The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-03
BIG VOLCANOES TO BURN
THE UNITED STATES WILL NAVE
WHEN HAWAII IN ANNEXED.
Tho Volcanic Mature or tho Ts~lAnds-Mauna
Ion aud kIiRueR, with Their Gigantic
Cratsrs-Thc Lake which Burneth with
EIre and Birthstone Duplicated In Hawaii.

Fire and Birthstone Duplicated In Hawaii. |
From the Sc. Louis Globe. Democrat.
The annexation of the Hawaiian Islands,
which, as tho President recently stated, iS OK
pected to occur before the Fourth of July, will
add to our national domain not only almost
5000 square miles OF area, but q group Of the
most beautiful islands OF the Pacific. Uncle
Sans list OF big things, the greatest things in
the world, in fact, is already long, but by this an
n~exation it will be increased, for the United
States will then possess the largest active vol
cano in the world.
The Hawaiians are volcanic islands, and con-
sidcred with reference to their actual height
from the bottom Of the sea. are tho ~loftiest
mountains in the world. They are, in fact,
mountains beneath as well as above the ocean.
The Pacific IN their vicinity is about 5000 feet
deep, and as tho islands rise nearly 5000 feet
above the sea, the Hawaiian group is n cluster
of:mountains about SO, o rect in height. BY
the side of these stupendous masses. of land the
Rocky Mountains dwindle almost into ~insiRnif-
canoe. Few of the peaks among the Rockies
exceed 10, 900 feet in height, yet the Hawaiians
are three times that height. From the ocean
bed to the tip of Mauna Loa is a distance as
great as or greater than that from the sea level to
the topmost peak of Mount Everest or Kinchin.
junga. But Everest and Kinchinjunga do not
rise from the sea level, but from the lottiest
plateau in the world, thus the Hawaiians are
more than onc.third higher than either of the
great peaks cited in the biographies as the
Hottest on the globe.
The geological history OF the islands is easily
read in their rocks. Ages and ages before the
megatherium, the plesiosaurus, and ichthyosau-
rus were born. the part of the earth's crust ly-
ing Immediately under this portion OF the Pa
cihc was thinner than elsewhere, and as the
earth cooled and contracted, the confined
gases and steam accumulated, stored up great
or force with every additional pound Of pres
sure until finally there was an explosion the like
Of which was never known on the earth since
its crust began to cool, and for an area OF over
10000 square miles the crust was thrown up
like u sheet of ice would be from an explosion of
q charge Of Runpowder beneath; the surrounding
crust closed in. and the immense mass of debris
remained. only a pimple on the earth's sur
face, but large enough to constitute the islands.
Time rolled on, as it has a habit OF doing, and
whether spontaneously or by creation the scien-
lists and theologians may be left to settle among
themselves, but In one way or the other vege-
tation appeared, then came animals, finally
shipwrecked or storm-driven human beings
from other islands or continents found n refuge
on the group. and the islands became tho
home of a portion of the human race. Thus the
sides of the volcanoes were covered with vege-
tation. were cultivated, and supplied food for
tho thousands of Hawaii PEOPLE. But the noun
tains did not cease to be volcanoes; the internal
fires which caused the first great explosion still
burned fiercely, and must have a vent, so that
the volcano is as familiar a feature of Hawaiian
scenery as the windmill in Holland.
There are volcanoes everywhere in the HG
waiians, the entire group being of volcanic
origin, evidences of activity are never absent.
An authority on scientific matters says there
are over 300 active orators on the islands. and
disused chimney of nature are so numerous
as to attract no attention. There are literally
thousands of them. They are found in the most
unexpected places. Plunging through the un-
suddenly feels his foot descending a yard fur.
Their than it ought, makes an investigation, and
finds he has stopped into a rounded hole in tho
rock. an extinct crater. Lava is cvery where
present; disinteGrated Laws. thrown out ages
tmtcs the richest soil: black, hard lava, which
flowed out during eruptions, fifty. sixty. n hun
6rea years e a sec agT' af aaw : st that r its iinte a heat bentt
remains. So little respect have the natives for
their volcanoes, to such an extent does famii-
iarity breed contempt, that even the lava which
Is hardly cooled is utilized by tho farmers. They
spread over il a little soil. then SOW their crops,
Mauna Loa and Kilauea arc often confound-
cd. many persons supposing. that the two are
special name applied to the crater OF the other.
As a matter Of fact the two are quite distinct, al;
though they are but sixteen miles apart, and
are probably but different vents for the same
internal fire. Kiiauea is. much lower than
Maunh LOa. Inc lAtter is one OF 'uc IO1lleNu
mountains on the globe. being about 1000
feet above the level OF the sea. while tho former
is scarcely 5000 feet and quite a distinct eleva-
ton from the famous mountain which forms
the most noted landmark in the world. Mauna
Loa lifts Its head above the region Of vegetation
and even under a tropical sun is covered with
perpetual snow. Its white, top, sometimes mis-.
taken by mariners for a cloud, can be, seen at
sea a distance of $50 miles. Humboldt says
that 1t is the best illustration in the world of
the visibility of a mountain. Kilauea; on the
contrary, is merely n hill by the side of Mauna
Lon, hut has a crater which for size exceeds
anything of the kind elsewhere in the world.
where the pbSubblins and boiling. the kissing OF
escaping jets Of steam, and the explosions which
throw fragments of the surface high into tho
air never cease even for a moment. 1t is eight
miles in circumference and nearly four in its
largest diameter. n distance, exceeding. that
be set dow in the crater OF Kilauea, and over
are constantly PLAYING. The missionaries with
their stories OF the fire that never is auonched,
OF the lake which burneth with fire and brim.
Jtone bore no news to the Hawaiians; they knew
all about that fire end that lake and had n
theory Of their own that when a bad Hawaiian
Kilauea and chucked beneath the lava crust.
and there were not wanting native priests to
encourage the belief and Hawaiian saints who.
like the hermit of Mount Etna, beheld the souls
OF men transported by demons down into the
Leaving out of the question the fanciful
ideas OF the natives. the great crater is OF much
interest to scientists from the fact that its erup-
lions are the most tremendous Of any similar
chimney OF nature on the globe. While II is al
ways active, there are certain periods when tho
internal fires cause the lava TO boil over. Pro-
monitory symptoms indicate the coming of an
ERUPTION. 0rdinarily theiiaya surface lies from
but when an eruption is near at hand little by
little the lava creeps until within 600 or 700 feet
OF tho rim; then comes an explosion, the laya
boils over, and runs off down the side OF the
mountain. This is It's usual course, but on sew
eral occasions Kilauea has diversified matters
by sending Off its lava underground, the in.
tense heat melting the stones of the island, ard
the current OF lava thus flowing Off, sometimes
for fourteen or fifteen miles ere 1t forces its
way to the surface. After it does SO Its course
is exactly that of other lava flows, sweeping on
ward in a resislless stream, devourinE every
thing In It's pathway, and finally plunginG into
The sea, sending up us it. does SO clouds OF steam,
after the eruption has ceased. Many notable
eruptions of Kilnuea have occurred. but the
greatest OF all since the island WAS known TO
Europeans was that of 1910, when "A lava
stream forced its way underground for twenty.
seven miles, then appeared upon the surface