The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-09-01


London special to the Philadelphia
Times, dated Thursday. gives the following
additional details OF the volcanic disturb
anccs In Java:
Reports from Batavia received tonight
are oi more encouraging nature, although
details OF the horrors OF the eruption con-
tiuuc 20 come, growing all the time more
awful. Some OF the most remarkable phe-
nomena ever known In the history OF vol
canic energy have been developed by the
great disturbances in Java aud Sumatra.
After the sudden subsistence OF the ter
ritory in the kingdom Of Bantam on
Monday the eiuptions seemed to lose
their force for time. and the people OF
Batavia experienced feeling OF relief
in the hope that the worst had been
passcd. This continued until about 10
O'Clock, when 1t gave place 70 renewed
fears, for the craters had then once more
begun TO send up great masses OF destruc-
tive matter, although without the force OF
the former actions. The eruptions seem TO
be more violent at night than during the
day. BY IL O'Clock the Papandayang,
which Is 1904 feet high, was In very ac-
tive state Of paroxysmal eruption. Ii was
accompanied by detonations, said TO have
been heard in Sumatra.
TuREE COLUMNS OF FLAME.
Three distinct columns OF flame were
seen TO rise from the mountain to vast
height, and its whole surface soon appeared
as II covered with fiery lava-streams, which
spread to great distances on all sides.
Stones fell for miles around, and the black
fragmentary matter carried into the air
caused total darkness. A whirlwind ac-
companied this eruption, by which the
roofs OF houses, trees, and even men and
horses, were carried into the air. The
abundance Of ashes elected was such rs TO
cover the ground and roofs OF houses
at De Nambo TO the depth of several
inches. OF Point Caay the floating
pumice upon the water formed layer
two feet thick, through which vessels
forced their way with great diff
Guilty. The rise OF aqueous vapor pro-
duced the appearance OF a column several
thousand feet high. based on the edge OF
the crater, and appearing from distance
TO consist OF q mass Of innumerable globu-
lar clouds OF extreme whiteness, resem-
bling vast balls OF cotton, rolling one over
the other as they assembled, impelled by the
pressure OF fresh supplies necessarily urged
upwards by the continued explosion. At
great height the column dilated hori-
zontally and spread into a dark and turbid
circular cloud, having the figure OF an i'm
mense umbrella. Forked lightning Of great
vividness and beauty continually darted
from different parts OF the cloud.
GRAND TRANSFORMATION.
Suddenly the scene was changed. The
mountain was split into seven parts with
out moments warning, and where Pa
pandayang had stood alone there were
now seven distinct peaks looming up TO
great height. In the seams opened could
be seen great balls OF molten matter. and
from out the assures poured clouds OF
steam and the black elected lapillo flowed
in steady streams and ran slowly down the
mountain sides, forming beds 200 or 300
feet in extent. EXhalations Of carbouic-
acid gas occurred so abundantly that birds
and animals in large numbers were killed
by it, and few human beings lost their
lives in the same way.
This proved to be the turning point in
the great eruption, for the great assures
opened seemed TO act rs enormous safety
valves, and through them the streams OF
lava gently flowed down into the valleys.
The volcanic fires though still burning, AZ
last advices had lost most OF their fierce
ness, and the steam generated found vent
without being forced through the COM
paratvely narrow mouths OF the old era
ters One Of the queer incidents was the
sudden rising during Tuesday forenoon
of fourteen new volcanic mountains
in the Straits Of Sunda, forming q
complete chain, in almost straight line,
about midway between Point Saint Nicho-
las, on the Jayanesc coast, and Hoga Point,
on the coast OF Sumatra, almost on the tops,
where were the Nerak and Middle islands,
which sank into the sea on Monday. SO
serious are the changes in the coast and the
entire formation Of the Strait Of Sunda that
the British Government and the Lloyds
this evening telegraphed from London to
all foreign points. warning vessels that nav
igat.on Of those waters had become eX-
cecdingly dangerous.
RECOVERING THE BODIES.
In the city OF Bantam, where 1900 were
at first supposed to have persisted, the bo-
dies OF $500 have already been recovered,
and there are few more yet to be found.
Some 900 inhabitants OF the interior town
of Warongc are now known TO have been
killed, and ut Talatra, on the coast, 800 bo-
dies have been found. From all over the
island come reports OF loss OF life and pro-
perry. and it Is thought at Batavia that the
estimate of $4,000 killed will not prove ex-
cessive. On the lowands OF Batavia, where
the waters have receded and quieted
down, hundreds Of bruised and mangled
bodies are lying exposed. A sanitary corps,
largely composed OF volunteers, has been
formed, and the corpses are being removed
and buried as fast as possible, In ordar 10
prevent the breeding and spread OF con-
tagion. While there Is some cause for
anxiety on this score, it is thought the
greater number Of bodies in the interior
were so dried and scorched by the hot lava
and stones that they will not purify rap
idly 10 any extent, and the bodies OF those
drowned by the tidal waves can be taken
care OF with reasonable facility by the
Coast Sanitary Corps, now getting rapidly
TO work.
lBy Associated Press.
THE CAPTAIN OF A STEAMERS EXPERIENCE.
BATAVIA, August 3l.-The captain OF a
steamer which was in the Strait Of Sunda
during the recent volcanic eruptious re
ports that ashes fell OH the deck OF his YES
sci to depth OF eighteen inches, and that
he passed masses OF floating pumice-stonc
seven feet In depth. 1t IL estimated that
ten thousand persons lost their lives at
Tjiringin, and that the total number OF per-
sons killed by the eruptions and tidal
waves was thirty thousand.
Tidal Waves on the Pacific.
DISTURBANCES PROBABLY CAUSED BY THE
EARTHQUAKES IN JAVA.