The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-05-23

AS general evidences of the ultra
colossal character of the Krakatoa ex-
plOsion may be adduced the following:
l. The waves driven upon the coasts of
AMER and Merak, 30 miles away, were
found to have exceeded 112 feet in
height Over the entire AMER plain,
fifteen miles by FIVE, the inundation had
uprooted every tree, and coral blocks
| OF from 20 to 90 tons in weight had been
torn from the bed of the sea and borne
INLAND two or three miles.
20. The detonations of the eruption
were heard throughout a circle whose
radius is 1,S0O geographical miles, equal
to one-fifteenth of the surface of the
earth. Yet the heaviest could not be
heard within radius of 40 miles from
the crater. The sounds must have pro-
ceeded from tremendous rendngs of
the air at an immense height, whence
the sounds were easily spread to vast
| distances, while from localities be-
meath, the massive torrents of descend
ing ejecta cut off the sounds like
wall.
"3. Ashes fell at Singapore, 1856 miles;
at BunCalis, 915 miles n. w: at Keel
ing, 1,20O miles S W.; on the Austria
liam coast, 1850 miles f. s. E.; on the
Arabian, $40 miles w. N. West. The
entire area of ash-fall was officially es-
timated as at least 100000 kilometers,
or as large as the Southern States east
OF the Mississippi.
The history of the eruptions shows
| that upon the collapse of the mountain,
on the morning of the 27th the erup-
I tions became submarine; the ocean wa
! ters rushed into the burning depths.
| Under the pressure of many miles Of
water the lava and the waters COM
mingled and struggled with geyser-like
discharges of augmenting violence, I'M
til finally there arose a continuous col
umn of white-hot water and lava.
! Through the wide throat apparently
three miles in diameter, the vast col
umn drove upwards, expanding and
exploding as it flew into steam and pu-
mice, till reaching one hundred miles
or more in height, it's mingled solids
and liquids had exploded in the vacu-
UNI into thinnest ether
The ashy ejecta, as analysed, We're
mainly of glass in the form of pumice
together with the solid constituents OF
Isea-water. This Vitreous matter, being
icomminated by the force of the eXplo-
sions to dust of ultra microscopic fine
ness, formed together with the vapor-
zIed saltwater, vast bulk of extreme
tenuity and lightness above the atmos-
rhere. Failing thence upon the upper
strata of the atmosphere, and precipi.
tating its coarser dust, it's finer por.
lions have continued suspended fol
more than two years in their etherea
encampment, and there are likely t.
abide for many years to come.
From the beginning the white sun
glow has been very uniform, while tn,
night-glows have been quite irregular
although it is believed they have al
ways been perCeptible. In the northern
tropics, there has been a marked in
crease of brilliancy and continuity dur
ing each of the two winters. PrObagl!
the haze is distributed through the at
mosphere in unequal and irregula
drifts.
In conclusion, the writer takes tn,
opportunity to venture the surmis1
that a thorough study of the Kraka
toa Smoke belt of September, 1888, anC
OF it's dynamic conditions, may furnish
material aid in calculating the still
mysterious problem of the Belts of tn
planet Jupiter"
The present phenomena will AFFORD
opportunity to study out DR.. Bishop
theory concerning the belts of Jupiter
One interesting thing to look forward
to will be the recurrence of the greer
sun" before sunset and many curious
and interested eyes VIII De cast ina
way this and following sunsets anC
dawns. The soil of Krakatoa or kra
katao as it was sometimes spelled, wa:
composed of white pumce, which ex
ploded into powdery particles formed
DIR. Bishop thinks, the smoke haze Of
the afterglows. Whether difference o.
soil on Martinique will occasion change
in the phenomena is a matter of con-
lecture. In the face of the tremendous
heat particles in either case would, II
is thought be reduced to elementary
conditions much the same. Professor
LYONS states that the present corona