Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1840-11-12


FOrm0faH If -Notw iI,sIan ing the late
rapid prsr"s- of geology. IL still rrrnains a pr,hlcn,
whether Iie mountains ofIhe earth have been f.mc,!
ny 'ranic iorc"s such eIi-I at the present Irnr
os 10y the agency Oi a central fire.
The IN JprIry Ui moiern grolOsists viii, NIou,ieur
Coniier Al Ir head. have adopted I.c ausr o,inio;
becans. tie IcnrruIGre OF The earth has been i,u,nI
10 in'rease IA some proportion desc,IRl below
The surface. that ia deep Ininos the iIer Issuing FINN
the surrounding saa l. ru.a 20 10 81 degrees warm.
eT ih an that o superficial spfiug>. From such data IL
ms been INFERRED ihb the temperature the earth
augn~n's al ont one degree IDf every - degree. of
discriminating gig degrees i. depth OF ~, mile,
ai increasing ~ the SAM io Ia Iic renIre whore
every hing Is ia a state uf i,rsion u inrendscence;
anu hai all mountains have been nPheaved b., The Ell
penSive Iorce al this Imnen,e furnace.
With due Difference To the high nuhnritic. i'm suu-
port OF IiIs hyPO'b'-s. shL venture TO ,iTr few
bret observations With u view ut showing ~. In sui
"''c'i"y TO explain the more important, Phcromena Of
geology.
In the first place. ifIh- mpu1tan> or the globe wsr;
eIeNa'ed 10y t'e agency Of central lire they ought "a,
he much higher ia an they nrc
SecOndly. All the l"hest mountains III our planet
ace confined To The tropical regions and diminish in
magnitude ON To the polar circles where their M, fa -
1ghis from iour Io five tunes less than in communal
ln'ln Africa. and Spu,h Amviica; M may La sh.A, n
r an appeal To the best rercIS works phy.cnI az
grPhy but Il the vast chains that girIle our ola ret
were uPriIscd by central fire IL il mpmSible Ia c,,,
preh"nd Why the poarmOuutains shuId not he n
high a bsc OF The tropics 6rihe o,nsr are actual y
nearer the centre Oi The earth
lhniiy IL has been supposed 10y geulogiss that the
earih originally existed a state Of re,l-nm fusion
throughout. nd In. been e,sling dow ever SINCE. b.
cause The fosSil nrgnhic remains Of the 81 Ter .emrn
ary iormairpns ia the northern hemisphere in Iirnto
q much higher mean temperature than eIisrs at pre-.
scHt.
y" This hypothesis It may ty answered. that yr,.
utlal eftafssr nd II.
geological ePochs would explain the phenomena IN ,
more satisfactory manner and admitting that " .
nave %" iciuai propi 81 suciI change. the FREEDOM.
nance of Ian va The IFepc am. of wafer IN The nj
rrg";.s would ~ nr n'pty the phy sioIOgcal condi
his OF the globe as ." permit the existence Of plants
an animals "a hish laiitud,s, the representation.
Nich arc NOW found only ~ the Iorrid zon. a. mon,
Toned by Ar Lyen. Besides. 10 is admitted by F,,,
rier That u The earth had b.en projected into ms
dun Sieg. oelcw Zero. ai any gwen temper,tur.
would not 'a"'l more ia 500 0Oi year. Than r,b.
II one i'ot diameter. CONFUSED of the same n,tc,i,
md placed Ii like circumst1ficrs would ~ see,pJ u
tine.
Fourihly, That the volcanic action nv ,ylfch ,pa,,,
tiins are elevated ~ generally by chemc,I A. ,;, :,
M great depths beneath the surirc wonId anpe,, C,
The well k~wn fact, that all the 'olcanoes now in
lsience are found TO be tul,Elrine or sit1,,cd -; a.,
vicinity of the ocean. and abound with marine air,
which clearly slow that The presence OF s.s.wafo, j.
Their activity; and n 81 II is evident that they c,n,
be owing 10 central fire.
IL il also worthy of poiice. that volcanoes o,. r.,
more nuineFousafd active NJ the tropical Than M; l,I
and higher attitudes. From Which we mr.. s,,,L,,,
10 conclude. that the subirTrancnn octs,, ~, -
they are generated; like all the chemical o,d -
transformations The SUFFICE ofthe rI,h ar, 49,,
Ell d. temperature.
The vast importance of rnpunf1ins in tho cco,, "a
Mature would appear ffqn variety Of cu.,Ie,,t,,,
ihey arr o." only the Of rivers h,,t ,T a., .
cious mcias and gems. whch are E,rced nm 1,, d.
iuerof PORTIONS Of the earth ~ surface rod Diced
within the reach Of mn.
WI al can he more grand and impressive q n, IN.
immense chains Of granite and prphyry that r,,e,d
of hundreds md thousands 81 miles In Iepgth -
hey mp,lIiy The direction Of the winds The ,ss,,a
lore 81 climates, and he the h,,i,, J,,.. - -
f'ns' Were o not fora mountains the son ,..o,lI =,
'ry where prevail. eaHsng a gloomy waste OF i,o4
'nd water. There could be ho rivers or sp,,,. 49,.
my IT ilIa beautiful variety of hill an, dale tbt -
'doru the ear'hs sufiice. aud render 4, a.. ol;b,,i
'hodeof seniIebt beings. As the cosnr-,.,t,on &C.,,
zed beings . renewed BY lhcir al,.,rpt,,, ma, 49,,
'ehoral circulation, 80 - he suriaco orfbe car,b -
'ciunliy renovated 10y the dsinegr,tion of p,,,,,,.
Which are gradually worn away by the sct,,n or,,,.
ling waters and lfanspyrcilo valleys lakes an sea.
Old things pas assy. aud ~ ihinzs b.rusne new
TIE sir he ocean. and ne esiih ere for, yer IN mo L