The Topeka state journal., 1900-07-07
creeping. things and the fowl Of the

heavens"
1t was deluge after the pattern Of
Noah'S, although smaller, and the en-
tire world felt its powerful impetus As
ever. it grew smaller and smaller and
its destructive power was lessened. In
spite of this in single day, starting
from both Sides this tidal wave trav-
eled half the circumference OF the
earth, with velocity that was twice
as great as that of sound travelling
through the atmosphere.
OF course. there is no comparison be-
tween the defunct Krakatoa and
Mauna Loa- The volcano that laid
waste the Straits of Sunda was mere
infant when compared to the gigantic
Hawaiian volcano Krakatoa was si1-
the Sea Of Java and was a compara-
lively small affair, whereas Mauna
Loa is one of the largest of the active
volcanoes to-day
It rises Is, 600 feet above the sea. 1t
has crater that is 1000 feet in diameter
and Is at least 500 feet deep. The esti-
mate of 600 feet, however, is one that Is
seriously questioned and it must be adj
mitted that no one knows how deep IL
is. It may be 5000 or 1t may be 10000
feet under the water of the Pacific, and
the wall that separates il from the
ocean may be only a few hundred feet
A NATIONAL DISASTER.
II the bottom should drop out or
Mauna Loa, therefore, there would be
few people left TO tell the story OF the
disaster If the gigantic volcano should
fall into the Pacific Ocean the wave
that would rise would be powerful
enough to sweep across all the con-
tinents of the earth Cities and hills
would alike be razed and every living
creature, no matter how far inland,
would be drowned.
1t is possible that there are some
MI
escape such a deluge, for there is
limit to the height and strength of even
SO great a wave. In such a case these
mountaineers would have to be the
lords OF the new creation. the modern
Noahs' whose duty it would be to re-
populate the earth.
For many years Professor Meyer has
been making a special study of voIca-
noes, and he but recently visited Ha-
wat to make a careful investigation
of the condition of Mauna Loa, and
its brother volcano, MaUna kea- Upon
his return to Europe he reported that
he had found them both Suspiciously
active, and he feared that they might
become dangerous at any time. For
years the volcanoes have been quiet
Occasionally they have shown some in
dications of life, but the eruption of
Mauna Loa on July 4 was the first
serious disturbance that had occurred
in twelve years.
Some idea of the force of such an
eruption may De gained 1FOIn IQG TACT
that the disturbance of the earth was
felt as far as San Francisco. There
it appeared as a series of earthquakes
that shook the California coast almost
from end to end. 1t SO happened that
several biologists We're present at the
time, and they found considerab BILE evil
dence in support of the theory that the
earthquake felt in California was the
direct result of the volcanic eruptions
on the island of Hawaii.
If such a small disturbance can be
felt SO far, how much more serious it
would be if the great Mauna Loa, or
its almost as gigantic brother should
entirely blow off its head.
It now seems to be the opinion of
scientists in general that natural
phenomena like the history of mankind
always repeat themselves. The first
deluge of which man has any record is
that which is chronicled in the Bible
and it is now believed that that flood.
from which only Noah and his family
were saved. was due to just such a
cause as that which is illustrated by
the falling of Krakatoa.
FLOODS TO COME.
Scientists also agree in the opinion
that before and since that time there
have been many similar floods, not del
uges that have swept the face of the
earth, but floods that have had serious
local effects. The traditions of every race
of people ON the face of the globe bear
record to such flood, and it is not at
all likely that all refer to the same del
uSe- IN IacI, Inere Is every reason to
believe that these foods have been of
dates that are widely separated and it
Is this fact that is inspiring science in
its study of the volcanoes. They know
of the disasters that have occurred and
they know that others will come. The
only question is, When?
During the past score OF years the
scientists have learned many new
things about the volcano, and it is not
at all improbable that some day geolo-
gists viii be able to figure out just how
many years of preparation it takes for
a deluge to develop, or how many
years. it requires for a volcano to be-
come ready to sink into the sea. To-
day no man has any idea as to the
length of this period. For all we know
the time may be 500 or even 1000 years
come. at any day but when it comes,
however, if it is Mauna Loa that sinks,
the scientists have figured just what
will happen Every continent of the
world will be swept by the gigantic
tidal wave before which nothing can
science, everything that represents the
advancement of civilization will be
swamped and destroyed
In speaking of his predictions Pro-
fessor Meyer said: L certainly be-
lieve that the performance of the little
Krakatoa will some day be duplicated
by the gigantic Mauna Loa / do not
mean to say that this will happen with
in the lifetime of the. present genera
ton, but it is not at all impossible
that it may occur to-day or tomorrow.
When it does come the catastrophe,
starting at Hawaii, will be a mil
lion times greater than the miniature
eruption in the Eastern Archipelago"
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