New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-08-18
NEw-YoRK DAILY TRIBUNE SATURDAY, AUGUST 10. 1856.

las in the edrcr we have reason for ref-rring the
gsier Part of tie elevation to tina, drift era and for
belle wing that The eIcayshop Of tbese ford valleys
w. iftr ~ VoeTtss. Both f"rds and diff are alike
III h-lauCe pheI Ouena on all the continents north
sno south. The change Of climate between the Gre
tee aid Ieffars and TO sserce OF tertiary Dds
Il, nth Of CsIe Cod ms, have ben connected with
III il ent siss in this hi b lattuce movement.
However This he, there Is other evidence IN the cold
Of the dr period Of some extraordinary cause of cold.
Tie drif il Europe ano Britain s generally attributed
10 glaciers and cebergs during period Of greater
cold hGn low and the fact of the greater cold is so
generally mi''od that il common 70 speak Of
Tie glacial epoch. Prof Agassz, moreover has
urI % for this oontir eni the glacial theory.
In utnoir Of great research by Mr. Hopkins OF
CImbldPe, FL gland the able author maintains thai
til. glacial cold might have been produced Eu-
Iopo, par at least by diversion OF the Gufstream
from lis present. pOs ion. Tie seens IN his paper TO
attribute too much effect to the Gulf stream and too
little 10 The prevailing currents Of the atmosphere
Int ting tbs aside il il unfortuna for the hypohe
sis that there IL reason to suppose that Au erica
WIS OF hen es much in the way of such diversion
as now Tie small changes Of ievd which the Ter
'iey and Post iertiar, OF the Gait have Undergone,
IToye u b the gate Of Daren early cloeed, and
Lac since continued closed America, as far rs ascer-
tanned facts 90 lac DOT been submerged 10 receive Tie
strdm over s surface. If it had bceA, il would have
given o'ber limits to her drift pt enomens; for i
IS imp rant fact that these inis 10 America and
Europe show he very same dferehces IN the climates
or in he iEoLerm sls as that Which now exists.
On the que ion OF the drift therefore seem 10 DO
forced 10 conclude that, whatever be the difficulties
We may encounter ON the conclusion the continent
Ngs subn ergcd, and therefore cebergs could no.
have been the main drift agents TIE period was
cold glacir eIo,h, AID the Increase Of cold was
probably produced by Gil increase in the extent and
elevation o. northern andf Further Than thIs, IN
the exIlaf aiiOn OF tee drit known facts hardly war
rsT our gong.
II then The diff epoch was period Of elevation, it
must beye been followed by deep submerge ace to
lr ug about the depression Of the Confident, already
oil cd n hon toad
Lale Cbsm lar and Hwhale was actually stranded on
its Cres aid when the uppere race of the nvers was
he lover river fiat OF the valleys.
Ills subnereC nee, judging from the elevated sea-
bts,Les snd tensce+, 400 TO 500 feet on the St
Lawrence ana Lehe Clamplaini 20 feet at Augusta,
Me; so feet Ct Ii b,c 80 fee at SancOti Heed, Nan
ticket over leo at BlOOhlyD n. Y and 200 to $50 in
cci troll NewEnl land, Just north OF Massachusetts;
vi iesOu b in South Carolina it was but 3 feet.
But Whence the waters to flood vallies 20 WIDE and
pIOdICe tie lrest auvia plains continuing the up
eI terrace immensely beyond the cepabity Of the
Ile,eni sueams7 PeJbaps as has been suggested for
Tie oie COniii en' from the melting of the de-
Ching secal epoch. The frequent absence of fine
srdifcbiioo, common III the material OF TINS upper
terrace, hes often been attributed 10 glacial Origin
According 10 this view, the events OF he Poet ter
sIy Period this country make single cOnsecuiive
serits GepenCent mainly on polar or h'gn-a tude
osciaiCns Al eavaiiOI for the first or GLACIAL epoch
a depression for the second or LAURESTIAS ePoch; a
mooGsie elevation again 10 tie present hight, for the
!hqrd OF IBRRAcE epoch.
qhe same sysieIn may, believe, be detected in
Furore; but Ike all the geology Of that continent II
is oonI liceted by mary cOlhici1g results and local
exc, Jti0I :, while No America, ~ have said, IS
Ike slgle unfolding flower in It's system OF evoiu
hons.
