The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-04-03
JAPAN,S GREAT DISASTER.
The Extent of the Earthquake and tho Mum
Der of Killed and Wounded.


The London Tines correspondent at Toxic
writing on February I'd, says; Bit by bit
during the last three months there have
come to light some more exact particulars Of
the great earthquake of the 18th OF october
than could be given when wrote TO you dl-
rectly after Its occurrence These snow.
among other things. that the magnitude Oh
the catastrophe was at first good deal under
estimated IN nearly every respect The num-
her OF people killed and burned TO death for
instance IS now found to have been about
1000 instead OF 5000. and the number OF
the injured TO have been $4,000 instead or
10000. HE area OF the severely shaken DIS
triet-taking as its measure that in which
brick buildings su1ered-is estimated by
Professor Mine, Ia recent monograph on
the subject. at 4, 400 square miles. Inc same
authority adds that the disturbance distinctly
shook about 1000 square miles OF Japan
teri tory; that tremOrs were noticed NJ ShanS-
han: that delicate instruments may possibly
have been a. ected even at our antlpodes
and that. if japan had been surrounded by
terra 6rma instead of water. the lana area
directly agItated would have been as much as
100000 square miles
1T ia now certain that the locus OF most
potent energy WAS IN the Alno mountains. 10
the north OF Gliu, as suggested III my iOrhel
letter. The Neo valley IN that region, hap
to the OewIldered gaze Of the nai-dozeh al.
yenturOus spirits who huTred'y visited II
soon alter the disaster scene OF past hh'Oo
so tremendous and terrible as 10 nave chhnseu
almost the whole lace OF nhtuIe. IL
fortunately. the circumstances Oh lhe 'luo
and the difficulty and danger Ol lIa'eI i III
babe any thorough examination OF the Nhlor
and its envirous. Explorers. however Dolu
and ardent. could hardly DO expected 10 stay
long enough Tor that purpose III region
where the still pasled eartn kept grooming
aud ouaMng under their Ieet anu Nneie
shattered lls.de5 over which they h"u "
scramble were from time 10 time OTeAhlhg
away with a dealening roar. in sturendOuS
landslps. themselves great en- u-h 10 pro-
Quce local eArtuuuakeS on small scare -
a little later the first snow or winter feil
and blocked the upland glens. Dehpersle
research was TINS prevented, and cannot ne
undertaken before the coming sprung,
Enough, however was observed ny the early
explorers TO establish that the cnle1 lines OF
destructive agency cOuyerged towards some
quarter OF the AiA region IN or near TINS Neo
Valley. and that the surface cOnv lslons
Whereabouts must have been Of almost incon-
ceiyaDle violence. At some points indeed.
upheaval and depression had wrought abrupt
changes of the grOund-level amounting To as
much as fifty feet. by the peasantry IT was
even SAID that the neghborng mountains
had here ana there su bSlded bodily thereby
opening up 10 view from certain points re-
moter peaks hat had been before invisible
Without doubt. then. this whole district will
We'll repay further investigation as that in
which the earthquake forces exerted their
greatest energy
The correspondent adds that Japan is
shaken up by fully 500 earthquakes every
yeor- some OF them more or less destructive
while az intervals there come great dis.
sster amounting. US in the present case. to a
rational calamity. No fewer than twenty
nine of such disasters have been recorded in
Jauanese annals during the last 200 years.