THE VOLCANOES OF JAVA.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1340, 13 September 1886, Page 3

THE VOLCANOES OF JAVA.

M van Gum", chief engineer and inspector of Pub.ic Works in J»va, has lately been on a j *urney through that and the neighbouring islands, of which he has published an account. He speaks of the various J ivan volcanoes, of whi.h much has been heard Ively, an i syvs th .t since the eruption of in 188 > the people live in comparative quiet. But th : s claim is {only apparent," f r volcanic eruptions are inceaia t The volcanoes on the Island « f Java itself manifest everywhere great activity, bar not s > as to produce a serious cataclysm Smeroc, wh chis thebighest monnUia in the island, and i : s neighbours Btomo and Lamonyon, are active from time to time. 1 1 1885, for ex mi pie, Someioc overwhelmed plantations and villages on its side with erupt ive matter. Merapi, in the centre of the island, shows constant signs of life ; lava is constant’y flowing from it, smoke and uteam are almost always visible at its summit, so that it is one of the active volcanoes of the i-orld M. van Genus reports a l . o‘her curious phenomenon. After a pot red of extreme drought continued raios have inundated one part of the country, wh le there is an absolute want of water in otl e ■ places which thouid have it in sfcundat.ee This anomaly is attributed to the monsoons which blow irrogu arly, and which cause more anxiety to the Javanese than their uolcances.