there If The grandeur Of nature in the simplicity 10
Which thus re- uce tne lstori 81 progress Of tho
continent. The prolonged # OsciDaos, acting
by Ir,ssure ON he southeast bent ath the Atlantic
Iesch Oh through immta-urable nses, Probiclng the
many clal les Of level through the Siukn and Devo
AitIWIr0 with greater frequency m Ele Oar DOLL
itrous and then, rising with quickened energy and
power, ioloiIg the rocks aud throsins up the long
Iaupe of tie AleacbiaLs with vast effusions OF heat
tIoul liz Tecked and tortured crust, next 20 on oe
Gin IS DE JEr, ssic and CrtaceOus periods pass,
ana finally fade out iii he Tertiary. The Northern
OSCILLATIONS, perhaps before IN progress, then begin to
exbbii HEN ,ftcls in the high temperate laDtudes,
az toDtiuuo The Human Era. The sinking Of Green
land low going Oh may he another turn M toe move
uont; rid il Is significant fact that While We have
10th ihGe ard in SWoGen northern changes OF level IN
r,cei,es such great secular movements have nowhere
Len detected the trop ;a parts of the continent
In GoCucrg ih,se cOncu-Vls | have only stated IN
Oider ilo facs Cevolo[ed by our geologiss. were
thee time for moro minute sufveS oil de'ah lne IT,
suite Guild stand forth in boder characters.
lie sublimiy Of these continental movements Is
lleat,y tlLhnceO when we extend our vision beyond
Lis comment 10 oiter parts If the worc. Ii can DO
10 ioItu ate coinCioei that has produced the pare
i'm between the Appalachian system and the great Tea
tuI, lines of Bntin, Norway ana blazn OF mar nus
covered The North and South alike with drift and
fOfGs Bat / viii lot wandor, although the held oil
s'uCy If tempting one.
In tins rtcn z out the fact that there has been
rab or syfum of deyelo ment IN the history OF hls
tltret 90 We separae tie Infinite Cna or from bis
HOlks Fer from IT. 10 more than IN ira ln5 The
Lsioiy Of plant. We bat study the method IN which
Eouf Oh, Sd irdOm es chOsen to act IN creation For
We Gun nos conceive that TO act without plan or order
l. ell or max Of divinity WISDOM aud assurcdly
il il for from Tie method of he God of the Universe
who Or flied All Mature with harmOnies; aud who has
exhibited his will aud exalted purpose a. much IN ne
NTH. 4 N all
oid,red evolution Of Il human being. and if man
from study Ing jbysi, al nature begins TO see only
deiy ol ply zeal Gttrihu es Of me poser aud mathe-
nhiios IL Las but 10 look wihil al the combination
Of tie afr ctiOIs with iutetct and ebSrve The later
e,oLir1 lis liz hes exaltutiors when thv former are
sulIeue % Discover dat The highest glory OF the
II, aior cousIrts in the infuiiude of he love.
Nv plan laid cut il view Of The limited time of n
sill e- ~ lpss, las led Inc 10 pass in silence many
FONTS hat 81 ee0 10 demand attention or criticisms
ard also 10 ave unhOticed the labOrs OF many sac
tossfui Inv ettgao.s.
Tlere aie son.o subjects, however, which bear on
eeI era Geology that should poss Ia brief revie"
!. lie 1901 formations IN America may IN general
b, shown TO be syncuIonous approximately With beds
In he EuloIean seilts. But II Is much more diicut
10 prove ttst catasuophes were syLch that Is
| revolution lni ing u Q eyes or periods
Tie rtvouuon closius the Azoic age, the rst we
distinctly obs. re in America Was probably nearly
uuiv,rshl over tle globe.
Al ebOch OF some oisutbaIoe between the Lower
ano iItr ii uiau is oOguized on both continents
Yet was less complete Ia the des iructOn of life Ia
Luoie Than L,T,-noIe leCies there surviving tho
tatus,rcl he and la his country there bnt iiiHe
Gil lat eu eut Oi the rCcks.
ib, Stu ian abo he DeyoIian ages each closed In
Au,rcA with 10 gTea.r Te, Ou.IOus han those minor
NOV eIn, Its which divided off the subo diLaie periods
m those dcee. Mr.. Hall observes that they blend
viii ole another and the latter ALTO with the Carbon
iitfous auC that there proof Of cOtemP )faDeOus
os,astIophic, giving them like limits lere and IN
I st...IH tl..r4f arUar fa Anna