The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1899-10-13
DESTRUCTION OF KRAKAToA.
The Appalling Volcanic ConvulsIOn
of Nature That Happened Six
teen Years Ago.

1t is just 16 years since the most stu
pendous and appalling of all the con-
vulsions of nature which have occurred
either in ancient or in modern times
took place. August 81, 1888, at ten a.
M, the greater portion of the island of
Krakatoa, in the straits of Sunda, was
destroyed, while two new islands were
created by volcanic action. We in Eng
land remember the fact mainly on ac-
count of the magnificent sunsets which
followed the event and were witnessed
all over the world. These sunsets, it is
now hardly necessary to state, were
caused by the impalpable dust and va
por particles which had been elected
from Krakatoa to u height of 90 miles
or more from the surface of the earth
and were still floating in the upper air.
The eruption caused 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 Betoug, in Sumattra, the water
reached within six feet of the residency,
which stands on hill rs feet above the
sea, and the Dutch man-of-war Berouw,
anchored off the coast, was carried by
the wave up a valley nearly two miles
inland and was left high and dry more
than 80 feet above the sea level.
If gentleman were to tell us that
while walking down Piccadilly he had
heard an explosion which had taken
place at Guildford or any town situ-
ated 80 miles away we should probably
think that he was under misappre-
hension. But if he told us that he had
heard one that occurred at Newcastle
on-Tyne, at distance of 300 miles, we
should have no doubt as to the condi-
tion of his mind. 1t is, nevertheless,
fact that the explosion of Krakatoa was
heard not only 30 and 300 miles away,
but also at distance of 5000 miles. 1t
was heard in India and it was heard in
Australia and also in the island of Rod
rigueZ, which is about 2,96S miles from
Krakatoa in a direct line. Moreover,
the seismic wave of the sea above re-
ferred to was noticed not only in South
Africa, but also at Cape Horn, which is
$500 miles distant from the straits of
Sunda.
But perhaps the most extraordinary
of all the phenomena connected with
this cataclysm of nature was the at
mospheric disturbance, or air wave,
produced by the explosion. This air
wave, it is stated, went three times
around the earth, and it has been re-
marked that "the character of this dis
turbance would seem almost incredible
were it not for the fact that it is attest
ed by the barograms of every great
meteorological station on the worlds
surface. From this the time of it's gene
sis could easily be calculated with toll
cradle exactitude. 1t is given by Lieut..
Gen. Strachey as.two hours Sc minutes,
Greenwich mean time, which in local
time would correspond with 9:5s o'clock
on the morning of August 81"
1t may be mentioned that, although
the explosion did not take place until
9:5s q. M, yet during the whole of the
preceding night a continuous roar like
the discharge of heavy cannon, or thun-
der, had been heard, so that the people
in the towns and villages of Java and
Sumatra were terrified, and did not
dare to go to bed. Even on the previous
day, the Goth, the sky, we are told, 'pre-
sented the most terrible appearance,
fierce flashes of lightning penetrating
the dense masses of cloud over the is
land, clouds of black matter were rush
ing across the sky, rapidly recurring
detonations were heard continuously
and large pieces of pumice, quite warm,
rained down distance of ten miles.
At point 76 miles from Krakatoa the
height of the black cloud projected
from the volcano was estimated at II
miles,"
1t is hardly a matter to be wondered
at when we are told that at Carimon,
Java, 1855 miles distant, native boats
were dispatched to assist an imaginary
vessel in distress, and at Achern, 1,073
miles distant, it was supposed that a
fort was being attacked, and the troops
were put under arms. The result of the
eruption was that the whole of the
northern part of the island, seven
square miles in extent, was completely
blown away, and where there was for
merly dry land there are now sound
ings of 90 fathoms, and in some parts
100 fathoms or more. Moreover, the bed
of the sea some five or six miles to the
north appears to have been raised many
fathoms. 1t is unnecessary to point out
how stupendous must have been the
force generated under Krakatoa at the
time of this eruption, seeing that it was
able to lift millions of tons and send up
a stream of pumice and vapory particles
to height of 20 miles above the surface
of the earth. We are naturally led to
inquire what was this force, and how
was it generated Pail Mall Gazette.
Endurance No Longer n Virtue.
A janitor In neighboring school
threw up his job the other day. When
asked what was the trouble he an
swered:
I'm honest and l won't stand being
slurred. If find pencil or handker-
chief about the school when I'm sweep
ing hang it up. Every little while the
teachers or some one that is too cow
ardly to face me gives me a slur."
"ln what way?" asked an officer.
"Why, little while ago saw written
On the board: Find the common null
tiple.' Well, l looked from cellar to gar
ret and l wouldn't know the thing if |
met it on the street. What made me quit |
my job? Last night in big writin' on |
the blackboard, it said: Find the great |
est common divisor' Well, saws to N.Y. 1