The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1855-06-06
ID the Centre Of the Earth a Mass
Of Fire.

NJ any men OF scientific attain ments be.
lieve and teach that the materisls of our
globe were once in q red hot molten state,
aud that the interior OF the earth is now
fluid mass Of fiery matter. ltisa q hypoths.
sis which is taught in our colleges, and
found TO prevail among those who have
been termed '.the learned in the specula.
tive Sciences" Those who teach this
hypothesis, have calculated the globes
crust to be only about sixty miles in thick.
ness. In describing the primitive eondi.
ton OF the earth. they assert, tina. At one
time all its matter existed in state Of
gas; then, "there came physical and chem
ical action (ioose expressions in the nebu.s
lous mass. producing light and heat, oaus..
ing general confagration, which result.
ed in the formation Of the mineral mass
that compasses our globe.' .'lt 10 gen.
orally admitted" says the Rev. John O..
Means, in The Bibliosheca Sacra tor April
last. "by geologists. that the result Of these
chemical combinations producing COM,
bustion, was melted incandescent body.
which. by radiation, became solid in the
exterior only; thus solid crust was form.
ed covering a burning fluid mass." The
proofs adduced for this interior fire are
volcanoes, hos springs, and the increase
Of heat in deep mines. Those who teach
this hypothesis, also assert, that tho sun,
on account Of its immense size, has moi
yet cooled down to the condition Of our
globe. but it is passing slowly into that
condition; hence period must arrive-if
true-whsn the sun will cease to give
light, and when it will become dark
body. Strange as it may appear, howev.
er, the Rev.I O. Means, who believes
in this theory SO heartily, confu,es himself
in stating what he believes is the cause Of
the solar light, by attributing il to az at.
mosphere Of burning gas, the sun itself
being a dark central body" II it be true
that the sun has an atmosphere OF burn.
ing luminous gas, and his body is a dark
object, no stronger argument could be
presented against the sun ever being o
molten fiery mass.
If the matter Of which our globe is com.
posed was onoe in state Of gas, we do
not know Of any chemical law whereby
| it could have become molten burning
mass. All chemical laws are opposed to
such view OF the question. Matter 10 q
gaseous state becomes fluid by giving out
great quantities Of heat; it contains less
heat in fluid or solid than gaseous
state. Steam gives out about one thou.
sand degrees OF heat in becoming water.
If our globe was once in state of gas,
| what has become Of the immense amount
OF heat which must have been given out
when it became fluid. 1t could not be-
come hotter than it was in q state OF gas,
excepting by compression. the same as
air is compressed in condenser for OK.
perimental purposes.
| There is no positive evidence that this
earth was ever in molten state, or that
| its central part is now mass Of FIRE.
The granitio rocks do not exhibit the
marks OF FIRE. If this earth had been
once molten mass. they would be a
homogeneous Stag, composed Of all the
known metals and minerals, but such 10
not their composition. dl3-3
| There is also no positive evidence that
/ the water in thermal springs is heated by
an internal fire in the earth, or thai mines.
/ from the same casse, become warmer as
they increase in depth. The practical
scientific miners Of Cornwall attribute the
temperature Of mines to the decomposi.
ton Of minerals therein. The copper
mines are hotter than the lead mines, and
the former mines become cooler as the
ore diminishes, although they may be IN.
creasing in depth. The waters Of certain
mines once hot have become cool as the
ore diminished aud the shafts descended
| Water flowing through mines containing
iron and copper pyrites, must produce de-
, composition and generate great heat; This
is proof against the internal heat Of the
earth being the cause Of hot water springs
/ and heat in mines.