Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-09-20
TO THE EDITORS.

Messs GALrs srAros Your classical and chssie cor
respondent Mr. ScHErTERLr, appears 10 % under inc I'M
that have shown an unwilngnes cont the sub
ec, Of the subsistence Of oceans lakes and the formation
Of coral Islands, by zoophyte &C., and the elevations Of
ranges by gnsous causes, as well that Of islands,
large sandy plains and extent ofcounes, produced both by
and the subsistence the oceanic waters by zooPhye
formations &c On the contrary, have every disposition
to continue the subject particularly when am SO much The
gamer in receiving his valuable information and, although
must admit we differ in many points, yet in the essentials we
are side by side have not yet IN any OF my communca
tons admitted one alone producing inequalities on
the surface of the earth have merely introduced as one Of
the causes producing consequent effect igneous action pro-
ducins volcanoes earthquakes thermal springs, &c these
in their turn forming elevations islands, ranges OF mountains
and strata these effects produced from subsequent events
to the formation primitive strata, which, In consequence Of
their crystalline formation, cone gneous agency The
spherod formation Of the globe shows at some former period
ouiform state Thus far in parallel lines but IN
few smaller and important matters separate Tar apart one
of these is the formation Of ice, which will here point out
the second is the absorption Of the oceanic waters which
will illustrate by experiment
Our mutual friend Mr. Schettey advances the assertion
that ice formed at the bottom of lakes and ripers, and then
rises to surface Ue, Dalton, Blagden, NJ Guy Lusac and
d. Black assert and prove their assertions BY experiments na
water begins its expansion at 400 F. and continues to
pand until the accuar crystals completely formed INTO
solid ice and that the latter lighter than water As friend
Sche,ery objects using glass in any Of our experiments
we will humor his whim, and select non-conducng sub
stance We will select an ash bucket Of the worst
woody conductors Fill large and deep bucket with water,
select two Of Fahrenhe thermometers taking care that they
agree in all points, sink one to the bottom, and suspend the
other at the surface; place the bucket in the open a al
some point which will facilitate the formation Of zee IN
Jaw mues will be found the lower thermometer will be-
gin show increase of cold by falling This will indicate
that the cold surface sinking and the surface rising
This phenomenon will continue until the lower thermometer
sinks 4Oo when it will remain stationary. During the fall
ing the lower thermometer the upper will rise to the
temperature of the lower body of water presently the upper
instrument will indicate the number of degrees the
lower but at this point will be assumed. The
lower instrument will remain stationary 400, the upper in
sument will begin to fall rapidly to 320 the freezing point
when this shown, strike the bucket gently with the finger
and the ascular crystals will begin Immediately TO form at
the surface, until it covered with surface Of Ice the lower
instrument will continue 400 What to deduce from
this experiment First that ice cannot form in medium
than 32 and consequently cannot crystalline at the
bottom of lakes rivers SC, the water never arrives at the
freezing point bottom Mr. Schettery refers
bis sound reasoning deep thought and chasene oauguage
hopes be had in mature age corrected his youthful
ances This theory advanced by me inconsistent with
nature laws which carried out much grander ale
it possible for poor humanity to initiate and at best
come at her facts only by penny whistle
pertinent
Our friend and correspondent Mr. Schetey, appears to
be under apprehension that the hypothesis advanced
me will blow the world like alderman bloated
drunkad" Let here take the liberty to quiet his fears
my only object is prevent his reducing its dimensions
mustard seed. But let resume the subject.
is we'll KNOWN without further argument that water is
compressble. This fact mentioned in former
nicaton and is upon this principle that water is used
mechanical power but is known expand 400 and
32 and also 70o to exactly the bulk these the
equivalents of heat and cold in the expansion Of But
the other sde have known mechanical force that
will compress cubic foot of into cubic inch this
fact alone initiates against the contracbty of the earth
otherwise should the earth, by it's radiation, continue
tract, the would overflow it. Mr. Scheterly agrees
with that the waters subsdng Where then,
he find argument prove that the will not over
flow his land when the earth shnks upon herself This phe-
Of the expansion is beautifully and practically illus
ated in the meeting of the Of the Gulf Stream
and the Of the Polar Seas The greatest heat of the
oHedm US rs recoLeCt, ABOUT
arrival the tail of the Grand Banks of our northern
coast it falls TO about 75o. Here in the winter strikes and
mnges with the cold from the polar these
at temperature Of 32o If at this point cold contracted
and heat expanded the Of the gulf would increase in
velocity but the gulf 75o and the polar waters at
800 mnge and each retains the bulk of their separate
temperature and the dmnshes in velocity the same
ratio that it does at any other point. We ex-
anime second experiment. showing the absorption of
waters Sixty -four grains of distilled will be absorbed
BY eighty -four grains of ground plaster of paris without
creasng the bulk of the the plaster Of paris the
together weighing hundred and grains, and
both together occupying greater space than that of the
water and solid obtained Thus n small method de-
monstraUg the theory advanced by in the formation of
coral islands and the loss of oceanic water by abstraction
OF the foreign particles to the fresh Water
therefore lost well by absorption other heretofore
shown in my former communications.
Now, Messrs Editors the period has arrived when must
on this subject for the present. send you my p p c. as
well as your intelligent pleasant and learned correspond
emf, Mr. Schetery, who has been pleased compliment
weak arguments in this say, very pleasant discus
My natural ddnce forbds my giving the reasons
why am compelled reluctantly discontinue any further
discussion of the subject therefore leave the excuse with
yourselves who Of my various present occupations
viii remark, however, that my flag is nailed to the mast
head and flung the breeze and will be happy to receive
the whole of friend Schetteys broadsides bunderbuss
small and all, provided he is willing bide my time
return his salute even in blank cartridges. must bid