The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-01-09
EARTH's WORST sPAsM.
When Nature Juggled with Islands
in the Straits of Sunda.


From the Pail Mall Gazette.
1t is just sixteen years since the
most stupendOus and appalling Of all
the convulsions of nature which have
occurred either in ancient or in modern
times took place. On August q, 1888.
at 10 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 ac-
tion. We, in England. remember the
fact mainly on account Of the magni-
flcent sunsets which followed the event
and were witnessed all over the world.
These sunsets, it Is now hardly neces-
sary to state. We're caused by the i'm
palpable dust and vapor particlcc
which had been elected from Krakatoa
to height of twenty miles or more
from the surface of the earth, and
were still floating in the PIPER air
The eruption caused a great seismic
wave of the sea, which overwhelmed
the villages on the neighboring shores
and drowned upward of thirty thous-
and persons. The height of the crest
Of this wave has been variOusly esti-
mated, but at Telok Betong, in Suma
ira, the water reached within six feet
/ of the residency, which stands on
hill seventy-eight feet above the sea,
and the Dutch man-of-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 thirty feet above the
sea level.
If a man were to tell us that while
walking down Piccadilly he had heard
an explosion which had taken place at
Guilford or any town situated some
| thirty 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 a distance of 800 miles, we
should have no doubt as to the condi-
ton of his mind. 1t is nevertheless a
fact that the explosion Of Krakatoa
was heard not only 300 miles away,
but also at a distance Of 5000 miles.
1t was heard in India. and 1t was heard
in Australia, and also in the Island
Of Rodriguez, which is about 2,96S miles
from Krakatoa in a direct line. More
over the seismic wave of the sea re-
ferred to was noticed not only in South
Africa. but also at Cane Horn, which
of Sunda. But perhaps the most ex-
traOrdinary of all the phenomena con-
nected with this cataclysm of nature
was the atmospheric disturbance or
air wave produced by the explosion.
This aid wave, it is stated, went three
| times around the earth. and it has been
remarked that 1.-The character Of this
disturbance would seem almost incred-
/ it.lT H. a.. L..
attested by the barograms of every
great meteorological station on the
worlds surface" From this
the time Of it's genesis could be easily
| calculated with tolerable eXactitude.
1t Is given by Lieut. Gen. Strachey as
two hours and flfty-six minutes.
Greenwich mean time. which in local
time would correspond with 9.5S o'clock
In the morning of August q,
1t may be mentioned that although
the great explosion did not take place
| until 9.5S a. m, during the whole of
| the preceding night a continuous roar
like the discharge of heavy canon or
thunder, had been heard. so that the
people In the towns and villages Of
Java and Sumatra were terrified and
did not dare to so to bed Even on
the previous day, the 26th, the sky, we
! are told, presented the most terrible
| appearance. fierce flashes of lightning
penetrating the dense masses of cloud
over the island, clouds of black matter
were rushing across the sky, rapidly
| occurring detonations were heard con-
tinuously, and large pieces Of pumice
quite warm rained down at a distance
OF ten miles"
1t Is hardly a matter tn be wondered
at, when we are told that at Carimon.
Java, 355 miles distant, native boats
were dispatched to assist an imaginary
vessel In distress, and at Achern. 1913
miles doistance. it was supposed that
fort was being attacked, and the
| troops were put under arms, The re-
| suit of the eruption was that the whole
northern part OF the island, seven
| square miles in extent. was completely
blown away. and where there was for
| merly dry lands there are now sound
ings of ninety fathoms and in some
parts 100 fathoms or more. Moreover.