The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-09-06
But But20OMiIesFrom
the Island That
Did.
A JAP CRUISER
GOES TO SEE
A Catastrophe Which May Have
Involved More Than One
Pacific Bird Rocl,.

Has Marcus Island been devastated
by volcanic upheaval? Torijima,
where the eruption came which killed
all the inhabitants, is in the same
chain of volcanic rocks. two hundred
miles distant. Speaking of the matter
the Japan Times says: "In the mean
time we understand that the Govern
ment has ordered warship to proceed
at once to Torijima on its way to Mi
nami Torijima (Marcus Island.) Some
fears are felt for the safety of the lat
ter island but as it is said to be situ-
ated about two hundred miles to the
south of the former there is a greater
ground for hope that all is well there.
In the absence of any telegraphic con.
nections with these islands, the earliest
| information we may obtain about them
will be on the return of the warship
now to be despatched, so the next six
or seven days will be spent in the deep
est anxiety by the nation. We may
suggest, however, that in the meantime
volunteer rescue expedition might be
fitted out and sent to the islands in
dependent of the Takachihos mission.
The seriousness of the occurrence fully
justifies, nay we think, necessitates this
practical form of expressing our heart
felt concern for the fate of our fellow
countrymen on these far off islands. If
the expedition on reaching its destina-
ton finds that it is not required moth
ing will be more fortunate"
Nothing was heard from Captain
Rosehill by the last Oriental mail.
Following is the Japan Times ac-
count of the eruption:
AN ISLAND DESTROYED.
TOKYO. August 23-Mr. Seijo Kawa-
mura, Captain of the N. Y. ks steam
er Hyogo Maru, which arrived at Yoko-
hama on the 18th inst. from a trip to
the Bonin Islands, brought home the
following wonderful account of sub
marine eruption which he saw in actual
the Bonin group. The Hyogo Maru
left Bonin Islands on the 18th for
Torijima, an island situated at so deg.
2S min. 2e sec. N. and 140 deg. IA min-
20 deg. E. with about so inhabitants
according to some, the actual number
of souls living there is about 169). At
63S a. M. on the 18th, she passed by
the Takenokoiwa, an Isolated rock in
mid-ocean and it was at on the same
morning that the captain saw the erup-
ton of submarine volcano near Tori
jirna, occasionally vomiting huge
volumes of smoke. The steamer eau
tiously approached the island, taking
soundings all the time and giving
signal whistles announcing her arrival
to the islanders. There was, however,
no response on their part. Judging
from the smoke which covered the sum-
NIT of the island at the time and the
immense quantity of lava heaped up
OF the entire coast line, ana also from
the fact that some parts of the shore
had greatly changed in shape, it was
not difficult to concluoe that another
fearful eruption had previously taken
place on the island, burying the entire
population unuer the heap of ashes.
The steamer left the island on the same
day at noon and arrived at Yokohama
on the morning of the 18th calling on
her way at Hachijo Island. The cap
tain gives the following further partic-
ulars as to the eruption:-1 The big.
gest crater on Torijima is supposed to
be in the centre of the island not far
from the place where the inhabitants
had their dwellings. There are also
few more craters on the island actually
emitting smoke and lava. 2. The cap
tain believes that AL the inhabitants
must have perished by this sad disas-
ter, as almost the entire island is COW
cred with ashes. 3. The position Of the
submarine volcanic eruption is 30 deg.
q min. 3S- sec. n. and 40 deg. 15 min.
81 sec. E, in the direction S. E. s. Of
Continued on page 81