The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-09-19
Hawaii and Its Volcanoes
Review Of Professor Hitchcock's New Book
by Thomas A. Jaeger, Jr.

a publication just at this time OF two
valuable memoirs on the Hawaiian
volcanoes, appears timely and for
tunate. DR.. Brigham is putting
through the press q splendid memoir
of the Bishop Museum, by himself, on
the history of the active volcanoes OF
the Island of Hawaii, and Professor
Hitchcock now publishes a geologlst s
careful studies after repeated visits
to the Islands. These gentlemen are
eminently fitted for their respective
tasks and from scientific standpoint,
it is to be hoped that the two volumes
will be somewhat in disagreement.
Legitimate controversy based upon
honest scientific work is the best pos
sible stimulus to progress and eventual
discovery of truth. For this reason we
are very glad that there are two books
coming out instead of one, so that we
NAV have different points of view
presented.
For the work of the proposed OBJ
servatory, the first task necessary IS
the making of summary of what is
known concerning these volcanoes. Ap-
parently this work has been made very
easy for the new observers by the ex-
cellent compilation of historical data
contained in Professor Hitchcock 5
book. The book is particularly valu-
able at this time because of the hui
name interest which is being taken in
volcanoes and earthquakes, and also
because of the extensive economic and
military development of the Hawaiian
Islands. Recent disasters the world
over have at last awakened an intense
interest in seismology and volcanology
ana our newspapers are beginning to
print reports of the records of seismo-
graphs and Of the sources of their
movements. Hence anything dealing
with a great volcano center rs bound
to attract attention at once and Pro-
fessor Hitchcock book should have
a wide circulation.
Professor Hitchcock Qualifications.
Prof. c. Fl. Hitchcock is well fitted
for the task he has here assumed. For
years Professor of Geology in Dart
mouth College, after making repeated
visits to the Hawaiian Islands, and
writing scientific papers on the geology
of the volcanoes, he at length retired
from teaching and took up his resi-
dence in Honolulu. This gave him the
opportunity for just the sort OF schol-
arly activity necessary to write
critical review of all the records of
these volcanoes, as written by travel
ers and scientific men. He states at
the outset that he has tried .to de-
scribe briefly the phenomena connect
ed with the discharges of molten lava
from the two great Hawaiian volca-
noes His contribution is limited to
a statement of the facts, with very
brief treatment of theories.
The book is divided into four parts
and an appendix. The parts deal
respectively with the physical geo
graphy of the archipelago, history of
Mauna Loa, history of Kilauea and
discussion of the Hawaiian type of
volcanic action. The appendix treats
of earthquakes in Hawaii, Prof. Will
liam Pickering's theory of the origin
of the moon from the Pacific basin,
spectroscopic and analytical chemistry
of the volcanoes, and biographical
notes on Dana, Coan, Green, Bishop,
Brigham and Dutton. The illustrations
are numerous in half-tone and photo
Autograph and are well reproduced.
The Publishers.
The work of the makers of the book,
the Hawaiian Gazette Company. is ex
cellent, and the Typography and proof
correcting good. 1t will be remem-
bered that this company was the pub
1iShar IF ha+ yaY,oa Fl, oil lo hooI. NV vii
liam Lowthian Green, entitled ewes
tiges of the Molten Globe', which pre-
sents vividly the so-called tetrahedral
theory to account for the shape of the
earth.
Professor Hitchcock S new volume
is strictly eclectic. The work of the
author in the field has been primarily
geological and he presents his results
in the first part by means of a concise
statement of the physical geography
and structure of the Islands. Each
Island is treated separately including
the low islets and reefs which extend
far to the northwest, and a fairly com
plete discussion of the geology of Oahu
is given, with notes on the artesian
waters, and discussion of the small
extinct craters such as Punchbowl and
Diamond Head. The greater part of
the remaining text of the book is
taken up with orderly compilation of
the statements of visitors to the sew
eral volcanoes of the Island of Ha-
wall. and some discussion of the sig
nifeanee of these records.
The Geological History of Oahu.
Professor Hitchcock S personal work
is well illustrated in his summary of
his geological history of Oahu There
was probably submerged Tertiary land
and through assures in it lava poured
out in sheets until finally the Island
of Kaala arose. which became wholly
covered by vegetation. Wind and rain
channeled the slopes of this dome and
then new piles of lava arose nearby
and Koolau was formed which extend
tended out to sea several miles farther
to the northeast than at present
These new lands attracted coraIs and
shelltish which have been piling lime
stones against them ever since. but
the volcanic activity was not ended,
and porous basalt was poured out at
the Pail, rising through cracks, and
making the assure filings which have
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