New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-02-21
SKETCHES OF LECTURES.
Water.
BY PRoF. sIILisAN.

BY PRoF. siLLisAN,
On Thursday evening another of the Brock
lxn Ins,,u,e lectures was delivered by Prof sIIlixAS
whose ,ueiee. was Water its natural history. and
its relations 20 human wants health and long hse; In
Guiding Observations on the Alpine Glaciers" The
room, wss completely flied By the sudiepce lie CON,
rn,neei by some remarks Of scientific Character
upon subjects emitted a, previous lecture including
comments upon Chemistry. The gases received a..
,entor especially those used for light Burning estz
received particular notice. he warned hrs hearen
against their use. They are q mixture OF spirts Of
turpeniine and alcohol The mixture may be called
cauIpheue Snd thereby deceive those that use R wAs
they knew is dangerous qualities, would discard the
duid The ecursr also spoke Of various aeesden, usa
ally called "csmphene explosions" which had ec
Cured from the of this compound. particularly
when servants. children and others who may be Z.
moran, of is Qualities the article lie concluded
his remarks on this topic Of his lecture by dssng pe
ple not 10 use these dangerous fluids.
Water he SPOKE OF a. one OF the indispensable pro
visions Of God in nStrre. No ether rrid VIII saswsr
the purposes for which this is designed 10 Ia mid plato
and refreshing snd not stimulating 10 the system u
young men desire possess clear minds, sosd muscles
strong rerves lorg he &C. use no other drink out good
cold water aId avoid tol scco, strong drnks and All
kinds Of stimuants With such habits you VIII nee moth
ing but rest and rray reasonably hope for hong ma
As 10 himself the lecturer said he used water daily W.
Al
po,vi,hstsnding his advanced years. Hs eye was not
so much as dnmCd in IT'S sight lie spoke with regret
of the dissipation OF many OF the young men OF The
present day who destroying strength and health.
srd sbor,epuc existence by such course Of fe Most
men ne said cut short their days BY such freedom OF
living IL was common that the of stimulsf-
ing drugs or OF th Nse medicines In which opium 10
ingredient incies appetite for strong drink Wxsr
Is also the medium of commercial Intercourse be
tween the nations Of the earth. While Il divides
nations by its expanse, lt unites them through is
-b,,,at rpfth fesi with
nerce Glide across the pillows from shore 10 shore.
And there are aeets OF armed ships; hu, he hopedhe
dsy would soon come when no ships OF war wii nost
upon the oceans of the world Water ~ the cheapest
DOW er in the world IL gushes forth among
the mountains and bills, and ows down iao the valleys
creating waterpower for mechanical purposes Ihs
country sbOunds in such opportunities made BY nature.
but in Europe there are many stupendons slaeauct,
built by man for the convey OF water for hydraulic
POWER Water, converted into steam was next re-
marked upon How little did the first expermenter In
steam suspect the result already reschedf Prof. sun
man also spoke OF the abundance otgood water and easy
ell parts OF this country rs eontrasted win
popuous parts OF Europe For instance me Ar'es'as
well from which Paris Ia supplied VITA water was sunk
10 depth of 500 feet before supply of water was
found well in Flanders sunk TO depth OF 3oO0
feet and supply Of water has ever since Issued
from in copous volumes which u IN OF
the theory OF the interior heat of the earth The lee
also remarked with eloquencc upon thc beauty OF
Water as an element in the st0rn-in the clouds and
rain and in the scenery of the earth It's prospect "a
beautiful whether seen in the white fosmng cascade
the ripplng riyulet the moving river current the
,ionless lake or the dark pillows OF the ocean. The
shower of ram and the mist and the beautiful display
caused by the contact of sunlight with the spray the
snow.ake also noticed. The agency OF Water upon
the vegetation of the Earth Sas explained Water
yered into il fast changing the relations OF the
nations OF the Earth Its appication motive power
for shipping has practically reduced the width oi the
Atlantic Ocean two thirds The of steam not only
secures speed the commercial craft but nsurrs safety
from storms and icebozgs and moves the vessel Its
course in spite OF tide and winds to the contrary The
interesting part of the 6ect OF water the for
nation of glaciers-of which he spoke NJ some length.
and in illustration OF which he presented two maps
exhibiting views of glaciers among the rounains and
rocks of the Alps range Glaciers exist on the Andes
| Alps HimRlayss, Apprentices, Pyrenecs, Cancas,e The
/ Rocky Mountains, and upon other ranges. In SwM
| zerand glaciers come down into tho meadows
in sumner time ind person may stand picking cher
res from tree while foot may be upon glacier.
! The speaker raw one which came down into meadow
where cutting grass and whctting scythes.
| The movement, of these glaciers IL very slow. They
have been found by to one foot per
day. and thus they travel for until they reach
| the valleys They are undoubtedly loosened by the
| water which, when thaws occur finds It's way TO the
base these rocks OF ice and they become pongy ssd
slowly down. by the power Of gravity, carrying
the rocks with them and descending In avalanche
upon the vslies below He spoke, In conclusion OF
Of granite about 90 feet long by 40 feet wide aud
"a feet high which lies upon sandstone, and evidently
Travelled all the distance between Chamouny and ne
valley efGcnevs, which are 30 miles apart
The lecture attentively listened 10 throughout,
and frequently applauded during its delivery.