The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-09

ground, the intense heat melting the stones
of the island and the current of lava thus
flowing off, sometimes for fourteen or ff-
teen miles ere it forces its way to the
surface. After il does SO its course is
exactly that of other lava flows sweeping
onward in a resistless stream, devouring
everything in its pathway, and finally
plunging into the sea, sending up as It
does so clouds of steam, which continue
to rise sometimes for months after the
eruption has ceased. Many notable erup-
tons of Kilauea have occurred, but the
greatest of all since the island was known
to Europeans was that of 1870 when a
lava stream forced its way underground
for twenty-seven miles, then appeared
upon the surface and travelled thirteen
miles further, finally pouring into the sea.
The coast was extended for a quarter of
a mile; the stream flowed for three weeks,
and varied in width from 500 yards to three
miles, and in depth from 80 to 200 feet,
according to the ground. 1t was estimat-
ed that the amount of lava poured out on
this occasion was 10, 400 600 cubic feet,
an amount which would build Vesuvius
and leave material TO spare.
Mauna Isoa, sixteen miles from Kilauea,
has a terminal crater 14,O00 feet above the
sea and 5000 feet in diameter Mauna has
an individuality of its own, for while Kill
auea furnishes quiet flow of cosmic ma
eruptions of this gigantic mountain foun-
tains or fire play from its summit, jets of
molten lava, flashing with every color of
the rainbow, spouting from 200 to 500 feet
in the air. In 1883 there was such display,
the lava fountain, a gigantic stream, play
ing continuously for several days and IL
Illuminating the horizon to a distance much
further than the mountain was itself visi-
bic.
The eruptions of Mauna Loa and Kilauea
sometimes occur contempOraneously and
sometimes one is quiescent while the other
is active. Underground lava flows have
been credited TO Mauna Loa which proper
iy belong TO KIauea. So the great flow of
1868, which travelled underground char
ring the surface wherever it went, may
have come from Kilauea as well as from
Mauna Loa. Each has made substantial
additions to the area of Hawaii, for at a
score of points along the coast the lava
cliffs and twisted streams of molten stone
appear In the sea far beyond the normal
line of the shore.
Tremendous as are the activities of the
two great volcanoes in Hawaii, there is evil
dence of a much greater force in the past
for the islands contain not only the largest
active crater in the world, but the great
est extinct chimney, that of Mount Haleak-
ala, the rim of which is over
10000 feet high and the crater itself q miles
Vesuvius might be set down in the crater
of Haleakala, and the tip of the famous
Italian volcano would not appear
above the rim. Stromboli might be added
and still the summit of the latter would
hardly be visible. This great extinct vol
cano is three times the size of Etna, and
when 1t was in active operation must have
furnished eruptions and explosions compar-
ed with which that of Krakatoa, the most
tremendous on record, was but trife.
When the Hawaians are added to the
United States territory the volcanoes will
undoubtedly become great attraction for
tourists. Kilauea is reached from Hilo, for
ty miles distant. The ascent Is not diff
ficult and the crater is easily descended
so that parties of tourists with very little
danger can so down to the edge of the lava
bed and warm their lunches. Mauna Loa
is not so easy TO climb. Its ascent indeed
is quite feat, which none but athletes
attempt; but still, the famous volcano has
been often assembled, and i'm the future
climbing the two volcanoes of our new pos
sessions will become a favorite amusement
with American tourists. We now have in
the United States ten active, but little
known volcanoes, mostly small and com
paratively undressing, but with Mauna
Loa Kiauea and Maj Mai Uncle Sam
will be as great in his volcanoes as in his
lakes, rivers, and wheat crop.