori-
z"ntal. Would time allow mo, could
enumerate more than thirty Islands, Ofyefy
considerable magnitude, in the Pacific
Ocean, which owe their existence 70 this
cause. et
But how will you account, inquiries one,
for the elevation Of the Island Of Tonga
taboo ten feet above the surface Of tho
deep, or for the conical peak of cocoa, OF
for The highlands Of Owhyee, all Of which
islands are believed to be- Of coral origin
Hero we beg leave to introduce a new
agent--volcanic energy. How do you
know, it may be asked, that these eleva-
lions are occasioned by volcanic force 1t
is inference from the following well estab-
lished facts: On several Of the coral isl.
ands there are al this moment volcanoes In
active operation; and OH others where at
present there are none, uncomfortable evil
dence is afforded Of their former existence.
On EcoOa there is none, bot proofs Of their
ancient operations are every whore visi-
bic. Captain Cook, on that island, found
coral rocks at an elevation Of three hun
bred feet above the sea, and could not
doubt that they were raised 10 that height
BY volcanic means. The conical monn-
tain was, beyond question, formed by die
ferent strata Of lava. poured forth at differ
ent periods from the heated furnace below.
Its summit servedas the outlet or crater Of
the subtcrraneah FIRE, till its energy was
exhausted, or ill il was converted into u
different channel.
On the island Of Toofooa, seventy
miles from Tongataboo, there is volcano
always burning. The Friendly Islands
arc one hundred and fifty in number, Of
which thirty five are billy, and were prob
ably rendered SO by subserraneaner uptions.
OF this description are Osaheite, Bolabo-
la, aud Eimeo. ,'2 s,i '..'fs
Ko,zcbue tells US that Zap, little to
the westward Of the Caroline islands, is u
vast seat Of volcanic energy; that earth
quakes arc frequent; and when they oc-
cur, all the coral reefs in their vicinity are
shaken by them. @ @
Coral rocks sbound on the island Of
Owhyee. That OH which Captain Cook
fell and died ia 1879 is .nlanifesily an an.
Gent coral, some~ hat discolored BY the ac-
ton Of the air or by volcanic scorching. A
fragment Of it recently broken off by ths
missionaries, has been forwarded TO me by
my friend, Rev. Mr.. Bingham. In let
Ter from this gentleman. I am informed
that volcanoes arc often disgorging their
liquid contents on some part Of the island.
lie has transmitted to me . specimen Of
the lava, erup,ed in 1920 The Mount
kaah, which rises in three stupendous ny
ramids, hooking those Of Egypts.o. the es-
timated height Of eighteen thousand aud
four hundred feet above the level of the
ocean. is nothing, it is believed. but an i'm
mense mass Of lava or melted coral. The
coast Of the district Of Kaoo, on Owhyhee,
presents u prospect, says gazetteer, - Of
the most horrid aud dreAry kind; tho
whole country appearing 70 have under
gone total change from the effects Of soms
dreadful convulsion. The ground 10 eve.
ny where covered with cinders and inter-
sec,ed with black stroaks, which seemed IL
mark the course Of "a lava that flowed, net
many ages back, from the mountains to
the Shore"
From these facts, it is fairly inferred
that there exists, among the Polynesian
islands. submarine power fully adequate
to the raising the coral beds to their pres
ent elevation, aud ~ the production Of
mountains on them Of their present mag
nilude; and what solid objection can be
raised 10 the supposi.ion that il has actual
y been applied TO these purposes1
That islands have been thrown up from
the bottom Of the ocean by the force Of
sub,erranean FIRE, we have the testimony
Of history and Of men Of the present Renc-
ration. Pliny asserts that, in his age thee
islands in the EgeaD Thrsasia, Au-
.omali, and Thia--were forced into day
G6 solo Oceani, where no land before exist
ed. By submarine eruption in 1907, "a
new Island made its appearance in the
Greek Archipelago. Ii rose with slow
progress, but within year from The peri
Cd Of its oceanic birth, it attained cir
conference Of Eve miles, and % altitude
VI forty feet. Within the present age tho
island Of Sabrina, escaping from the grasp
of Neptune, raised her head above the bri.
ny deep in the neighborhoOd Of Acres,
aud after holding her station several years,
slipped her cable. aud again put 10 sea, Oh
az leIurnless voyage" This island vas
composed entirely Of volcanic pumice,
which, Was not sufficiently solid ~ resi.t
The impetus Of the waves.
A multitude Of other facts might Be col
lec'ed, which speak the same language, and
which affirm that numerous islands, III diff
fereut parts Of the ocean. and particularly
The coral islands Of the Pacific. have beem
generated by race If Insignificant ami
mails, and brought into their present si.ua-
ton and forms by volcanic energy.--Chris-
tiaW StdtesMaR.