The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-08-31
THE FIERY HAVOC In JAVA.
ssyrNry.rryE rIousANDLrvEs LOST.
villages Destroyed by the Molten Lava or
Enauifed BY tho Great waves-Fifty Square
Miles Of Territory Swallowed Up, with
Fiftcen Thousand People.

Fir,een thousand People.
London special saws: Further particu-
lars OF the great volcanic eruption in Java,
which have Just reached London from Ba-
tayia. show the disaster to have been
Even more widespread than reported in
yesterdays adyiccs. At noon on Sunday
Md erupiions and shocks were supposed to
&bave reached their greatest height, but late
~ I'm the afternoon and evening the violence
of the disturbances suddenly increased.
and the Island OF Java seemed about TO be
completely buried in a mass of Gre and
sulphurous ashes. At the same time the
enormous waves began 10 dash with
greater force upon the shores, coming in
some places far up into the interior, and
great chaSms opened in the earth and threat
cned TO engulf large proportion Of the
islands people and buildings. About mid
night the most irightiul scene OF the whole
disturbance took place. Suddenly an enor-
nous luminous cloud, similar 10 that which
was seen over the Cunning Gunter. but
much greater in extent, formed over the
Kandang range Of mountains, which skirt
the southeast coast Of the island. The
cloud gradually increased in size until il
formed canopy Of lurid red and whitish
gray over wide extent Of territory.
STREAMS OF LAVA.
During this time the eruptions increased
and streams Of lava poured necessarily
down the sides OF the mountains into the
valleys. sweeping everything before them.
Here and there stream OF lava would
enter an arm Of the sea or come in contact
with the waters Of a river. Then the
nearest mcandescent lava, rs il prOtruded
tho Nynnl1 cnHHaplt-
produce boiling heat and rapid yaporiza-
ton, but the superficial consolidation that
almost Immediately ensued would prevent
any further contact. The assures that
opened i'm this thin crust rs il solidifed
would emit torrents OF yapor, extending
high into thFair and making 4 tremendous
kissing and seething sound, rs IL a thou
sand locomotives were simultaneously
letting of steam. Here and there in the
lava streams we're lnnumerable thin.
plate-like CRYSTALS OF feldspar, arranged in
trains, one behind the other, in the direc-
ton OF the flow OF the current, and fespa-
thic spherolitcs were rapidly formed III the
vitreOus matter, resembling those which
form in the Stag OF glass furnace. One
Of the most singular freaks OF the eruption
was the CARRYING in the midst OF the molten
lava OF a bed Of solid ice OF enormous size,
which had been emitted from one Of the
craters, carried along by the current and
landed on the extremity OF Point st. NichO-
las, on the northeast corner OF the island
This bed Of ice was surrounded by thick
envelope OF sand and scoria, which are
such non-conductoTs OF heat that red-hot
stream Of lava running over them VIII not
melt snow. Ii is supposed this ice had
formed the crust of some vast subterra-
mean lake.
GREAT TRACT OF LAND SWALLOWED UP.
About O'Clock on Monday morning the
great cloud suddenly broke into small Sec
tons and quickly vanished. At the same
time the most frightiul rumblings were
heard, and the columns OF fire and smoke
on the southeast corner Of the island
ceased 10 ascend. while the craters in the
other parts Of Java seemed to open their
fiery Threats still wider TO let out the great
est quantities Of lava, rocks, pumice, and
ashes vet vOmted out. The Kissing OF the
sea became so loud as TO be almost
deaicning. and the waves rushed up
on the shores 10 an unprecedented height.
When daylight came il was seen that
nm enormous tract OF land had dis
appeared. extending from Point Capucin
on the south 10 Negery PafsOering on the
north. and west to Low Point, covering
an extent OF territory about fifty miles
square. In this were situated the villages
of Negery and Negcry Babawang. OF the
people inhabiting these places and the ma
tives scattered sparsely through the forests
and on the plains none escaped irlghtlul
death. This section OF the island WAS not
so densely populated As the other portions.
and the loss of life was comparatively small,
although il must have aggregated fully
10000 souls. The entire kandang range
O! mountains, extending along the coast in
n semi-circle for about siXty-five miles,
had gone out Of sight. The waters OF
Welcome bay, the Sunda Straits, and Pep
per bay on the east, and OF the Indian
ocean on the south, had rushed in and
formed a great sea Of turbulent waters.
Here and there the peak OF high crater
was exposed for a moment by the rcceding
of a great wave, and occasionally pun OF
brOwnish gray smoke or a slight shower OF
rocks showed that the volcanoes still con-
tinued in active subaqueous eruption. Inc
Debris Of the submerged and destroyed
buildings was tossed hIther and thither
over the tumultuouS waters-the only sign
left that there had once been inhabited
land where all was now waste OF water
SWEPT AWAY BY LAVA STREAMS.
The town OF Tenerang, within twenty
five miles OF the city Of Batavia, was swept
away by the lava streams, and fully half the
population, mostly Jayanese, numbering
about l,S00, persisted.
At Speelwyk, near Point Sacis, the red
hot rocks set fire to the houses and swept
away all the thickly-settled portion of the
town. About ten bazaars belonging 10
Europeans were destroy ed. The loss Of
property is very large, but no lives art
known to have been lost. The river
Jacatra, on the banks OF which Bata
via Is situated, was so completely
damned by the lava and de6TtS Una
its course was changed, and from Fra
Nero Bastion il flowed down 10 ah0
through Tigers street and joined the wa
tiers OF the river Emcrades, swelling tina
stream TO such an extent as TO rise high OF
the Castor batteries. Fijelenking wai
almost totally destroyed, and large mum
Der Of lives were lost. The island OF Onius
five miles off the mouth OF the Tangerans
river and twenty miles east OF Batavia was
completely inundated, and the iloatin-
dock there was totally destroyed. Caataye
Claps, and Tronwers islands, off the por
ton OF Java which disappeared, are out o
sight and moi a yestige Of them is LEFT
Baby and Cherybo islands, of the nortl
coast. but small in extent. lost the fe"
houses and inhabitants upon them.
THE LOSS IN BATAVIA.
In Batavia the loss has been largely in
creased since the former reports. TIL,
roof OF the Governors house was crushed
in by mass Of heavy mud, and three Of
the retainers were killed. The towr
bridge was destroyed, the Diamond and
Pearl bastions were badly damaged, and
the Burran redoubt was destroyed. Oh