The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-10-14
THE EARTH IN IT'S vrGoR.
The Lines or Weakness " Mani'es'e"
10 SeismoIogtsts.
fIondon Tlmes.l

The moon IL dead. IL has not Ire enough
left 10 ooze forth the tinicst mud Noicano
or squirt out the ieebest gcyser. No throb
over reaches its surface. and not the iaint-
est rumble " ever echoed from ifs Jagged
mountain sides. No earthquake wave can
eyer sweep its island shores. for earth
ouakes there are things OF the almost IN
finite past. and the last drop OF water
united the surface OF the planet 9ohs
ago. rs very atmosphere has DESERT
ed il, and II, indeed, there were
.man in thes moon." he could never
hear the sound OF his own voice. But II
by some means this mythical man could
have witnessed the Ischia disaster anu the
lava catastrophe, how he would have longed
that any such manifestations OF lie were
possible on his licless planet. That oc-
currcnces like tlcse referred 10 are calafl-
tiles every one must admit, and some may
be apt TO maintain that mans arrival IN nus
earthly home has been premature, and mat
Providence would have acted more WISE
ly aud humanely had it postponed mans
adv ent on the scene until the internal
flies had exhausted themselves. But
when that happens, biologists tell us, we
nav look upon il as the beginning OF
the end. 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 falntest sign
OF life. There is evidence enough TO show
that at one period its volcanic activity must
have been OF the most stupendous kind,
far exceeding anything ever Witnessed on
its mother earth. But that has gone, with
ifs water and its atmosphere, and taken
with 1t the possibility OF life. We are told
that our existing volcanoes ?nd geyscrS
and mudholcs are but the dying remains
If what at the time must have been a
Volcanic activity almost universal. In
stead OF spas nodic eruptions ut "A
few isolated spots we had II constant out
pour Of volcanic matter from wide assures
extending ac oss the eartl's surface FOR
mfny miles. That the e. r'h has not yet.
however. ontire'v lost its yig0r is evident
from the Java ItburSt, which Is the most
siupendous phenomenon OF the kind on
record. So long AS the old earth is equal
10 efforts of this kind we need not mind its
latter end. When the blood leaves the
cold Ell entities and the heart has not
yioor enough 10 send il 10 the surface, the
end Is not far of; and when volcanic and
earthquake manifestations cease from eli
the face OF the col h the end may he
within almost measurable distance.
Much OF its ocean water Will nave
been absorbed by the underlying rocks
and the atmosphere may be r?rer and less
life-giying than it is now; 10y and by, with
thc last raw OF internal heat. the last drop
az water and lgst particle OF air. all life
VIII have vanished. and IA dead earth wiz
shine upon dead moon. So long. then,
rs the mother Of us all has any ylSor lett
we must expect her to manifest 1t OCCASION
atty as she has done recently ut lsch'a ana
Java: so that, lamentable and rcgrctable
- has been the loss Of life at these places
the cataSt ropheS are not entirely without
their bright side. only when the earth l.
* dead ~ The moon will such cat?StrOphcs
become impossible.
Biologists and seiSmOl0gistS know pretty
well the lines along which these manifesto
lions OF TIE carths vigor are likely to oc-
cor; lines of weakness they call them, but
i'm view of the above consideration we
might call them, rather. lines Of vigor.
perhaps when they know still more they
NAV he able 10 tell their fellows what
places TO avoid in planting their settle
mcnts and building their houses. But it
i doubtful if such telling would he OF
much avail. After the most destructive
outbursts of 1tna and NcSuyius the decl-
mated inhabitants have crept back To their
old locations, rebuilt their huls. aud plant
ed their vines, needless OF the terrible les
son. Already has building begun again
even in shattered lschia, and II the proper
| kind Of wooden houses be used possibly
| The next shaking the island gets may lead
| 10 fewer caamites.