New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-12-28


invitations which could they discover ne, would inev
iably pour in upon us ya',, Chesnutstree,
DR.. BOynIon'- second Lecture of his Regular
Course on Geology.
Tie Lecturer commenced by recurring o. the
process Of cooling by which the crust Of the Earth
formed BE- stated that the original crust thus
formed and consisted Of Granite rock which IL hence
the lowest foundation geological stratum. As this
crust gradually cooled off, is contracted upon the mel
I'd within, and by means Of this contraction i
either collapsed forming the beds Of lakes, OF pro
trudtd outward and upward forming elevated plains
and mountains. Hence the Granite rock is both the
lowest and the highest IN rs position Of all the geoi0gi
cal formations
Again the masses Of Granite rocks thrown Up ia the
form of mountains ia heated state must cool when
exposed o. the external atmosphere and In cooling
also contract, Cracks or seams were thus opened
ransversely across the spurs or chains OF the noun
tains, extending quite down 20 the luid mass beneath
Then by subsequent pressure Of that mass. inl-
sion Of melted minerals injected into those open
ngs forming the Traps Bssatc and POrphyric rocks.
This melted material came from deeper source than
the original Granite, being Of somewhat different
composition and thus were formed the dykes veins
which pervade the Granite rocks sometimes these
trap rocks themselves have again been broken BY inter
nal agitation and the openings filed by materials Of
sul different character, and doubtless from still lower
source bringing along with them the precious or the
bsser metsls which from their specific gravity would
sink lowest ia the melted mass beneath
The stratum OF rocks which lies next above the
original Granite il GHeiss Of which there j. layer Of
shout 900 feet surrounding the whole globe, where
toe rocks are found In their geological position. THIS
roca composed Of the same materials ~ the Granite
itsei but the Granite has been dsnegrated aud re-
c0mpsctcd into rock How did this decomposition
take place Doubtless by the action of upon the
heated surface Of the Granite When the shell Of The
earth began to cool and harden the temperature
the surface must have been such That the water which
now constitutes our ocean could only have existed u
the form Of sn extremely atenusted vapor, out with
the process of cooling md when the proper tempers
ture was attained, this yap0r condensed into the form
of water and coming 10 contact with the It'll heated
surface Of Granite rock would crumble Il into powder
which would be- Deposited IN horizontal and stratled
condition the bottom of the ocean, and boins sgan
acted upon by the heat from beneath would be harden
"a into rock Thus we're formed the Gneiss rocks,
which may be described as q secondary and sratihed
Granite
The component elements Of Granite are mica. field
spar and quartz All these elements recOmbne in the
Gness would be the case If the ddriHs OF the original
Granite undisnrbed by the action VI currents but
under the action OF currents these various materials
would be separated, and by the principal upon which
sand il washed from gold the lighter portions would be
ioated oil 10 distance and deposited by themselves
where their specific gravity the force OF the
current Thus these same elements, separated from
each other formed several new species OF rocks lying
above the Gness alternating in their relative positions
These the mica states, hOrnblende, quartz and
clay Sales.--future substances which, from their pechc
gravity would be held longest ia suspension by the
water being last deposited aud thus forming the upper
strata of the metamorphc group OF rocks
This u.s. apparently the great general principle which
has governed 10 this whole scale OF formations.
As stated in relation 10 the formation OF the Gness
itself these sediments were again. douotess acted
upon and converted into rock by the heat radatng from
| the melted within, and acting through the thln
crust OF Granite and Gneiss These are the highest
strata of rocks formed from sediments by the influence
of Ere An the rocks above the Metamorphic group
rising through series of strata OF from 40 OOO 70 JuOv
a.. Gin Ufe mi
In the subseouent lectures These rocks contain none
probably because organized being existed al that
stage in the waters Of the superintendent ocean or II
there such because the scton OF me neat mas zen
/ no trace OF their remains. These sediments, which
were thus converted into rock by heat are some oO
feet in depth and rose 10 that point when the Internal
heat of the earth ceased 20 act with sufficient power 20
change the sediments into rOck-the temperature Of
the ocean being consequently reduced also 70 such
degree that the lower forms Of vegetable and animal
life began TO be deyeoped-the remains OF winch as
above stated are found Ia the superior strata.
