The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1883-11-08

serted it, and if, indeed, there were "a
man in the moon," he could never hear
the sound of his own voice. But if by
some means this mythical man could
have witnessed the "Ischia disaster" and
the Java catastrophe" how he would
have longed that any such manifestations
of life we're possible on his lifeless
planet. That occurrences like these re-
ferred to are calamities every one must
admit, and some may be apt to maintain
that mans arrival in his earthly home
has been premature, and that "Provi-
dence" would have acted more wisely
and humanely had he postponed mans
advent on the scene until the internal
fires" had exhausted themselves. But
when that happens, geologists tell us,
we may look upon it as the beginning OF
the cpd. Not even the 600 degrees heat
of the sun which beats upon every part
of the moon for fortnight at time is
able to rouse within its bosom the faintest
sign of life. There is evidence enough to
show that at one period its volcanic &C
tivity must have been of the most
stupendous kind, far exceeding any
thing ever Witnessed on its mother
earth. But that has gone with its water
and its atmosphere, and taken with it
all possibility of life. We are told that
our existing volcanoes, and geysers, and
mud-holes are but the dying remains of
what at the time must have been q vol.
canic activity almost universal. Instead
of spasmodic eruptions at few isolated
spots, we have o constant Outpour OF
volcanic matter from wide assures ex.
tending across the earth's surface for
many miles.
That the earth has not yet, however,
entirely lost its vigor is evident from the
Java outburst, which is the most stu
psndous phenomenon of the kind on
record. So long Is the old earth is equal
to efforts Of this kind we need not mind
its latter end. When the blood leaves
the cold extremities and the heart has
not vigor enough to send it to the sur
face, the end is not far off; and when
Volcano and earthquake manifestations
cease from off the face of the earth, the
end may be within almost measurable
distance. Much of its ocean water will
have been absorbed by the underlying
rocks. and the atmosphere may be rare
and less life giving than it is now; by
and by, with the last ray OF inter
nal heat, the last drop of water and last
particle of air, all life will have vanish
ed, and dead earth will shine upon a
dead moon. So long, then, as the
mother of us all has any vigor left, we
must expect her to manifest it occasion
ally, as she has done recently at Ischia
and Java; so that, lamentable and regret
able as has been the loss of life at these
places, the catastrophes are not entirely
without their bright side. Only when
the earth is as dead as the moon will
such catastrophes become impossible.
Geologists and seismologists know
pretty we'll the lines along which these
manifestations of the earths vigor are
likely to occur; lines of weakness they
call them, but in view of the above con.
sideratioas we might call them. rather,
lines of vigor. Perhaps when they know
still more they may be able to tell their
fellows what places to avoid lin planting
their settlements and building their
houses. But it is doubtful if such tell
ing would be of much avail. After the
most destructive outbursts of Etna and
Vesuvius, the declimsted inhabitants
have crept back to their old locations,
rebuilt their huts, and planted their
vines needless of the terrible lesson.
Already has building begun again even
in the shattered Ischia, and if the proper
kind of wooden houses be used possibly
the next shaking the islam gets may lead
to fewer calamities.
We have said that the Java outburst is
the most stupendous on record. An
island has been shattered and sunk and
sixteen others have raised their heads
above the surrounding waters. Some
hundred thousand people have been
sacrificed to their mothers anger,
buried beneath volcanic debris,
or swept of the face OF
the land by the volcanic wave. The floor
of the ocean over wide area to the
southeast of Sumatra has been raised into
plain above the waters, and the effects
Of the general upheaval have been felt
as far as the American coast of the Pa
cifc.
There can be little doubt that the
wave which was felt along the coast OF
North America, was propagated across
the ocean from the Java outbreak
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