The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1900-01-06
DESTRUCTION OF KRAKAroA.
TAe AppaIiuG voicsnto cosvuisisa
OF Mature That Happened SIX
teen Years ARO.

II 10 just 10 years since the most stu.
pendous and appalling Of all the con-
WILSON'S Of nature which have occurred
either in ancient or In modern times
took place. August 81, 1883, at ten 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 action. We In Eng
land remember the fact mainly on &C
count OF the magnificent sunsets which
followed the event and were witnessed
all over the world. These sunsets, II is
now hardly necessary to state, were
caused by the impalpable dust and a
pof particles which had been elected
from Krakatoa to a height Of 20 miles
or more from the surface OF the earth
and were still floating in the upper air.
The eruption caused q great seismic
wave Of the sea, which overwhelmed the
villages on the neighboring shores and
drowned upward of $4,000 persons.
The height Of the crest of this wave
has been variously estimated, but at
Telok Betoug. in Sumattra, the water
reached within six feet Of the residency,
which stands on q hill rs feet above the
sea, and the Dutch nan-of-war Berouw.
anchored of the coast, was carried by
the wave up a valley nearly two miles
inland and was left high and dry more
than 80 feet above the sea level.
II q gentleman were to tell US that
while walking down Piccadilly he had
heard an explosion which had taken
place at Guildford or any town sltu-
ated 80 miles away we should probably
think that he wal under a ~misappre-
hension. But II 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,
tlon Of his mind. II II. nevertheless, a
fact that the explosion OF Krakatoa Vas
heard not only 30 and 300 miles away,
but also at a distance Of 5000 miles. 1t
was heard In India and It was heard In
Australia and also In the island Of Rod
rlguez, which Is about 1905 miles from
Krakatoa In a direct line. Moreover,
the seismic wave OF the sea above re-
ferred to was noticed not only In South
Africa, but also at Cape Horn, which Is
1880 miles distant from the straits Of
Sunda.
But perhaps the most extraordinary
Of all the phenomena connected with
this cataclysn Of nature was the at
mospheric disturbance, or air wave,
produced by the explosion. This air
wave, II is stated, went three times
around the earth. and II has been re-
marked that "the character Of this dis
turbance would seem almost incredible
were 1t not for the fact that II Is attest
ed by the barograms Of every great
meteorological station on the worlds
surface, From this the time Of Its gene.
sis could easily be calculated with toll
cradle exactitude. II Ia given by lieut.
Gen. Strachey as two hours So minutes
Greenwich mean time, which in locsI
time would correspond with O;ss O'Clock
oil the morning of August 81"
II may be mentioned that, although
the explosion did not take place unit
9:5s a. M, yet during the whole OF tbs
preceding night a continuous roar like
the discharge OF heavy cannon, or thun
der, had been heard. so that the people
In the towns and villages OF Java snt
Sumatra were terrified, and did no
dare to go to bed. Even on the previouI
! day, the goth, the sky, we are told, pre-
scented the most terrible appearance
fierce flashes OF lightning penetrating
the dense masses OF cloud over the Is
land, clouds Of black matter were rush