The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-09-15
The Island Of Java.

sntes and ia degrees, thirty-eight
minutes east. The Sea of Java separ-
-9tes it from Borneo on the north and
the Strait of Sunda from Sumatra on
the west. On the east for more than
1900 miles is a chain of small islands,
and ON the south the Indian Ocean.
The island is 666 miles in length and
from fifty-six to 1859 wide, embracing
an area of 40, 1877 square miles. 1t is
exceeded in size only by Borneo, Sum-
atra and Celebes IN the Archipelago.
One of the chief volcanic belts of the
world passes through the entire length
of the Indian Archipelago, and a curv-
ing line marked out by hundreds of ex-
tinct and active volcanoes is traced
through the entire length of Sumatra,
Java, and thence by way of the smaller
islands of Bali, Lombock, Sumbawa,
Flores, the Serwatty Islands, Banda,
AmbOyna, Batchian, Makian, Tidore,
'Ternate and Gilolo to Morty Island.
Then breaking about 200 miles to the
westward the belt again appears in
North Celebes, and passes by Siam and
,Sanguir to the PHILIPPINE Islands.
The greater part of Java is of vol
-canio origin, though on the south side
there are steep cliffs extending deep
into the sea that are of limestone and
coral formation. Two ranges of mount
aims extend throughout the length of
the island, the greater, which is near
the center, comprising peaks that rise
from 1000 to 10000 feet above the sea.
The range near the southern coast con-
tains peaks from 5000 to 5000 feet in
height. In the southern range is the
UTenger volcano, or Gonung Tenger,
which has taken part in the volcanic
disturbances of the past few days. The
Tenger is 5000 feet in height, and con-
tains the most extensive crater in the
world, with the possible exception of
Che crater of Kilauea, on the Hawaiian
Islands. The crater is 1000 feet below
the extreme top of the mountain, and
is Of an elliptical shape, being four and
a half by three and half miles in diam
eter. Tenger is situated in the east part
of the island. The surface of the crater
is composed of a fine sand, and is called
by the natives Laut Pasar, or ''sandy
sea- Three cones, each about 100
feet in height, rise from the surface of
sand. one of which is in a constantly
active state.
The volcano of Papandayang, also in
Che southern range, in i772 became
active and destroyed forty native villages
and 5000 people, spreading ashes and
. scori@ over a radius of seven miles, in
many places to a depth of fifty feet,
The entire mountain finally subsidized
and in its place was formed an extern
siye lake. On the Sth of July the vol
cano of Ganunggong, a few miles
northeast of Papandayang, broke out
in fury and destroyed nearly everything
within radius of twenty miles. On
the 18th of the same month another
eruption took place, which proved fatal
to 10000 people. June 10, 1867 an
earthquake caused the loss of about 800
lives and vast amount of property in
several of the residences, especially in
Djokjokarta.
The lowlands of the island are en-
numbered by many small mud volca-
noes that send forth mud, muriate of
soda and carbonic acid gas. A feature
of all active volcanoes in this region is
the quantity of sulphur that forms in
crystals and powder about the craters;
and The impregnation of the atmosphere
with carbonic acid gas that is fatal alike
to man and all animate life. An eX-
tinct volcano near Batar, called Guevos
Upas, or Vale of Poison, is half mile
i'm diameter, and is so strongly impreg-
mated with carbonic acid gas that
animals, birds and insects tall to the
ground, and die from its baleful effects
From this vale and poisonous gas arose
the legend of the Upas tree, whose
aroma was saidto be fatally destructive
to life.
Earthquakes in this region are of
frequent occurrence, scarcely a month
passing that slight shocks are not felt
in some part of the vast system. In
many of the islands chronological events
are recorded from certain great dis
turbances of the earth. Most of the
earthquake shocks are slight, but
scarcely year passes that one does not
occur that shakes down one or more
native villages, destroying many lives.
In the latter part of the thirteenth
century the renowned traveller Marco
Polo. while passing from China to the
Persian Gulf, heard marvellous stories
regarding the island of Java, or Giana,
,3as he called it. He did not make a
visit TO the island, and the first
European who set foot thereon and
described it from personal observation
was Ludovico Barthema, who remained
ahere fourteen days in the early part OF
the sixteenth century. In 1911 the Por-
tuguese visited Bantam, and during the
greater part of the century claimed the
island by virtue of discovery. Their
claim was opposed by the natives and
in 1896 the Dutch, under Houtman, ar
.Siyed off Bantam, and finding a war
raging between the Portuguese and
natives, offered their services to the lat
ter, on condition that they could estab-
aish a trading post for the purchase of
pepper, then the only commodity of ex-
port.
The English sent a fleet into the East
AnTiies in 1902, and also established a
,epost at Bantam, which they held until
YT683. when they withdrew. In 1910
the Dutch built fort at the native vii.
Eage of Jacatra, which they named
Batavia. This was destroyed in 1919
and the post which had been estab
alished at Bantam was removed to the
ssitc of the fort in March of the same
wear, and the fort rebuilt, establishing
what is the present city of Batavia