ISLANDS BORN IN A DAY

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8316, 15 May 1905, Page 2

ISLANDS BORN IN A DAY

MANY PARALLELS TO JAPAN'S RECENT EXPERIENCE. Japan's, new-born island, Nushima, has many parallels in the world's history Ages ago the sudden upheaval of land was a common occurrence, and many of these volcanically-fashioned places to-day support life and are the scenes of human activity. The Azores, in the North Atlantio Ocean, are typical of islands whose existence is due to subterranean volcanic eruption. St Michael, St Mary, and the seven smaller islands of the group, although fertik and lovely, in this way sprang unexpectedly into being. So recently as 1811 a new island rose suddenly among the Azores to a height of 300 ft, then as suddenly disappeared. Upon his return from a voyage across the Indian Ocean the captain of a trader reported the presence of an island unmarked upon the chart. Investigators, unable to discover any sign of the new land, made' facetious references to whisky and the sea serpent. Yet, it was pointed out, the phenomenon of an island in a d&y was by no means beyond the bounds of possibility. In this self-same ocean, and 2000 miles from the nearest land, is the small island of St Paul. Its existence is due to the energy of submerged volcanoes. " Instances of this sort might be multiplied indefinitely," said a member of the Royal Geographical Society to an " Express " representative recently. "The raised beaches of the Isle of Man and Ayrshire and some ,of the rocky islands round our own coasts are due to submarine volcanoes. Whether or not Japan's new island has come to stay it is impossible now to suggest. It certainly is not safe foothold at present. Japan is pre-erjiinent-ly the land of earthquakes. I do not think, though, that the country is in serious danger from €1118 cause. One might compare Italy with its Vesuvius to Japan with its volcanic system, only the latter is more active and energetic." _____