The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1896-09-22
WAVE OF DEATH.
EXPLANATION OF THE AWFUy,
DISASTER IN JAPAN.
n Submarine Earthquake Was Fol-
Lowell by an Overwhelming Rush
OF Water-3O, 900 People
Drowned.

r NOUGH details of tue terrible
=. disaster in Japan have now
i been received to give an APP
proximately accurate idea of
It's extent and causes. The tragedy
occurred on the evening of June 10,
while the people were still celebrating
1.-The Boys Festival" one OF their
time honored fete days. In few
minutes wave twenty to forty feet
IN height, resulting from a submarine
earthquake, swept over about two
hundred miles OF the northeast coast
of Hondo, the largest island of the
japanese archipelago. destroying all
the towns and hamlets, and dr1wning
or crushing TO death over 30, 900 per-
sons. The scene of the disaster may
be easily recognized on the map, from
the fact that the devastated coast linz
swells out INTO the eastern ocean in q
long, symmetrical curve, like u ben,
bow. Tho part of the wave that
struck the portion of the coast appar.
emily swept little east of north IN its
journey from the place of origin, aud
1t barely touche promontory of the
more northerly island of Jesse.
The evidence indicates Enthusiastically
the causes that produced this great
calamity. ii we pour water into a tin
dish and then strike the bottom of the
dish sharp upward blow we shall see
the water rise above the point OF i'm
pact and roll away in circular wave.
Some time before the arrival Of the
wave earthquake shocks were felt
along the coast. 1t - more than
probably that these shocks, original
ing under n track of the sea floor.
caused the great disturbance of the
sea. The mighty subterranean i'm.
pulse, communicated to the surround.
ing rocks, would reach the coast some
timo before the arrival of the sea
wave, for an earth wave travels far
more rapidly than wave OF Il? ocean.
1t was found that the great certh
wave, originating n little west Ct
Charleston, and which was felt IN our
streets n little later, Travelled at tho
rate of about II, 900 feet a second.
Other eastern coasts Of japan did
not share in the great calamity, though
doubtless some Of them were Just as
near the epicentral tract, OF place OF
origin OF the disturbance, because,
fortunately, they do not so completely
fill the conditions that rendered posi-
BILE the piling M o; the mountainous
wave. The convex shore that was de-
vnstated pushes out far toward the
edge Of the submarine plateau on
which Japan rests. The shore line is
much nearer than any other part OF
Japau's coast to the precipitous Tus-
carOra depths where, until last year,
the deepest ocean soundiugs had been
made. Lines OF soundings show that
the submarine slope from this convex
shore line to deep water is far steeper
than among the more sotltherly coast.
Now, where this wave was formed Il
may have been miles in width, but it
was not high. This has been so in
other instances, and there is direct
proof in this case, for fishermen a few
miles from the shore, under whose
boats the waves certainly passed, oh.
served nothing unusual. An enormous
mass of water was lifted by n mighty
impulse two or three feet above the
general level, and the wave movement
thus induced spread rapidly from the
centre, but without increase IN height,
until 1T encountered a steeply sloping
bottom. But upon entering this rapid
ly shonling water near the land the
wave was crowded into less space,
piled up and grew constantly higher
until it dashed upon the shore a tower
ing and irresistible mass.
Similar waves have been known to
rise as high rs 200 feet, and submarine
ear .hquake waves that are believed to
have crossed the Pacific, meeting Just
such conditions on the western coast
of South Africn, have inflicted enor-
nous damage. 1t is probable that
along the more southerly coasts Of
Japan there were two or three waves
of more than ordinary height. but the
more gently sloping sea bottom gave
opportunity to retarl the onward rush
OF the water mass, and no damage was
done. New York Sun