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New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6817, 22 September 1883, Page 4

The earthquake and tidal wave in the Straits, of Sunda having, according to a tolegram in this day's is3il.e, destroyed 75,000 human beings* becomes elevated into the front rank of the catastrophes that have afflicted the human race. Earthquakes have indeed been always the moat terrible of calamities, and probably as many people have been killed by the convulsions attendant upon them as by the great wars and plagues. In Japan in 1703, 200,000 persons perished ■ in 1731, 10!),000 people were swallowed up in Pekin; 50,000 people were swallowed up by the great earthquake at Lisbon in 3 755: in 1795, 40,000 were buried in Central America; from 1783 to 1857, it is estimated that the kingdom of Naples lost 111.000 inhabitants by the effects of earthquakes ; in 18.63 10,000 persons perished in.:... Manilla ; 25,000. persons were killed in ; I Peru by the earthquake of 1868. Com - K pared with figures such as these the numbers of slain in some of the .most sanguinary - battles recorded in history appear small.At Waterloo 4206 were killed in the 1 ' Allied army. In the sanguinary war between Germany and France in 1870-71 ■ ■ the Germans lost in killed 17,570, whilo about 10,000 more died of their wounds • eventually. It is estimated that at the battle of Leipajc, which lasted for throe days, 80,000 men perislied in the field Philosophers and philanthropists have speculated on the possibility of doin» away with, war, of so elevating the minds, of men that they would not rush to ■ slay each other on. any cause of difference . arising,, but would submit all disagreements to arbitration. But no human contrivance can protect against earthquakes ; <f tha progress of the species" can do nothing to abate them. But there can be no. question that they are a '' serious hindrance to the progress of any - country which is liable to them, by " introducing an element of dread uncer- ' tainty into all the projects and calculations of man. We may be thankful that the great convulsions of which the Auckland district has been the theatre have long since terminated, and that the earthquake shocks which are sometimes experienced ■ in New Zealand are of a character almost harmless.