The Republican., 1925-12-03
BATTLE-GROUND OF
FIRE And Water
One Place Where Clangor-
Gus Boiler Factory Would
Not Be Unwelcome.


5lkse in the world where a large and
~clabgorOus boiler factory would not
be unwelcOme. On the Greek island
called, in recent news dispatches. San
tOf7ni, but now officially designated
Thira. visiting observer reports the
natives have become so accustomed to
being rocked to sleep by the heavy
yumblings and rifle crackings Of a
newly active volcano they fear they
wiz suffer from Insomnia when 1t
q&tts down again. The volcano start
ed its eruption August l and will con-
tinAs, it has been predicted, until next
August.
|Thira has been for thousands of
years a theater Of volcanic activity"
says bulletin from the Washington
~. CD headquarters Of the National
Geographic society. THE waters Of
itt great bay have boiled and famed
for days, and islands of red-hot mat
ter have risen and disappeared as If
controlled by stage machinery.
Shaped Like Crescent.
"At one time Thlra was the top Of
a huge active volcano 1t probably
owes its present peculiar crescent
shape to a tremendous eruption some
thirty-five centuries ago when great
gaps We're blown in its sides. Another
theory is that the mountain mass on
which the volcano rested has sunk,
leaving only the highest portions of
the crater's rim above the surface of
the water.
"Volcanic activity in this part Of the
Aegean is practically a continuous
performance, although nothing short
OF a catastrophe seems to be recorded
aa an eruption r. G. 1917 IS given by
some authorities as the date of the
first great recorded eruption. There
have since been several major out
bfeaks, causing the appearance and
disappearance of certain small Islands
(hot the present ones, however, In the
cepter Of the crater.
pThe number = figures largely in
the dates chosen by the volcano to
bA active. Records show eruptionS
during B. c. 197 and A. d. 726, 1870,
1873, 1907, 1711, 1867 and 1870. Dur
ing the latter eruption an island arose
ip the center of the basin to height
Of 24O feet. The island was named
George crater, for King George Of
Greece.
To-day the remainder of the once
great rim can be traced only by the
islands which help to lnclose the wa
: terrified crater. In the center Of this
basin lie the Kaymani islands, repre-
senting the peaks of new volcanic up
heavGls within historic times. Ac-
c0rding to reports a new island has
been added to this group by the cur
rent disturbances.
"The islands, which are on the d.
rect steamer route between Athens
and Egypt are not prepOssessing from
q distance. Owing to the lack OF wa
ter, there are no trees. The inner
walls of the crater descend to the cen
tral basin in sheer cliffs, from 600 20
1000 feet in height. The external
slope, however Is more gradual, and
the thick layer of pumice stone which
covers 1t is favorable to the growth
Of the vine.
"In close proximity on this slope
are the two principal sources of
wealth. The mining and shipping Of
'Santorini, EARTH composition Of
purnice stone valuable as a hydraulic
cement, and the production of wine
furnish employment to most of the
$4,000 inhabitants Of these islands,
whose combined area Is only half that
Of the District Of Columbia.
Capital on Hilltop.
"Phira, the capital, nestles on the
spur of hill at the edge Of the inner
basin. A zig-zag road winds up to 1t
from its port Skala, directly below,
and Its white houses and cupolas en-
liyen the brown crater walls in the
bright Mediterranean sunshine.
approaching Thira by steamer
from the northwest the gentle vine
Dad outer slopes formed by the era
ter suddenly open and disclose an
enormous basin, seemingly inclosed on
oil sides, the deep brown rock walls
M which are stratified, like marble
cake, with deposits Of lighter colored
pumice stone. Cllnging to the crater
rim are several small villages and nu-
perous many sailed windmIIs, similar
to those on the Isle Of Samos
Hear by.
"The ancient capital, Thira, seven
hours away by horseback on the east
4rn shore, perches on a ridge or
plateau dropping on three sides. 1t
must have been easy to defend In the
days when the Island was in turn a
ehoenician, a Spartan, an Egyptian,
Roman. Frank and Turkish col
eny. For like its sister islands in
me Aegean, Thira has known many
masters. The first settlers are be
Neved to have been the PhOenicians,
but the principal ruins uncovered date
from Roman times.
Excavations reveal long central
street or road, intersected By numer-
Gus ire guar side streets. Several
temples, baths, large theatcr shrines,
I, 1,