The morning call., 1892-07-20
EARTHQUAKE IN THE PHILIPPINES.


The reported destruction OF Sangir Island
By an earthquake calls for confirmation;
but it would rot be surprising. The group
h. which il belongs is in the direct line OF
seismic disturbance; the main Island, which
IS - miles long BIZ 10 miles wide, is in 90
dec. south ard its whole center IS occupied
by an active volcano. Il lies midway be-
tween Mindanas Of lie Philippine group
and Celebes; nearly due south OF LuZ0n,
and northeast Of the Straits Of Sunda. 50
far as we know, this section Of the world
has always BEEN an earthquake center;
within the present century earthquakes have
occurred yearly. some of them OF the ex-
tremey destructive class.
just 10 years ago the whole Philippine
group was badly shaken, rivers were lifted cut
Of heir channels, mountains leyeled. towns
destroyed and a number Of lives lost. IN
the following year, in August, 1888. vlo-
lent eruption Of the volcano Of Krakaioa
in the Straits OF Suuda was accompanied by
an earthquake, which submerged some
Islands, uDlifted others, and changed the
whole coast line Of Java causing an enoT-
nous destruction Of property and lie.
Even since then slight shocks have oc-
CURED at intervals. Now it Is said that the
shaken up, aud that SangIr, an island 800
square miles in extent, has disappeared
under the waves.
The condguratiOa Of the various lands
which constitute the East Indian archipelago
Of &c 5grapher5 indicate that volcanic forces
have been at work there with marked VIC
encs and during a recent period. A score
or more of islands indicate chain which
extends from the extremity Of the Malay
Peninsula to Torres Straits. The islands
are separated BY narrow bodies of shallow
water. They appear TO form two parallel
ridges, the sOuiheTly starting from the
Straits of Malacea, consisting of Sumatre,
Java, LOmbOk, Slnbawa, Flores and
1imor; the northerly including BorneO,
Celebes, the Malaccas, New Guinea, ana
finally approaching Queensland at Cape
Somerset. The imagination OF ge0gyaphers
has here Instructed an extension Of the
A>Iatic continent which embraces ali these
islands, including Australia. though the
character of the fauna and fora presents
f1iculties which have not been overcome.
The kangaroo IS not found either ia life or
n the fossil shape above tie tenth parallel
Of south latitude. nor are the spice trees Of
Java, Sumalra and Celebes found in Aus
trala Still geograDher5 see IN the shallow
ness OF the waters OF the Indian Ocean OF
tie coast OF Sumatra and OF the Java,
Banda and ATufuTa seas such a confrma-
ton Of their story that they explain away
the varying character Of fauna and fora,
and even pretend to account for tie radical
difference between the Malay and the native
Australian.
Tie transformations which this part Of
the world appears to lie undergoing are Of
inteTes; as showing the progress of creI lion.
Ii we assume that earthquakes are caused
by the gradual cooling OF the earth's crust,
anu the accidental introduction of sea water
into contact with those portions Of the crust
which are crushed in cooling, we account
for a disturbance which is felt along the
lines Of least resistance; and we have a
formula that the thinnest portion Of the
crust IS in the neighbOTh0Od Of the equator.
1t would seem TO follow that in that portion
Of the worlds circumference, the tendency
OF the earth Is 10 subsistence II was upon
this theory that the notion Of the lost con IT,
nent OF LeTnuyia rested. If there be any
scientific ground for these cOnjectures, the
whole OF this East Indian archipelago IS In
process Of subsiden &c, and the shallOWness
Of the surrounding seas IS explained on the
hypothesis that they were not long ago dry
land. On subjects OF this nature, almost
anything may be affirmed it is difficult to
demonstrate the fallacy OF any theory. how
ever strange it may appear.
The only proposition that may be affirmed
with confidence is that the law Of these
equatorial regions is change. That which
Is to-day did not exist yesterday and will not
exist tomorrow. There are ten millions Of
people in the Philippine Islands who earn
comfortable living by growing hemp, sugar,
coffee, tobacco and cocoa. and by exploiting
mines; but there is no certainty that the
lands On which they live Will remain above
water. Some Of the islands which are now
so smiling and fertile may any day become
as unreal as the island Of Liliputu.