The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-01-18

seem TO be distributed. Without enter.
ing into a discussion of these numerous
theories which still divide the most /
learned savants, I confess that these
earthquakes of volcanic origin are too |
easily explained by the pressure Of |
steam from water infiltrated into the |
subterranean regions for it to appear |
to me necessary to seek another cause. |
But whatever may be the hypothesis |
one adopts regarding the internal con-
dition of the terrestrial globe, it is
certain that heat increases accordingly
as one descends toward the center.
Increase Not Regular.
sEThis increase is not regular at the
rate of one degree Centigrade for each
thirty-fve meters of depth. as was gen.
orally admitted half century ago, but,
on the contrary, is very irregular, for
! there are points, especially in volcanic
regions, where the increase is at the
rate of one degree for each ten or ff-
/ teen meters and other places where a
| rise of one degree demands fifty, eighty
| or even more than hundred meters;
| but this increase In temperature exists
everywhere, and we are forced to con-
clude that at certain depths it reaches
thousand, two thousand or three thou
sand degrees, or even more.
s'This heat may not be produced by
central point of activity, and may be of
! chemical origin, an origin to which
radium, for instance, might not be for
eign; but, whatever may be its cause, it
exists. And we also know that part
of the water which comes down as rain
penetrates into the soil, and that along
the shores the same thing has happen
ed In case salt or the heat of the
terrestrial subsoil does not permit Of
the infltrated water remaining in
LIQUID state, it is transformed into
steam, the pressure of which increases
according to its quantity and tempera-
ture and by reason of obstacles which
are opposed to its expansion. An ex
plosion takes place when the force of
the steam thus accumulated is greater
than the resistance it meets with.
/ Tension of vapor.
"The tension of vapor increases much
more quickly than the temperature. It
attains 5000 atmospheres at 1000 de-
grees, and probably 10000 atmospheres
at about 1900 degrees. Now the tenn
perature of lava at the bottom of
4 eraters has been estimated at more than
1900 degrees tension. Steam exists
there in state of Unstable equilibrium,
which may be destroyed by the slightest
circumstance. and it is here that the
theories usually accomplish an appar-
emit triumph.
8 First of all. by dint of endeavoring to
J escape the steam may succeed in forcing
its way out by disaggregating the OBJ
| stacles and finally blowing off the lid.
1t acts thus in majority of steam
explosions; places of the least resistance
yield beneath the violence and expan-
siye effort and the soil trembles. We
can therefore see in the rapid move.
ments of gases suddenly developed or
suddenly expanded in the bowels of
!. the earth the most probable cause of
,, volcanic earthquakes.
ssThe mechanical power of which such
gaseous bodies are capable is of force
which exceeds all that one could i'm.
, agine before precise experiments had
measured pressures of more than six
, hundred atmospheres.
"Better, therefore, than the internal
movement of solid masses, explosions OF
overheated gaseous masses explain al
: the peculiarities of seismic troubles
: their regimen, their violence, their FIRE
quent succession, their recurrence IL
! the same region throughout centuries
. They explain also their prediction fo
dislocal countries, especially if disloca
lions are recent, and also their sub
l ordination to breaks in the terrestia
! crust
!. Earthquakes are far from being dis
tributed by hazard over the surface O.
:, the globe. Those countries are quotes
: whose strata, like those of France
!. Belgium and part of Russia, hav'
: preserved their initial horizontal char
!. acter. Great connections are especial,
: felt in mountainous countries which
= have undergone considerable mechan
: zeal accidents and have acquired thei
present relief at relatively modern
) geological period, such as Italy, Sicily
the Alps and the seashores bordered b,
chains of peaked mountains.
- "The subject is evidently of the high
r est scientific and humanitarian interest
r. Nothing is less proved than the con
y tinuity of calorifc progression, OBJ
3 served only in superficial strata, on
q deepest mine tunnels being but PHI
! pricks in the crust of the planet.
"Forty years ago I published the fol
e lowing idea, which was regarded a
e somewhat romantic The only mean
IS of finding out with certainty the in
$ ternal composition of the terrestrial
e globe would be to bore a gigantic wei
s. several kilometers deep. Such worl
e would not be beyond the power o
s. present day engineering This wei
Y would be source of inexhaustibl
= heat for humanity
d If the various governments woul
L agree to direct toward this object al
the soldiers of Europe, each employs
in accordance with his special trade o
"a occupation, they would win a victor
f superior to all past, present and futur
e wars of determination, by bringing t
o light the mystery which is hidden be
n meath our surface, and as while thi
h work was being executed the habit 0
e fighting would be lost humanity wouI
e have gained by it a double process, bot
4 scientific and social.
9. "CAMILLE FLAMMA RION.
/. "Juvisy Observatory, Dee. 90.
y
GREAT EARTHQUAKE DISASTER