The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-08-30
THE VOLCANIC ERUPTION.
Widespread Desolation in Java.
Many Volcanoes Belching Forth Fire
and Lava.
Cities Destroyed-Thousands of
Lives Lost.

LONDON, Aug. 29-The latest advices from
Batavia, the capital of Java, show that the
volcanic eruptions In that island are much
more serious than at first indicated The dis
turbances began on the island Of Krakatoa in
the strait of Sunda, about fifteen miles off the
coast OF Java. The rumblngs were distinctly
audible at Surakerta and Batavia, about forty
fve and twenty-five miles off, respectively.
Little alarm was felt at FIRST but within few
hours showers Of stones began to fall at Jok-
iokerta, Surabays and Zerang. All through
the night showers Of redhot rocks and ashes
fell, making complete darkness In all these
towns. In Batavia there was an occasional
fall, and it was difficult to keep the street
lights burning in the European quarter. BY
the next morning all communication with An
jer was cut of, all the bridges having been de-
stroyed by the descending rocks and ashes,
and the road rendered impossible.
The first eruptions were on Saturday night.
On Sand ay morning the disturbances had ex-
tended beneath the waters of the strait, and
they were soon boiling and hissing violently,
while great waves dashed upon the Javanese
shores, and the temperat ure OF the sea went up
nearly twenty degrees. Even as far away
from the original point of disturbance as
Madura the furious waves were lashed into
mountaiuslof foam as they came rolling in.
The threatening rumblings gradually became
more and more distinct, and by noon the
Maha-Meru, the largest OF the volcanoes Of
Java was belching forth flames as q very alarm
ing rate. This eruption soon spread to the
Cunning -Tengger-the crater of which is the
largest in the world being nearly four miles
in diameter-the Cunning -Guntur, and MANY
other minor mountains, until more than a
third Of the forty-fve craters of Java were
either in active eruption or seriously threaten
ing 1t. just before dusk a great luminous
cloud formed over the Cunning Guntur, and
the crater OF that volcano began to vomit I'm
enormous streams OF white acid and sulphurous
mud, besides smaller quantities of lava With
these terrible eruptions came sympathetic de-
monstrations from the sea. The overhanging
clouds were so surcharged with electricity that
at one time over fifteen waterspouts were
seen. These have continued at somewhat
long intervals ever since. Men, women and
children rushed in terror from their totteripg
dwelling places, filling the air with their
shrieks of horror. Hundreds were unable to
get out before the houses fell, and were buried
beneath the great masses of rocks and mud.
which were piled up where a few hours before
all had been peace, happiness end fancied
security.
The Gunung-Tengger has not had an erup-
tion before since the year 1890, when an ex-
tent of land seventeen mites long and seven
broad was com pletely covered with the white
snlphurous mud so peculiar to the eruptions
OF Java. The peak of Gunung-Tengger is
GOO feet high, and the mountain of a anne no
top OF this made scence Of very impressive
grandeur.
Much of the northern portion OF the island,
which was covered with tracts of forests, was
soon iD one great blaze of flame. The red-hot
vomitings from the craters had set the trees
on tire, and as the giants of the woods fell one
after another like so many sheaves of wheat
before gale, the scene was one of awful
grandeur. As the eruptions increased in fre-
quency and violence the disturbance OF the
waters surrounding the barren coast became
more and more violent. What few hours before
were fertile valleys, covered with fourishiug
plantations of coffee, rice, sugar, Indigo or to-
bacco, the staples OF the island, we're soon but
mud, stone and lava-covered fields of destruc-
tion and ruin. Probably not a single crop OF
Java will be saved.
AT the entrance to Batavia was large
group OF houses extending along the shore,
and occupied by Cinnamon. Tho portion of
the City was entirely swept away, and of the
n fEsarsfy pfo6abI5 that mole than 5000 man
aged to save their lives They stuck to their
homes till the waves that washed them away
came, fearing the torrents of the famo and
lava Vi tuS lnlcrtuE uiOfo tLldu TIC tOEkCnto VI
water from the exterior. The population of
Europeans and Americans in Batavia suffered
a loss OF perhaps 500 souls out OF the $500
whites living there.
At AMER the European and American quar-
ter was first overwhelmed by rocks, mud and
lava from the craters, and then the waters
came up and swallowed the ruins, leaving
nothing TO mark the site, and causing the loss
of somewhere in the neRhborhood Of 1000
lives OF the inhabitants and those who had
tried to find refuge there.
Bantam, once prosperous and fiourishing
native city, but practically abandoned many
years ago, was entirely covered several times
by the waters, and there must have been from
100 to 1900 people drowned. The loss of life
among both Europeans and natives at North
Bantam was enormous.
The island Of Zerang, just off the coast, was
completely inundated. and not a soul remains
TO tell the tale Of disaster and death. At Cheri-
bon there was no great food of waters, but the
loss of life and property by the falling of rocks
and the flow OF lava must have been very con-
siderable
While no accurate estimate can be formed
at present of the loss of life, it must be appar-
ent, when 1t is coneidered that the island has
population of over 10, 900, 900 people, that the
death list will foot far up into the thousands.
BATAVIA, Aug. 29-Since noon yesterday
everything has been quiet, the sky clear and
communication with Zerang has been restoreds
The tempera ture fell 10 degrees Monday, and
is now at its normal height. The town was
covered with a thin layer of ashes, which was
SO hot when falling that it killed the birds.
Telegraph linemen report that while they were
at work repairing the lines near AMER early
Monday morning they saw high column of
sea approaching with rumbling noise. They
fed Immediately without learning the fate of
the inhabitants The quarries at Merak dis
appeared and all the people of the place
perished. The floating dock at the island of
Onrust, near Batavia, is badly damaged.
LONDON, Aug. pa despatch from Bata-
via, Java, to the Lloyds says that the towns OF
Anjer, Tjiringne and Telokbelong have been
destroyed by the volcanic eruptions 1t also
says that all the lighthouses in the Sunda
Straits have disappeared, and that where the
mountain Of Kramstan formerly stood the sea