The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-01-20
kRAxAToA.


~ Eaeofet0 Omctnl Account OF tAo
Great Eruption In 1883.
Thanks to the liberahty OF the Dutch
East Indian Government, the world
has an elaborate and thorough account
of the great eruption at Krakatos in
May. 1883; an account 80 full. and by
hands so competent. moreover, that the
full significance Of the phenomena il
made apparent. Mr.. Verbeek was dis
patched by the Government in question
immediately after the great outburst, to
investigate its causes and effects, and
with the assistance of Mr.. J. Schnur.
man has now published the second Of
two volumes covering the ground COM
pletely. A resume of the second vol
ume, which deals with the phenomena
(the first volume treating the history OF
the eruption), has appeared in Nature.
The inquiry has resulted in the cOnclu-
sion that the disturbance was volcanic
and not seismic, though it is ascertained
that seismic movement Of the sea bot
tom occurred in the whole region of the
Moluccas. At the same time earth
quakes were felt in Australia, and these
movements are supposed to result from
q connection between the subterranean
recesses which, lie between KrakatOa
and Australia. The theory Of the erup-
ton put forward is that Of the sudden
influx of large bodies of waterproof
ably the ocean-to masses of incandes-
cent matter in the neighborho0do of the
old volcano.
The whole theory requires a revision
of some Of the Interpretations concerning
the thickness Of the earth's crust. Mr..
Verbeek holds to the doctrine of q CEN
trail fire, it is certainly necessary to
state, and bis facts go to show that we
are really less removed from it than
may seem comfortable. What tends
strongly to demonstrate the instability
of the crusts is the extent of the dis
turbance caused by the outbreak Of
Krakatoa. In some ways it was felt
over the whole earth, the explosions
were actually heard over an area
amounting to one-fourth Of the earth 3
surface, while the air-wave caused trav-
eled all round the globe and back to
KrakatOa. The great tidal wave which
followed the principal explosions was
not caused, 1t is now hold, BY earth
quake shocks, but simply by the pro
lection into the seaof enormous masses
of matter, including one side of the
crater itself, and the profuse dis.
charges from it. Mr.. Verbeek has cal.
culated that at least eighteen cubic
kilometers of matter must have been
elected, and Nature gives this illustra'
ton: Imagine box of ashes as large
rs Hyde Park and as high as the dome
of St. Pauls, hundred such boxes will
give an idea of the mass of matter
thrown ont by Krakatoa in 1888"
The elevation reached by the elected
ashes is estimated at fifty kilometers
or nearly six times the height Of Noun
Everest, the highest mountain In TIN
world. Mr. Verbeek attributes the rec
sunsets to the presence in the air Of tn
finer particles Of the dust, together will
aqueous vapor These particles he be
lieves made the circuit Of the eartl
twice, being carried westward b,
| 6trOng east WlnOs. lnaSmuCn as Tn
same kind Of red sunsets have been oh
served % recently as the fall of 1885,
is, however, difficult to accept the OK
PLANTATION as sufficient The theor
that the volcanic dust has remained ii
atmospheric suspension for two year
and half is hardly tenable. After tn
eruption the sea was covered wit
pumice thiokly. Some Of this was Car
ried as far as the east coast of Africs
another portion is at present encounter
ed in the Pacific Ocean, between til
Caroline and Marshall Islands; and tn
author calculates that this pumice wi
reach the American coast at Panama i
1886. ta tsa8
While Mr.. Verbeek has made mos
important contribution to the ,literatur
of a very interesting subject, it is nc
to be supposed that the volcanic or tn
seismic problems are solved by hin
He has indeed gathered data who
supports the theory Of central fire
and the belief that the crust Of tn
globe is thinner than commonly sur
posed. There are, however, many il
applicable points. and reasonabl
probability is the most that can b
claimed for the differences drawn fror
the phenomena of the great Krakato
eruption.-M Y. Tribune.