Imperial press and farmer., 1902-05-31
Terrible Earthquakes.

list of similar cataStrOpneS. rms was not the first-it will not be the last.
 History abounds with instances of appalling calamties by earthquakes and volcanoes. Since the destruction of Pompeii down to the latest cata- clysm in the West Indies, there have been a multitude of these fearful out bursts. That at Lisbon, which de- stroyed about 60,000 people and wrecked one of the most solidly built capitals in Europe, was the work of less than five seconds, and was the most totally destructive of property of which we have any record. Among others that exceed it in tremendous force was the eruption in the Straits of Sunda, in 1883, which broke out first from the volcano of Kaikaaoa, continued until no less than 45 craters in Java were in full blast and liter ally shattered and sunk mountains and islands. Dust from this eruption for three years afterwards fell in Australia and other countries thous- ands of miles away, and for years the world witnessed the most beautiful red sunsets as a result of this dust in the atmosphere
 Flames from the crater could be seen forty miles distant. The crashing ex plosion which followed the flames set in motion air waves that travelled around the earth four times one way and three times the other Every self recording barometer in the world was disturbed seven times by that blow up.
 These waves travelled at the rate of 700 miles per hour. The noise of this eruption was heard at Borneo, 1160 miles distant. It was felt in Burmah, 147S miles distant. It was felt in Perth West Australia, 1902 miles away. The explosion was heard over a sound zone covering one-thirteenth of the earth's surface.
 Sea waves were created by the ex- plosion which destroyed all the towns and villages on the shores of Java and Sumatra bordering the strait, all yes sells and shipping there and 36,3S0 lives, raising a tidal wave at Merak 135 feet high, covering 5000 square miles of the ocean with lava dust sev eral inches thick, submerged an is- land six miles square and 700 feet high to depth of 150 fatnoms, and created two new islands.
 Prof. Milne, who is quoted here in this information, regarding Krakatoa, was asked:
 'Is it likely that there are volcanoes in the world at present that have been quiet for a long time, but will one day or another become active?'
 ''It is almost certain there are"
 Some in Europe?"
 Many in Europe"
 Some in the United States?"
 Undoubtedly"
 The Philadelphia Press gives the following list of similar occurrences:
 Since 1900 the world has been visited by "A earthquakes, in which 272,350 lives have been lost.
 Only one of these occurred in the United States-that at Charleston, s. C., Aug. 31, 1886, where 57 were killed and $50,000,000 worth of property was destroyed
 The most disastrous was that which wiped out the town of Yeddo, Japan, on Nov. II, 1855. More than 100000 lives were lost.
 Turkey has been visited seven times -1S00, 1887, 1S40, 1863, 1875, 1880. and 1894, with a total mortality of 40,- 900.
 Italy has been visited five times 1895, 1885, 1851, 1857 and 1881, with total mortality of 45114.
 Japan has been visited three times-1S55, 1889 and 1891, with loss of life estimated at 14S,000
 South America, also has been wis ited three times-1S12, 1854 and 1868, with a total mortality of 37 05O