The sun., 1888-10-21
THE KR<K<Tox ERUPTION
Tho scientino Investigation OF the voIcsni
Explosion that Gave the World Rec Sun nret,


has Just made an elaborate report OF the results
OF its Investigations Of the great volcanic out
burst in the Straits Of Sunda Ave years ago. by
which $1,000 persons lost their lives half
the world was shaken. and red sunsets wero
caused over the whole globe for two years.
This Is the first accurate and scientinc story Of
that eruption and the phenomena accompany
ing and following II that has been printed In
the English language. A French Commission,
under NM. Breon and Korthals, and q Dutch
Commission. under DR.. verbeek, published
more or less complete reports OF their invesu-
cations some time ago.
Prof. j. W. Judd. who was assisted In dealing
with the geological features OF the investi-
cation by Prof I. G. Bonney, DR.. A. Geikie,
and Mr.. r. H. Scott has prepared what will be
the most generally interesting portion Of the
report, the story of the eruption itself and
OF the previous history OF the island OF
Krakatoa, which is the centre OF the
disturbance. He finds that that island.
which Is In the heart OF region
known as tho greatest eaisting focus OF vol
canic activity In the globe, 10 situated at the
very point where eliminate two lines OF vol
canic flssure which apparently traverse tho
district at right angles. The island of Kraka-
toa, which is about twenty five square miles In
area. and several small islets near II are, Prof.
Judd thinks, the wreck OF what must orig
inally have been a vast volcanic mountain,
with circumference OF twenty five miles at
tho sea level aud u height OF from ten to twelve
thousand feet. At some remote time. he
thinks, this mountain was the scene Of erup-
tions even moro violent than that OF five years
ago. Within recorded time. up to iivo years
ago. tho form OF the island had always been
about the same. irregular in outline and with
al hal iyka po1y ofo hnir N,,,f
2,6O0 feet above the sea. The last great erup-
tion before that of 1888 was probably that Of
200 years ago. From that time the island
rock in the midst OF the ocean, visited some-
times by natives from Java or Sumatra. who
altered harvcsts In its luxuriant forests.
,,, In lss9 Wy there % We're earthquakes q along the
gave no sign OF reawakening until May 20.
1888. when there was. u sudden and violent
eruption. BY which a column of dust and steam
was thrown to q height oi seven miles. and some
OF the matter eJected was carried rs far as 300
miles before it descended to the. earth. This
batavia. hundred miles away. sounded like
the booming of cannon. while doors and win
dows were shaken; The force of this outbreak
was paid to it. on May, 26 an excursion party
obtained photograph of the mountain rs it
then appeared. In the middle Of June another
crater opened. and the dense pail Of vapor that
tibly Increased. Alter that the island became
every day the seer scene & Of sreaterr activity, On
smaller Volcanic fires visible upon it.
G ssFa eogS be that 1as
from the logs oil various ships that were in the
neighborhood, shows that frequent explosions
vapor, pumice. and dust Illuminated by glow
from the volcano below. and by continuous
O.
tances, and waves were started that were felt
hundreds OF miles away.
proved &C .clusirely that those eruptions Of the
afternoon OF Aug 20. by shatterinE the . island @
to tie eve Of the sea the
cause OF the terrific outburst Of the following
morning, by which the island was nearly
overwhelmed Al the islands for hundred
sea a' rushed in torrents. or @ The first @ effees, as
when dirt or stones are thrown into the mouth
Of geyser. was TO deaden the violence of the
calm. This lasted through the night of the
2Sh and well a2nE into the %ernns Of
thus .smothered was merely suppressed
for time It accumulated deep IN the earth
beneath & the small sea ga that quickly nlled uR ths
in the morning came the et first cutbrsai but t
an @ the son Sow @ snd
the forces Of lire below were held In suhjection
hs hfFa hs aneeF hs sea-
driving the beast OF the volcano back once
more into its subterranean caverns where it
at 1902 O'Clock, it burst out Wi an awful vio-
lence: IlinEing the ocean back In waves hun:
feet hS % on 9s OF
The noise of this last great crash Of the con-
fict between the forces OF the water and OF fire
OF the surface OF the globe. People a thousand
miles away Thought Il vessel IN distress was
ad AT GeyoR an miles away 70
pie thought that ships were practising, with
their heavy guns somewhere in the ,nelghbor-
mood. and even as far rs Rodriguez. three thou
sand miles from krakatoa. u sound was heard
as OF the roar of distant artillery. More than
sound spreads a ter the sound itself had become
inaudible and delicate instruments ut various
observatories and other stations In all parts OF
the world recorded the passage OF unaceount.
able atmospheric impulses not once. but time
after time, until il is II scientifically ascertained
and proven fact that the air wave from the ex,
before 1t became so iant that 1t produced no
effect upon the lnstrqmep5s that record such
in gas put out. Gasometer Ii ted from Its well.
and even walls were cracked merely by the
The sea waves hurled out from the volcano
in all directions were more disastrous, II less
far reaching than the air waves. Thirty-three
miles from the volcano some OF the waves
were 1876 feet high, Towns. villages, and light
houses were swept away. mau-of-war was
carried up the Tclok Belong valley nearly two
miles inland and lett stranded 80 feet abo ve the
sea level. The wave was q very perceDtible
one all the way, across the Indian Ocean; and
at Ceylon. Natal. and the Cape OF Good Hope
its passage was made n matter OF record long
before anything was known of the explosion.
Even In the English Channel there WAS a curl
Gus tidal disturbance which has been laid to
the same wave. AS nearly rs could be ascer-
tanned $4,000 persons were overwhelmed. and
the damage to property WAS incalculabe.
In the immediate vicinity OF the island the
effect Of the explosion WAS almost inconceiva-
BILE. Two-thirds OF the island of Krakutoa and
the whole OF Q neigh boring island disappear
ed entirely. Lang Island was increased BY an
addition to It's northern end and verlaten
Island was enlarged TO three times its former
dimensions. The mass OF matter which was
blown away from Krakatoa has been calcula-
ted at two hundred thousand million cubic
feet. One OF the incidental effects Of the ex-
plosion was the exposure OF a magnificent sec
tion OF the. island. nearly, two thousand feet
high. showing admirably the formation Of the
interior of "A crater.
The most curious part Of the report is that
devoted 10 the optical phenomena that follow
ed the eruption. Including the remarkable col
ored sunsets in all parts OF the globe. which
Hon. liollo russell and Mr.. Douglas Archibald
had charge, OF the preparation OF the parts OF