Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-08-31
r0LcINIc ERUPTION IN AVA


GtFhN Auha o. AAltt
The lutesl intelligence. from the cast repre-
seuts the recent volcanic cruptious in Java
to have been terribly disastrous The whole
island Of Java which is Dutch possession
is Of volcanic formation There are but two
harbors on the whole southern coast. nearly
zoo miles. and those on the northern would
not be- regarded a. safe auchorages in regions
where the seas are high and the winds fierce
The island is GGG miles long and all along that
lcngth stretches a line OF volcanic mountains
Among the numerous peaks 40 or 30 are &C
tive volcanoes, from which all the time evi.
deuce OF their nature is shown and which
have repeatedly in the history Of Java
wrought great harm and destroyed thousands
of lives These peaks range from 1000 to
over II, 600 feet in hight, and the Gumong
Tenger, whose crater. four miles in diameter,
is only second in extent to that Of Kilauea in
the Sandwich islands, is about 5000 feet high.
The first disturbances, on the 20 Of August,
were observed in the island Of krakatoa, in
the strait Of Sunda, which separates Java
from Sumatra, and 10 miles distant from the
coast Of Java. But the rumbings were felt
even at Batavia, the principal city, A. miles
away and in few hours showers Of rocks
and red hot ashes fell at the farthest eastern
parts Of the island, at Jok jokerta, Surabaya
and Serang Fifteen or 20 Of the volcanoes
of the island were speedily in a state Of erup.
ton. The Gumong Tenger. the Gumong
Gunter Maha Mern and dozen others were
in the throes of destruction. hurting high in
air tremendous volumes Of cinders and ashes
with enormous fragments Of stone and show
ers of sulphurous white mud The sea was
all the time in fierce turmoil. Waterspouts
abounded, there were sometimes seen IL or
20 at time. The mountains cracked and
smoked, aud the villages we're cloveu open,
showers OF stones, mud and lava DESTROYED
the plateaus the forests on the northern
hills we're set atre, aud immense tidal waves
rushed up the shore meeting the lava flow
and checking Ii on the mountain sides aud on
the sheltered hooks, obliterRting fishing ham
lets aud ricI plantations The island Of Sc
rang was utterly destroyed, -sunken beneath
the sea aud not Il soul escaped to tell the
story. 1t Anger the European and American
quarter was buried beneath rocks, mud and
lava from the craters aud then the waters rose
and eugulfed the ruins. There were more
than 2OOD lives lost there and at Bantam some
1900 more. Batavia the principal city, vas
covered with o layer Of thin white ashes,
which in its descent killed birds by it, heat
An extensive low-lying quarter of the city,
settled by the Chinese, was completely swept
away by the sea- and it is believed that not
more than one-htth Of the 900 Chinese
had escaped. The island from end to end was
shaken and showered and inundated. so that
81 is thought that not one crop will be res
cued. and that all the coast line has been 30
changed that nothing eau be recognized. A
great mountain, that OF kromatau. hiss been
swallowed beneath the sea and every light
house on the Suuda strait between Java and
Sumatra has disappeared 80 that navigation
Is most hazardous. Such is the result Of the
most tremendous eruption Of volcanic energy
known IN all time, so far a. appears in a
hasty consultation Of records. For the entire
length Of the island, two-thirds Of a thousand
miles, this fearful force was felt, and although
the strongest effects occurred at the western
end, where the Dutch capital Batavia is stu
ated, and the happy isle Of Saraug has disap-
peared forever with all its people yet at the
extreme eastern points, Madura and Serrabaya,
and other places Of consequences have suffer
cd immense damage and loss Of life The
Thousand temples OF Brambanan were
some Of them destroyed and others injured
and many Of the domes Of the terraced ten.
pie Of BorobOdO were crushed by falling
rocks. The island OF Java is not the largest
Of the Indian archipelago, but it is the most
important aud prosperous and although it
has numerous times been visited 10y volcanic
devastation, in which sometimes AS many a.
10000 lives have been lost. It has probably
never suffered As IN the dread destruction and
mortality Of this latest eruption. The island
had at the last census about ! :, 900. 600 PEG.
pie, and the loss OF life must reach at least
100 600