The rocks hitherto described being hrst formed and
older than those which remain 10 be described have
been subjected greater number OF the Commissions
OF Nature and are consequently found uted on lhoh
edges and distorted into every possible position
The Lecturer then went back to tortiy the position
that the interior OF the Earth not only al thst ear
period bat sstill in melted or igneous conauon ne
eide the thousands of extinct volcanoes on the surface
OF the Earth there at this day than three nun
bred that are now active and have from time 10 thle
within the period OF the history OF man emitted loi.n
OF ulll matter suiutliute ia t-H-.~N
ciently large 20 form immense rivers OF melted laNs
extending in instances hundred miles IN iensth
and twelve miles in breadth, melting down nlAs an
nlling uy valleys in their course and ouAaS Jul 'e
coat Tor several miles into the setting the ocean
boiling so that thousands OF fishes have risen u the
surface and been thrown upon the shorc oy tn7
of the heated and angry ocean sctusiy sooNsl an-
ready for the palate OF the epicure Loud snd long
continued applause .-.. .
Here the Lecturer displayed magnificent paintng OF
the crater Of the great Volcano OF O.hyhee lie lAeu
4 H. ehaFF Ha ~ 70
OF New York and gil its suburbs might rest upon ine
surface of lake OF boiling rock which - more tnAh
three miles in extent some twelve hundred ieel ovoN
edge OF the crater or upon the req MOI eI-st u "
AXE mich Ike thin sheet OF ice ever loving tlei
i constantly rising falling with swell from the IN
terror Of the Earth tie then spoke Of the elevation sho
depression Of Continents Islands and MOUNTAINS lne
Mountain OF Jorullo, IN Mexico was thrown Up 10 =
md tat less than 100 years ago % the hight OF 600
teeL and hss not cooled of yet while the foundations
of other high mountains have given way, and taey
have fallen through the OF our Planet their iorrer
locations being hllsd by the hmpd waters oi quei
axes The breaking through Of the door OF me oce an
and rs elevation hundreds OF feet above Us surface
producing islands in day a. various Po.nis-the ee
$50, of more than 80 miles 4 the Coast Of south
,.,.-i.s bv the throh OF earthQuAkc-tne gradus.
of one coast Of Norway and the coTrespone'
~ elevation of the other % The hight Of some ~ iret
carving with Il the remains oi anlinAs ol
iohs the Ocean snd many other similar pneh'in
- are cient - convince US that the tsrin a 81
auid Al the center and that the perpetual mountains
and the everlasting Hills instead OF being based Upon
solid upderpinnng rest upon yielclnk ioun-
~, ssv,s fart /, shown likewise by the phenomena
connected with the boring OF ArtssiAn Weiis And 'ne
sinking OF mines the temperature constantly lnoi
sbou, one degree for ever q feet OF de'eenL
a, ,nis -s,s water would BE AZ the boiling zeal a.
H,e more than one mile from the surface OF me earn
and Al the same ratio Of increase every AhoNu 80.
stance would BE- in aui condition a, less I2an 10
r,iIes below the surface Now should We a-IoN 'ns
- var me sud mass Of the earth 10 be 30 miles u
thickness. and then contrast the globe WITH Al egg, .
viii be found that the shell Of the egg Is IL. I'VE IN
thicker in proportion 70 the diameter than me ''u'
TIE Lecturer then closed BY observing, " nate
others NAV saw of the OF the coldness OF me ~eId
nave strong reasons for believing that she mas
heart yet" lGrea, applause
CONVICTED OF MURDER-The county ooSi !. :
Judge Lee presiding has been some DAYS snsse- =
| the t1Al of Henry Ellington indicted ior us r.
| of Wm z Lane near this city, In August l@sH =
/ L. a azsninr fund xerdlct of mela-I "