THE ERUPTIONS AT TARAWERA.

Inangahua Times, Volume XI, Issue 1754, 8 September 1886, Page 2

THE ERUPTIONS AT TARAWERA.

» THE lIKD SUNSET THEORY. Js it volcanic dust whi-h now dims the light of tin* sou and the mom)? is the question a4vd l.y t,|u> Daily Register (M01.i1.-, Alabama), of July 10. Ou» contemporary sjivs: — W'dui'S'lay timl Thursday i.ujht tlii-ie was uwtiivd in tlt^ iitmo-phej-i- a I'viiiiti'kiilik* liitziiuss. Vi sUtdiiv tlu> -'isnV 1 liilZ'" Of tllis;t was pffm|;t. :i'lh> u»h It ss rl« \\-« than nn ihf pocul ii.ji d.«y. Tin- itTn-r in th> dnvMine was to cut >-ff in.tiiy of tii,- -v. oi liif Him, 80 that shadows wnt- .., .. » por well defined. The sky itielf bad a

guiyish tinge. The clouds, of which 'here were niMiiy, were vu uely tl**Kn»>«l. This liiizo was in the npp-r atmosphere ; along the surface of the earth theie was no unusual uiiintiMt of it, il' li i :1" iltii-i lM lilt- ill-! :.,,■•<• V." : -i s • ;ii i-l'iii "iy (i> ti t«t .is oil any >si.!i "> ■<■ <it\ The mo-t in.ii Le i cft*-<t wa> s.-im, at night Tilt 1 sky seein-d overcast wiili an unkmkcn rain do id, yet the moon shone through it, perfectly defin-d, >>ut as if oi'seured by a yellow glass. The hazi- of Indian summer is lewdisii, ai.d the *nn and moou shining through v take on a cooper col>>ur ; bat tlie moon was distinctly tinged with yellow — »i fact which is Ucyo id the experience of thos • who pay attention to Kiirli phenomena. The assistant, signal officer slates that the haze or dust in ihe atmosphere is above th** cumuli, those heavy-looking white clouds winch were visihle yesterday and the day liffore. These clouds range from j 2000 ft to two miles in height. No idea tfas advanced as to the substance composing the haze, although it iniylit j be dust or smoke. If the Utter, there is some reason lo >>eli»-ve that the i scientific theory late'y urged concern* ing red sunsets will elucidate the present proW'etn. Tiie red >un«.-ts are now accounted for on the yroiv>«| tliitt j they were the results of hydros >v gas or volcanic dust in the atmosphere, li. j is a known fact that in Vulcanic ernp-> . j tions vast quantities of nydn>gen gas j are throw out, together with usli'sand ! dust. These, in their in^lilv h« af. d i condition, would be i>y t.u'i.- >y\ r n-s---carried to a gre.tt ijeight, 01 until h-y ' rrac'ietl a stnlnm equal V. r ljfir own specific gravity. Til«- red -nnsets are tliove.tnre referred to the volcanic erup : tions in t\ie Sauio.-tti island-. Now in June of this year there were even more terriMe »oli*a>>ic eruptions :in New Zealand. For 60 inilos tin- ', uiountain ranges vomited lit e, ashes. j dust, and hydrogen gus. Su h qn:!u tili« S of matter hay»- i>u doub? s ( -v.-'ml far a;,d wid»« in the uop r i in •-..». .f-re and pt'i'liai>s luv.- reached til- ; :t'i u;le of thin roil u try. Th«- den-sty ot -ho du-»t cioud is very small — Phillips too | small to uive to the sun and >uoon a ' red colour, or to repeat the phenomena jof red sunsets. The way of haze may i at any time grow more dense, however, | and, if so, the phenomena in question ! may vet occur.