Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-04
AN ICELAND SHOCK.
EARTHQUAKE DO MUCH DAMAGE,
But NO AID Is WANTED.
Hardy, Intelligent FolIS-Great Inn
prOvements ere Deiug Pushed to
cessibIc 10 Tourists.
Correspondence Of the Dlspatch)

1piitaIONAtUNt bl liit IlnptttNllsj
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK. October
15.-Iceland bellies its chilly name
every now and then. For years its lava
flows gave It an equatorial reputation,
and now its earthquakes are performing
a like service. The Danish colonists are
an extremely Independent class, and no
cry for help has come from them. al
though the damage by the September
shocks may be estimated at several mil
lion dollars.
The farms destroyed number well over
two hundred, and few buildings Of Rey-
kjavik. the capital Of this Ultima Thule
Of the ancients. escaped some injury.
But these Icelanders while they don't
mind the ordinary earthquakes, have a
rare respect for such as shook them up
this month. In fact, it is years since the
little country has had anything to equal
It; but. as for outside aid. IT would take
a series OF such earthquakes to bring
them to seek il.
They are peculiarly hardy and exceed
ingly intelligent In fact, education Is
with them Of such Importance that where
distances make II impossible for children
10 attend school the mountain IS
brought to Mohammed"-ln other words.
the school, or. rather. the intlnerant
teacher, comes to them. Almost every
parish, If IL Is any distance from the
coast towns, has a travelling pedagogue.
who' as a rule, simply directs the educa-
uonal work in each household. laws out
the course OF study, and leaves the actual
work Of hearing lessons and Of elucidat-
Ing problems to the parents.
1t is a rare treat to go into the home
OF one Of these Iceland farmer families
and during the long winter evening
watch the educational work as n
progresses The parish priest-IceIand-
ers nave been Lutherans since 15D-mav
perhaps be on his monthly visit. and This
means not alone consolation for the souI
but rigid examination OF the younger
ones I'm their studies. At the age ~ If
comes the final examination. and no child
can be confirmed until this has been
passed.
Education for the farming classes ends
at this point; but for the ambitious there
are the high schools In various parts OF
the country, the School OF Philosophy and
Languages at Reykiavik. and for many
there is the university ut Copennagen.
for no inconsiderable proportion Of the
high school pupils end up their curricu
lum of studies In the Danish capital
WHERE POLITICS THRIVE
When they return they become the lead
ers in the political contests which are
always stirring up this liberty-lovlne
nation. NORMALLY. Iceland is a depen-
dency OF Denmark, but since 1874. when
their Constitution was restored 10 then,
they have been enjoying almost absolute
freedom Of political action. The AltbIna
or Iceland Parliament. meets every other
year. and Of the entire membership Of
thirty-six only six are named by the
King. These six comprise just one-half
Of the Upper House. while the twenty
four members OF the Lower House arc
elected directly by the people. The Land
shedding, or Governor. Is named for life
by the King Of Denmark, but only upon
the recommendation Of the Althing. His
power does not extend 10 the veto. for q
majority vote Of both houses makes
measure a law, unless, Of course. il be a
matter involving q change in the Consti-
tuition when the Kings veto Is effective.
But In its literary life Iceland in many
respects even surpasse5 IT'S so-called
mother country. It's scholars have trans
planted the classics Of all nations into
their own vernacular. Magazines and
daily and weekly newspapers have ex-
cellent circulations, and Iceland's Libraries
are becoming exceedingly massive.
A FAMOUS LIBRARY.
To the student OF American history the
great library building at Reykjavllx forms
an invaluable aid In fact. Iceland was
colonized by class of people for whom
education took the place Of military life
Wars were unknown 70 them, and their
peaceful inclinauOns We're early accentu-
ated by an isolation from the great
European word which was essentially
conducive to literary labor So II Is that
almost all the ancient Scandinavian man
uscripts are Icelandic. Icelandic archie
ologists recovered for MS the great saRes
Of the North. the Eddas. the Helms Krin-
GA, the Sturlungasaga, the Njalssaga, the
Voluspa, and others as interesting
But. as stated above, IL Is 10 the student
Of American history that the literary
labors of Icelanders are especially impor-
tant. There IS the story of the visit of
Columbus to Reykiayik, where he learned
of the strange adventure Of one Lief Eric
son. and then travelled back again 10
Bristol thence to Madrid, and few years
later TO America.
THE INDUSTRIES.
To the eye of the traveller Iceland pre-
sents many features Of interest. While
II borders on the Arctic Circle, the Gulf
stream gives its coast line u mild tenn
perature but In the interior there Is little
possibility for varied industry. The low
growing grasses makes the raising OF
ponies and sheep remunerative. In fact,
Iceland exports over 5000 head OF ponies
annually and over half a million sheep.
SIX million pounds Of Goldfish and 1900
pounds of eiderdown exported last year
Give a fair idea of the Industries OF the
country. Vegetables and grain which can
ripen quick make UP the only planted
crops for the summers. though warm,
are very short. In fact, almost ell the
breadstuffs used are imported. So Is the
wood. for trees are rarity there.
But 10 the student OF geology and
mineralogy n town OF Iceland Is inten-