Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-09

great explosion did not take place until
3:''S am. 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 We're
terrified ard did not dare to go to bed.
Even on the previous day, The 18th the
sky, we are told, presented the most ter
r.bie appearance, fierce flashes of lightning
penetrating the dense ma sscs of cloud over
the island, clouds of black matter were
rushing across the sky, rapidly occurring
detonations were heard continuously, and
large pieces of pumice quite warm rained
down at distance of ten miles"
IL is hardly a matter to be wondered at
when we are told that at Carimon Java,
BOO niles distant, native boats were dis
distress, and at Achern, / ,GI3 miles distant
1t was supposed that fort was being at
tackled, and the troops We're put under
arms. The result of the eruption was that
the whole northern part of the island, sew
en- square miles in extent was COMPLETELY
blown away, and where there was formerly
dry land there are now SoundingS of ninety
fathomS and in some parts 100 fathoms or
mol re. Moreover the bed of the sea some
five or six miles to the north appears 10
have been raised many fathOms 1t is I'M
necessary to point out how stupendous must
have been the force generated under Kra-
katoa at the time of this eruption, seeing
that it was able to lift millions of tons,
and sent up a stream of pumice and va
pory particles to height of twenty miles
above the surface Of the earth. We are
naturally led to inquire what was this force
and how was il generated
The primary source from which proceeds
the energy which produces. volcanic action
is unquestionably the internal heat of the
earth. AT the base of the crater of a vol
cano is the top or commencement of the
channel or passage whereby communication
is maintained with the heated interior, and
when water from the sea or from the UNI
foreground springs perculates through the
ground and finds its way down to this
channel and to the hot molten rocks below
II at once generates steam. and those of
US who have been unfortunate enough to
have had a kitchen boiler burst know some
thing of the explosive power of steam. even
in small quantities. But the following OBJ
servations with reference to this subject
will give our readers a clear percepti01 of
the subsequent stages of an eruption when
sea or other water reaches the heated rocks
be ow volcano:
The water combines with the material
of the rock. and by this combination the
melting point of the rock is reduced: il
only requires the subsection of the hy5ratea
piled By the auhydrous iavas I'm a Amid
condition TO disengase steam and othe,
gases In enormous quantities ard to nro-
duce outburstS nroDortionate to the nresS
ufe and the strength of the inc:Os'ng walls
II. Whiif TINS process is going on water
" large Quantities gains access TO the sur
fSc1 OF the heated mass. qualification might
take place and the escape Of gases ihro.,rt
the crater wonid he eEaoorar:Iy checked
y men a last the accumulate force bursts
the He"iy formed crust, this and other OBJ