The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-02
THE EARTH'S WORST SPASM.
WHEN NATURE JUGGLED WITH ISL
dNDS IN THE STRAITS OF SUNDA.
The Racket Heard 5000 Miies-The Sea Dis
turbed $500 Miles Away-A Puff Of Air
Sent Three Times Around the Earth-A
Dust Cloud That Reddened the Sunsets.


Sent Three Times Around the Earth-A
Dust Cloud That Reddened the Sunsets.
From the Pan Mall Magazine
1t Is Just sixteen years since the most stupcn- |
dous and appalling Of all the commissions Of nature
which have occurred either in ancient or in modern
times took place On Aug "a 1883. at 10 A. NJ,
the greater portion Of the island Of Erakatoa, in
the Straits OF Sunda was destroyed, while two new
islands created by volcanic action. We, in
England. remember the fact mainly on account
of the magnificent sunsets which followed the
event and were witnessed all over the world
These sunsets, il is hardly necessary TO state
were caused by the impalpable dust and vapor
particles which had been elected from Krakatoa
TO height Of twenty miles more from the sur
face Of the earth, and were still floating in the
upper air
The eruption caused great seismic wave Of tho
sea, which overwhelmed the villages on the neigh
boring shores and drowned upward Of thirty
thousand persons The height Of the crest of this
wave has been variously estimated, but at TeloS
Betong, In Sumatra. the water reached within
q feet Of the Residcncy, which stands on hill
70 feet above the and the Dutch man-ot-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 so feet
above the sea level
II man were to tell us that while walking
had taken place at Guildtord or any town situated
some SOM thirty miles away We should probably think
if he told us that he had heard one that oc
, IStrs a. Tyne at distance OF
doubt as TO the condition OF is mind 1t
| is, nevertheless. fact that the explosion
Of ktaka,oa, was heard not only, thir,y
! three hundred miles away, but also at a dis,
tance OF three thousand miles 1t was heard
in India, and i was heard in Australia and also
| III the island OF Rodriguez, which is about ZOOS
| miles from Krakatoa in direct line. Moreover
the seismic wave Of the sea referred to noticed
not only in South Africa. but also at Cape II IN.
which is 1900 mile distant from the Straits Of
Sunda But perhaps the mo extraordinary
| Of nature was the atmospheric disturbance, or
| air wave produced by the explosion. This air
wave, il Is stated. went three times around the
| earth, and IL has been remarked that the char
actcr of this disturbance would seem almost in
credible were it not for the fact that il is attested
station on the %ofd Ss' surface Eifa From
this the time Of its genesis could easily be cal
by Lieutenant General Strachey as two hours
and fifty,siN minutes Greenwich mean time
which which in local time would correspond with 1858
| o'clock on the morning Of Aug 81
| IL may be mentioned that, although the great
explosion did not take place until D:5S A. NJ,
tnuoGs roar, like the discharge Of heavy cannon
| or thunder, had been heard, so that the people
were terrified. and did no, dare to 20 to bed Even
| ON the previous day, the 10th. the sky
told, presented the most terrible appearance
| IN'N> n'i'
| masses of cloud over the island, clouds Of black
matter were rushing across the sky. rapidly re-
! CURING dctonations were heard continuously,
| and large pieces of pumiCc, quite warm raned
| down al n distance of ten miles.
| II is hardly n matter to be wondered at when
W. are told that at Carimon, Java, 355 miles dis
| ant, native boats were dispatched Ia assist an
imaginary vessel in distress, and at Achern,
1913 miles distant, it was supposed that 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 Ill extent, WAS completely blown
| away, and where there was formerly dry land
| in some parts 100 fathomS more Moreover,
| the bed OF the sea some five or six miles 10 the
| north appears 10 have been raised many fathoms.
| II Is unnecessary TO point out how stupcndouS
! must have been the force generated under Kra-
katoa at the time Of this eruption, seeing that IT
| sucam 81 pumlce ana Napory particles To height
Of twenty miles above the surface Of the earth.
| force, and how was II generated.
The primary source from which proceeds the
questionably the internal heat Of the earth, At
the base OF the crater OF a volcano is the top or
commencement of the channel or passage whereby
| communication is maintained with the heated
| interior, and when water from the sea from
the underground springs pcrcolatcs through the
! ground and finds its way down To- this channel
and 10 the hot molten rocks below. II once gcncr-
ates steam. and those Of us who have been un-
| bu 81 know something of the explosive power Of
| steam, even in small quantities. But the following
| observations with reference 10 this subject
| will give our readers a clear perception Of the
subsequent stages Of an eruption when sea or
other water reaches the heated rocks below a
| volcano:
The water combines with the material of the
| rock, and by this combination the melting point OF
| the rock is reduced it only requires the subeCton
| al the hydrated compound IL such heat as would
| be supplied by the anhN druuS lavas in fluid
| condition IL dlSCngage steam and other gases III
| enormous quantities, and 10 produce outburSls
| prOpurtunate u the pressure and the strength OF
| the incoSing walls If, while this process is going
| ON, water i'll large quantities gains access 10 the
| surface OF the heated mass qualification might
| take place, and the escape Of gases thro Ugh the
| crater would be tenn orarlly checked. " hen at
last the accumulated force bursts the newly formed
| crust this and other obstacles would be speedily
| removed by the tremendous violence of the blast,
and the sides Of the era ter might either DC blown
| away or fall into the Scrthng lava Such appear rs
| 10 have Teen the working Of the final and self
| destructive eruption Of krakatoa.
1t is 10 be regretted that the report Of the COM
| mittce appointed by the Royal Society To inquire
| into this eruption Of Krakatu and the subsequent
| phcnomouoI is u quartz volume Of such vast and
| inurdiuatc magnitude that II can hardly be recon-
| mrnded 10 any one for pcruSal unless he comes
| OF a family noted for longevity and can begin
| il early in life. Seriously. II would have been Of
| more value, and Of far greater service if it could
| have been reduced To volume Of the size OF
| BaCOn'S ESSAYS or IlatO'S "RepuhliC" but
| writer's and publishers Of the present day seem
| to imagine that I'll" importance OF their works Is
| chiefly indicated by their cubic capacity.