The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1854-10-26

foLcAFoEs:--EHRiR CAUsEs.-The gen
ersl theory embraced by some leading mel
Of science, (Says the Scientific American,
in reference to the cause of volcanoes, is
that they are the smoke-pipes of the grea
FIRE in the interior Of this earth. The,
believe that we live on the top of hug
white hot cauldron. and that volcanoes il
different partsofthe world are merely vent
of this internal FIRE. The following are III,
views of Prof. Silliman, of Yale College
on the subject, embraced in lecture re
Gently delivered in New York city:
"The internal heat of the earth is proy
ed by direct experiments. A gentleman
is still living in Paris, who first called the
attention of geologists and philosophers tc
this subject. He was one Of the most sci.
entific men who accompanied Napoleon tt
Egypt, when he went on that expedition
for Napoleon took with him not only the
weapons of war, but be took mnch more
important cohort-thatis is, men of science
and art, and literature, able to explore an
examine all the antiquities Of that most
important and venerable country. A great
literary work resulted from hisexpedition
which proved to the world that the interior
OF the earth was in heated state, bring.
ing together facts already known, in regard
to mines and springs: This general prin.
cipal announced, has been followed up re.
peatedly by deep borings called artesian
Wells, The very deep well in Paris had
been worked upon for seven years, without
reaching water, when Argo came forward,
and gave the Government assurance that il
they continue the work and 90 on through
the beds of fchalk, they would in all prob
ability, find water. They continued their
work till they got through the chalk, when
the water rose up in great volume OF
twelve feet. This water still flows there,
and doubtless will continue to flow till the
end of time. This water was, likewise,
found to be hot. ..
Many other artesian wells have been
made all over Europe, for various purposes,
and the uniform results has been, that we
find the earth increasing in heat the lower
we go down. Add tothis the testimon Of
those who work in very deep mines, and
we ascertain the fact that the rate of heat
increases about one degree to every fifty
feet of descent; SO that if we were to 90
down two miles, we should find boiling
water, and at ten miles we might reasonably
expect to find ignited rocks. Is all, then
beneath us on fire? am not prepared to
say, with some, that this is the case, al
though there is strong evidence to Justify
such theory. Witness the Geysers OIL
Iceland, where hot waters are gushing up
from the earth age after age and century
after century. The result Of all observa.
tions on springs goes to show that they are
thermal-that is, Of higher temperature
The Azores present very important fact
in example. The hot springs of Lucca, in
the Appenine Mountains are large spout
ing springs, of high temperature, SO CO.
pious that they may be relied upon for hot
baths all the year round Another case is
the hot springs of Bath, in England. These
are the more remarkable, as there are no
volcanoes in the British Islands. We know
that, from the time of the Romans, these
waters have never ceased to gush up in
vast abundance.
"The hot springs of the Rocky Noun
tains are also very important, and the great
Salt Lake in and the thermal, we have from
these sources the best evidence of the heat
ed temperature of the internal portion of the
earth, and this is placed beyond all ques-
ton, by the great volcanoes in the world
And here we have decisive evidence that
the heat which will melt the solid rock is
not connected with any external cause; fol
among the cold, icy mountains, there are
volcanoes bursting up to the height of 12,.
600 feet.
"In Spain and South America we find
great volcanoes bursting out The fact is,
the world is on fire. 1t was kindled at the
time of its creation, and has been burning
ever since"
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