The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-10-25
BLASTED by NATURE.
A VOLCANIC EXPLOSION THAT DE-
STRoYED AN ISLAND.

Loss of 10000 Lives, Was Heard At
Distance of 5000 Miles.
On Aug. -, 1883, at 10 a. M, occurred
the most stupendous and appalling Of all
the convulsions Of nature which have oc.
CURED in the history of the world. BY 10
the greater portion of the island Of Kra-
katoa, in the strait Of Sunda, was de-
stroyed, while two new islands were ere.
ated by volcanic action. We remember
the fact mainly on account of the mag
nihcent sunsets which followed the event
and were witnessed all over the world,
These sunsets, 1t is now hardly necessary
to state, were caused by the impalpable
dust and vapor particles which had been
elected from KrakatOa to height of 20
miles or more from the surface of the
earth and were still floating in the upper
air.
The eruption caused a great seismic
wave of the sea, which overwhelmed the
villages on the neighboring shores and
drowned upward of 10000 persons. The
height of the crest Of this wave has been
variously estimated, but at Telok Betong,
in Sumatra, the water reached within sig
feet Of the residency, which stands on q
bill rs feet above the sea, and the Dutch
man-of-war BerOuw, anchored off the
coast, was carried by the wave up the
valley nearly two miles inland and was
left. high and dry, more than 80 feet
above the sea level.
If Il man were to tell US that he had
heard an explosion which had taken
place at any town situated some 30 miles
away, we should probably think that be
was under misapprehension. But IL he
told us that he had heard one that oc-
Cured At a distance Of 800 miles we
should have no doubt as to the condition
of his mind. 1t is nevertheless q fact i
that the explosion of Krakatoa was heard
not only 30 and 800 miles away, but also
at distance of 5000 miles. It was
heard in India, and it was heard in Aus.
traia, and also in the island of Rodri. 4
guez, which is about 2,988 miles from
Krakatoa in a direct line. Moreover, the
seismic wave of the sea referred to was
noticed not only in South Africa, but
also at Cape Horn, which is 1900 miles
distant from the strait of Sunda. But
perhaps the most extraordinary Of all the
phenomena connected with this cata-
cysm Of nature was the atmospheric dis
turbance. or air wave, produced by tho
explosion. This air wave. 1t is stated,
went three times around the earth, and
it has been remarked that "the charac-
Ter Of this disturbance would seem al.
most incredible were it not for the fact
that it is attested by the barograms Of
every great meteorological station ON the
worlds surface.
1t may bo mentioned that, although the
great explosion did not take place until
10 a. M, during the whole Of the preced-
ing night continuous roar, like the dis.
charge Of heavy cannon or thunder, had
been heard, so that the people In the
towns and villages Of Java and Sumatra
were terrified and did not dare to 60 to
bed. Even on the previous day, the 28th,
the sky, we are told, presented the most
terrible appearance, fierce flashes Of
lightning penetrated the dense masses Of
cloud over the island. clouds of black
matter were rushing across the sky. rap.
idly recurring detonations were heard
and large pieces of pumice.
quite warm, raned down at distance Of
ten miles.
1t is hardly matter to be wondered
lt when we are told that at Carimon,
lava, 1856 miles distant, native boat
were dispatched to assist an imaginary
vessel in distress, and at Achern, 1,073
miles distant, it was supposed that fort
was being attacked, and the troops were
put under arms. The result of the crup-
lion was that the whole of the northern
1art of the island, seven square miles
II extent, was completely blown away,
md where there was formerly dry land
here are now soundings Of 90 fathoms,
md in some parts 100 fathoms or more.
Moreover, the bed of the sea some FIVE or
ix miles to the north appears to have
,een raised many fathoms. 1t is un4
necessary to point out how stupendous
must have been the force generated un-
Ter Krakatoa at the time Of this erup-
ion seeing that it was able to life mil
ions of tons and sent up stream OF
'umce and yapory particles to height
II 20 miles above the surface of the
arth. We are naturally led to inquire
What was this force and how was it
generated. lHa
The primary source from which pro.
eeds the energy which produces volcanic
ction is unqucstionably the internal
leat of the earth. At the base of the
rater of volcano is the top or COM
of the channel or passage
whereby communication is maintained
With the heated interior, and when water
rom the sea or from the underground
prings percolates through the ground
nd finds its way down to this channel
nd to the hot molten rocks below it at
nee generates steam, and those Of us
rho have been unfortunate enough to
ave had n kitchen boiler burst know
omething of the explosive power OF
it,- oil Dat
GLOWING observations with reference to
his subject will give our readers a clear
exception of the subsequent stages of
n eruption when sea or other water
eaches the heated rocks below vol
anO
'The water combines with the material
( the rock, and by this combination the
lclting point of the rock is reduced. 1t
My requires the subsection of the hy-
rated compound to such heat as would
q supplied by the anhydrous lavas In
fluid condition to disengage steam and
ther gases in enormous quantities and
D produce outbursts proportionate to the
ressurc and the strength of the inclos.
lg walls. If, while this process is CO.
lg on. water in large quantities gains
ccess to the surface Of the heated mass,
might take place, and the
Scape Of gases through the crater would
e temporarily checked When at last
he accumulated force bursts the newly
Drmed crust. this and other obstacles
'ould be speedily removed by the tre-
,cndous violence of the blast and the
ides of the crater might either be blown
way or fall into the scething lava. Such
ppears to have been the working OF the
nal and self destructive eruption Of