The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-10-15
ISLAND BLOWN 70 PIECES.
FEARFUL DESTRUCTION OF KRA.
KArOA IN THE YEAR l>sa.


II Is Just sixteen years tomorrow since
the Nose siupendous and appalling II al
the commissions Of nature watch have &C.
CURED either In ancient or in modern
times took place. On August q. l>&. at
20 2. IN. the greater portion ~ the island
% Nrakatoa. in the straits Of S1nda. was
destroyed. while two new islands were
created ny volcanic action. We In En-
gland remember the fact mainly on
count % the magnificent sunsets which fol-
lowed the event and were witnessed al
over the world. These sunsets. II is now
hardly necessary 10 state. were caused by
the ;mpalpable dus, and vapor par.icles
which had been elected from Krakatoa TO
height Of twenty miles or more from tho
surface Of The earth. and were s;ill float
tng in the upper air.
The eruption caused a great seismic wave
Of the sea. which overwhelmed the villages
on the neiShboriag shores and drowned
upward Of 3.uu persons The height OF
the Great Of this wave has been variously
estimated. hut at Telok Betong. In Suma-
ira. the water reached within six feet OF
the residency. which stands on nil
seventy-eight feet above the sea, and the
Dutch man OF war Berouw. anchored off
the coast. was carried by the wave mp the
valley nearly two miles inland. and was
left. high and dry. more than thirty feet
above the SEA level
II man were ID tell US that while
walking down Piccadilly he had heard an
explosion which had taken place at Guild
ford. or any town situated some thirty
miles away. we should probably think that
he was under Misrepresentation. But IL
he told us that he had heard one that
occurred at Newcastle on Tyne. al a dis
iance OF three hundred miles, we should
have no doubt as to the condition OF mis-
mind. 1t 10. nevertheless fact that the
explosion OF krakatoa was heard not only
thirty and 800 miles away, but also at a
distance OF 5000 miles. II was heard in
India, and IL was heard in Australia, and
also In the island az Rodriguez. which 10
about 2.s6s miles from Krakatoa tn a 5i-
rect line. Moreover. the seismic wave Of
the sea referred to was noticed not only In
South Africa, but Also at Cape Horn which
Is 100 miles distant from the straits u
Sunda
But perhaps the most extraordinary Of
all the phenomena connected with this
cataclysm of nature was the atmospheric
disturbance. or air wave. produced by tho
explosion. This air wave, |, Il stated.
went three times around the earth. and 1t
has been remarked that s'the character Ct
this disturbance would seem almost In
credible, were 1t not for the fact tina, IL
Is attested by the harograms Of every great
meteorological station on the worlds sur.
race. Prom this the time OF its
genesis could easily be calculated with
toierao!e exacutude. II IL given by Lieut.
Gen. Strachey as two hours and nfty-six
minutes Greenwich mean time, which IN
local time would correspond with 9:5S
O'Clock on the morning Of Angus. e.
Ii may be mentioned that, although the
great explosion did not take place until
s.bs a. m, during the whole Of the preced-
ing night a 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 ter
rihei. and did not dare 70 20 to bed Even
on the previous day. the 18th. the sky. we
are told. presented the most terrible ap-
pearance. fierce flashes OF lightning pence
trating tire dense masses OF cloud over the
island. clouds OF black matter were rush
ing across the sky. rapidly recurring de-
tonations were heard continuously, and
large. pieces OF rumlce. quite warm, rained
down nj a distance OF ten miles
II IL hardly matter 10 he wondered
al. when We are told that at Carimou.
Java. 5s5 miles distant, native boats were
dispatched TO assist an imaginary vessel
In distress, and at Achern. 1913 miles dis
tans. II Was supposed that a fort was be-
ing attacked and the troops were put I'M
DER arms. The result Of the eruption was
that the whole Of thu northern part OF tho
island. seven 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 I'D fathcms or more Moreover tho
ped or The sea some five or SIX miles TO the
north appears to have been raised many
fathoms. II Is unnecessary to point out
now stupendous must have been the force
generated under krakatoa at the time OF
this eruption. seeing that Il was able to
mn millions Of tons. and sent up stream
or punice and vapory particles to a height
OF twenty miles above the surface Of the
earth. We are naturally led 10 inquire
what was this force. and hov was Il gen.
Grated
The primary source from which eds
the energy which produces volcanic action
IN unqucaiionahiy the internal heat az the
earth. Al the base Of the crater Of "A VOL
cano ~ the top or commencement 81 tho
channel or Passage whereby cnmrunica-
ton is maintained with the heated inte-
ricr. and when water from The sea, or from
the underground springs. perc0la.es
through the ground and ffnds Its way down
TO this channel and 70 the molten rocks
below. II at once generates steam. and
those OF ~ who have been unfortunate
enough - have q kitchen boiler burst know
S'afsftHs't& N tiis tANiDsfFH trNsf OK Steam,
even In small quantities But the follow
ing observations with reference To this
subject will give cur readers clear per-
csptfon % the subsequent stages Of an
eruption when sea or other water reaches
the heated rocks below a volcsnn:
The water combine. with the material
of the rork. and by this con- bInation ths
melting point Of the rock "a reduced. 10
only requires the subsection Of the hy1ras-
e3 compound to such heat ia would bA
supplied ny the sn7yfrosGs Favas In a duii
condition To eisengage steam AMI ether
gases In enormous a9antlss@s. atsd - pro.
dsce o1thursts pr0portionase 70 the press
ere and the strength Of ~. i'saIoalng walls.
II. while this process - soing on. water In
large quantities gains arcasH 20 the sur
fare OF the heated mass. qualification might
take place. and the escape - the gases
through the crater would be ernporariiy
checked. when a. iaHs the accumulated
foree bursts the newly formed crust. this
and other Obstacles would 20 speedily re-
moved by the tremendous violence % ;hs
blast, and the at9es ~ the crater ruigas
either he blown away cr fail into the seeth-
irg lava. Sues appear. % have been me