The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-03-17

under her, and then as slowly sink
again. This may seem strange, at first
sight, when it is remembered that in
reality the great sea-wave we are con-
sidering swept at the rate Of 300 or 400
sea miles an hour over the larger part Of
the Pacific.
In somewhat less than three hours
after the occurrence OF the earthquake
the ocean-wave inundated the port of
Coqulmbo, on the Gillian seaboard,
some 300 miles from africa. An hour
or SO later it had reached Constitution,
$50 miles further south and here for
some three hours the sea rose and fell
with strange violence Farther south,
along the shore Of Chill, even to.the
island Of Chloe, the shore-wave travelled.
though with continually diminishing
force, owing, doubtless, to the resist
ance which the irregularities Of the
shore opposed to it's progress.
The northerly shore-wave seems to
have been more considerable and mo-
ment' sstudy OF achart OF the two Americas
will show that this circumstance is highly
significant. When we remember that
the principal. effects OF the land-shock
we're experienced within the angle
which the Peruvian Andes form with
the long north-and- south line of the
Chilian and Bolivian Andes. we see at
once that, had the center of the sub
terranean action been near the scene
where the most destructive effects were
perceived, no sea-wave, or but small
one, could have been sent toward the
shores Of North America. The project
| ing shores Of Northern Peru and Ecua-
dor could not have failed to divert the
sea-wave toward the west and. though a
reflected wave might have reached Cali
fornia, it would only have been after a
considerable interval of time, and with
dimensions much less than those of the
sea-wave which travelled southwark.
/ When we see that, on the contrary,
wave Of even greater proportions trav-
eled toward he shores of North America.
| we seem forced to the conclusion that
the center of the subterranean action
must have been so far to the west that
the sea-wave generated by it had a free
course to the shores of California.
Be this as it may, there can be no
doubt that the wave which swept the
shores Of Southern California, rising up
ward Of sixty feet above the ordinary sea-
level, was absolutely the most imposing
Of all the indirect effects Of the great
earthquake. When we consider that
even in San Pedro bav. fully 5000 miles
from the center OF disturbance, a wave
twice the size of an ordinary house rolled
in with unspeakable violence only few
hours after the occurrence of the earth.
throe, we are most strilxingly impressed
with the tremendous energy of the
earth's movement.
Turning to the open ocean. let us
track the great wave on Its course past
the multitudinous islands which dot the
surface Of the great Pacific.
The inhabitants OF the Sandwich
islands, which lie about $500 miles from
africa, might have imagined themselves
safe from any effects which could be pro
duced by an earthquake taking place 81
far away from them. But, on the nigh
between Aug. ID and IA, the sea arount
this island group rose in a surprising
manner, insomuch that many though
the islands were sinking, and would
shortly subside altogether beneath tn,
waves. Some of the smaller islands
indeed, Were for a time completely sub
merged. Before long, however, the Sc
fell again. and, as it did so, the observ
ers 6 found it impossible to resist tn
impression that the islands were risin!
bodily out of the water" For no les
than three days this strange oscillation
of the sea continued to be experienced
the most remarkable Gibbs and food
, being noticed at Honolulu, on the islam
of Woahoo. --t
But the sea-wave swept onward ia
beyond these islands.
At Yokohama, IN Japan, more tina
$500 miles from africa, an enormou
, wave poured in on Aug. IA, but at wha
: hour we have no satisfactory record
, So far as distance is concerned. thi
: wave affords most surprising evidence {
: the stupendous nature of the disturb
} ance to which the waters of the Pacif
7 ocean had been subjected. The Who'll
) circumference of the earth is but 25, 90
| miles, SO that this wave had travele
l over q distance considerably greater tina
t two-ffths of the earth's circumference
A distance which the swiftest of on
1 ships could not traverse in less than 81
l or seven weeks had been swept over b
: this enormous undulation in the cours
Q of a few hours. 81.
Shortly before midnight the Marqu,
: sas isles and the low-lying Tuamot
$ group, in the South Pacific, were visite
Il by the great wave, and some of thes
, islands were completely submerged b
l. it. The lonely Opara isle. where IL
IS steamers which run between Panam
e and New Zealand have their coalin
e station, was visited at about II 80 in IL
), evening by billow which swept away
9 portion Of the coal depot. Afterwa,
Ii great waves came rolling in at interva
d OF aDont twenty minutes, and sever
S days elapsed before the sea resumed i
ordinary ebb and flow.
1t was not until about $50 on tt
morning Of Aug. Il that the Samoa isl,
?. sometimes called the Navigator islant
e were visited by the great wave. II
q watchmen startled the inhabitants fro
J their sleep by the cry that the sea WI
e about to overwhelm them and alread
when the terrified people rushed fro
h their houses, the sea was found to ha7
% risen tar above the highest water mar
o But it presently began to sink agai
:, and then commenced series of oscill
g tons, which lasted for several days, al
N were Of a very remarkable nature. On,
!, in every quarter of an hour the sea TO
n