The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-08-16
From the Journal of Commerce.
INTERNAL HEAT OF THE EARTH.

Much has been said and written in relation to the
| temperature Of the interior of the earth
The temperature of the atmosphere, as we'll as the
water in numerous European mines, mas lor series
| of years been carefully noted.
These mines have been found to differ very much
from each other regard to the increase of heat as
you proceed downwards, estimating by the same
measured distance in each.
| Some of the mines in Europe have been found to
have temperature high rs deg. of Fahrenheit,
which is summer heat, and none lower than 49
degrees.
Some of the learned members of the Academy of
Science of France, who have made extensive investi
cations and collected facts bearing on this question,
assert that the heat of the interior of the earth IN
in proportion to the distance you descend, and
give the result of the examinations made Artesan
wells as evidence of this.
have met with case in this country in which
there has been found difference in temperature of
the earth in It's interior, beyond certain depth.
Salt well. have been sunk To the depth of about
1000 feet, in some instances and know OF none
where the increased depth discovered increased
temperature.
The temperature Of the water from the wells at Sy
racuse in lS4l was 81 degrees of Fahrenheit The
temperature of the weather during the time of their
observations from IA to "a degrees. In 1910, in the
same wells, the temperature varied from SO to 81
degrees, and it during that year that new well
was sunk, which may account for this huctuation
The temperature of the atmosphere during that year,
as nOteu, varied from 20 10 90 degrees. NO oDSeT-
vatons made in the months of January and
February in either y.ar which accounts for the abb
sence of the extreme degrees of surface cold In
that portion of the mammoth cave in Kentucky, in
which the nitrate of lime exists abundantly, the
temperature in all the observations made shows no
change below SO l-2 degrees, nor any above 60 de-
grees of Fahrenheit. How the temperature of the
greatest depths of the may compare with that of
its general surface, has not to my knowledge been
certaned.
have met with natural ice in the bowels of the
earth, rather in the cleft of mountain of mode
rate height which had remained in its crystallized
state from time immemorial. This ice from its po-
son, has not been carried by the hand of man, but
must have formed there.
The deepest wells regarded by the people gen.
orally ahording the coolest water; but this dfie-
renee of temperature is only as compared to water
near the surface.
In the State of Virginia. theirs several hot and
warm springs. have not met with any analysis OF
the of these springs and therefore cannot UNI
deake to account for the high temperature from any
other course than local subte ranean heat or fire.
In various sections of the world the eaIth's surface
has high temperature, and two three feet below
surac the heat is insupporable but at these places
there immoderate local course, which Is KIN
Should IL he satisfactorily asceTlained that the heat
of the interior of the earth increases you
downwards, Independent of immoderate and local
causes the fact not more wonderful than that the
cold increases YOU proceed upwards, above the
earlh's surface in the atmosphere, which is fact
well ascertained as to be indsputable.
will endeavor in the of few weeks to col
ect together some facts to the temperature of the
various deep wells which have been sunk in various
parts of the ned States, and also of the greatest
depths in the Mammoth Cave, and give these to the
readers Of the Journal E. NJ.