The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-09-05
JAVA

During the past few days all eyes have
been turned to Java, a large and fertile island
OF the Eastern Archipelago belonging to the
Dutch. Java is situated near the equator,
being in latitude between &c an 20 south.
The island, in its CONFORMATION, is said to be
much like Cuba and such it appears on the
map. Its length is COO miles, its breadth
ranges from 40 to 40 miles, and its area is
81, 33G square miles, about the area of Ala
bama, and its population in 1872 was II, 2ss,-
200. or about 334 10 the square mile. the most
densely populated Of any country in the
world except Belgium, which hiss 4St to the
square mile. Most part OF the surface
of Java is mountainous, and a noun
tain chain said to be of volcanic
origin runs west and east entirely through
the center of the island, the peaks of which
rise from 5 900 to l. 600 feet above the level of
the sea. II is said that the active volcanoes OF
the globe are reckoned al ;;23 " bat this esti-
mate il is said LEAVES considerable margin
of uncertainty, due In part To blanks in our
geographical irformation-in part to the
frequently dubious nature of the objects
enumerated. Volcanoes seemingly extinct,
are in many cases merely dormant; while
Others historically active, may, in point of
fact have spent their fires aud entered upon
a period of henceforth invIolable repose,
The day before the destruction of Pom
peii, the crater at Vesuvius was a vine
clad amphitheater, as innocuous in appear
ance as the Mont Dore or the royal
hunting preserve OF AstrOne not even a
legend of ravsge was connected with the
Mountain Tomboro, in the East Indian
Island OF Sumbavs, when it awoke, in the
tremendous paroxysm of 1915, from a slumber
of perhaps thousands of years; CeborucO, in
Mexico, first revealed its true character by a
violent eruption in 1870; even crater lakes,
like the Laachersee and the Lake of Bolsena,
have been known, amid a singular contest
for supremacy between fire and water. to re-
vert to their ancient condition" The recent
awful catastrophe in Java is thought to be-,
all things considered the most destructive OF
life and property that has occurred within
the range of authentic history. But it will
DE seen by the following taken FROM John w.
Judd's work on Volcanoes and their Ac-
ton" that about 100 years ago Java was
visited by volcanic eruption which was al
most as irightful in its consequences as the
late disturbance. Mr. Judd SAYS:
In the year 1772 there occurred volcanic erup-
ton In the Island of Java, which is perhaps the
most violent and terrible that has happened with
in the historic period. lofty volcanic cone,
called Pspandsyang 900 feet high, burst into
eruption and in single night. 80 600 C000l0 cubic
feet OF materials were thrown into the atmos-
phere, falling upon the country around the mount
ain, where less than forty villages were
buried. After the eruption the volcano was found
to have been reduced in height from 1000 feet to
hoo0 feet and to present a vast crater In its midst
which has been formed by the election of the
enormous mass OF materials, Many similar
might be cited of the removal of great part
of a mountain mass by a sudden paroxysmal out
burst In some cases. indeed, the whole mass OF a
mountain has been blown away during terrific
eruption, and the site of the mountain is oc-
cupied By lake This IL slid 10 have been the
case with the Island OF Timor, where al active
volcano. which visible from a distance OF 800
miles at sea, has entirely disappeared.
The indications now are that the earth is
to have q succession of volcanic eruptions
and earthquakes. and those countries subject
to such calsmities have great reason for
alarm. Java seems to be the most unfor-
tunate country in the world. and the late
calamity has done incslcula Bile damage, much
OF which can never be repaired.