Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1845-05-10
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THE GEOLOGICAL CONVENTION.


a Convention of Biologists is now assembled
a, New Haven, engaged in discussions exceed
,mgiy interesting TO scicnce and the public. The
first days conversation was in relation TO the
continual changes which are going forward on
the earth's surface
Prof Rogers--llumboldt has published data
u!n,ut the mean level of certain lands lie gives
the mean level Of Asia 500 feet above the ocean,
and it is astonishing how small part the noun.
iiins have to contribute to the carh's elevation.
SllIiman.-Whut does he give, sir, the elc-
v,,ion Of North Amer ca
..cgcts-Some five or six hundred as the
average.
Slliman-That is even within my mark |
have said less than quarter Of mile, and then
have been thought romancing; and even this
nly be caused by the mass Of earth swelling by
expansion.
Rogcrs-.By probably the general wagering
Of the earth's crust; Sweden rises several feet
4 century; and it would not take long to bring
all Europe to is present Level.
i'roC Loomis The pilots of Maine say that
the tide is sinking every year, and that certain
.o"ks On Maine shore are now visible, oper
abirh they could formerly conduct vessels at
any tide 1t is so especially at the mouth OF
the Kcnncbec.
Prof Rogers observed that the North shores
sYPearel to be going down. and the South CO.
ming ur-elsc why were all our South shores
N v l.
coast from Cape Cod to its Northeast border.
The middle and Southern Sates-sll the sea
Stands fro,a Long Island to the Florida Keys,
Indicate general rise Of the land South. This
rontinent as steiuging on a hinge, or large puoi,
;he point OF which is about the Bay of Massa-
chuset,s The South part is rising and the
North going down no, exactly in their moral
or intellectual qualification, as recent changes
indica'e. (.aughtcr)
Prof SlIlman.-Where did you put your
pivot, Sir =! (Laughtcr.)
Prof Rogers Abou, Cape Cod ;huh it is
fixed (More luughter.)
Prot Silman then observed that the change
Of level in New Haven Harbor must be owing
to other causes than merely the settling up Of
salt, as is generally supposed.
Mr.. Redfeld pointed out on the new chart of
New York Bay. where few years s,nce there
was 40 feet of water. it is now solid shore. This
was done by the continual abrasion ofihe ocean
agains, the boder shore of Jersey South OF
Sandy Hook; this was the principal source OF
supply for making sand.bars every where, and
10, what was brought down by rivers from up
the country.
The next day the Convention was chiefly oc-
cupicd with DR.. Reeds paper on the chain Of
crratic serpentine rock, in Berkshire, Mass,
The theory that this md other phenomena
proves the American conlinen, to have been
once submerged was discussed ana denounced
The President stated, in reference to these
rocks, that
"The chain begins at Canaan I'LL, Columbia
county, with the Tacose slate. The hills are
crowned by slate or grsywacke, bit melted &c
as to lose their slaty character. These are car.
rlcd down the hills and over hills, and we 90 or
down the valley between the Canaan and Rich
mond Hills, and there meet immense masse.
OF these rocks boulders--close to the State
line. We go on through Richmond valley
aud find 50 bIockt, 10000 cubic feet in size. a
bove ground; 90 on little South, cross Len
nox Mountain into another valley, and there
meet more boulders through StockbrIdge
East of Lcnnox Mountain, aud meet them q
gain, all Of the same geological character
Wi,hin about 900 rods of Canaan slate comes Il
the surface and heace proceeds another chair
parallel TO the hrst---not a specimen IN the val
ley between, but many South of the Southern
range. The metamorphic rock crowns tn
summit Of all. THIS is an intermediate rang
between the Talcosc slate ofthe. .'ralconc rang
aud the graywacke West Of the Hudson. Tn
only rock in situ in Richmond county is lime
These beuldcrs have no scratches; their ange
are perfect they have been brought by wa,e
and 'this side up with care seems 10 have bee
marked on them, and attended TO f; edge san
angles distinct, beyond belief. The range
80 miles long and only 20 rods wide. The hi
crossed by the boulLers is 100 feet higher thu
Clnaan Hill, the starting point. They iorI
an unbroken chain of rocks the largest al
most numerous of them are on the Eastern SID
of the hills they cross few are on the Yves
crn side
Professor Hitchcock said ii could no, be a.
counted ior on any known theory or driA no
,hnSa hnullpTs were ulnrp1 where they wer