The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-08-25

J have said that these two systems Of forces
Tho southeast and southwst-conrnusd 70 act
expansion Of ,bs oooiinens ana bringing nearly 20
It's adult extent Al The meeting Of this Association at
Providence pointed out the act that At the close Of the
me following period, The post tertiary, there we're high
hutuoe osciatons and endeavored 10 show thai ware
WAS hr. an elevation Of the continent over the north for
the nrst or glacial epoch then ubsdence Gas shewn by
the seashore deposits Lake Champ aim and the highest
terrace Of lakes and rvers) during lauren
height for Il. & or Ts.lsSs epoch ~ss
tner the elevation for the Drn epoch be admitted
or NOS al agree that the oscillation attending y was
nortnern Phenomena These several changes thus ar
feced mainly the ATTITUDES north OF the middle Of the
temperate zone, but lightly felt 70 the south Of
tnm Aremarkable fact that the coasts OF the Arctic
regions which have now been rather widely explored,
nave not presented any urassc, creaceoas or tertiary
deposits and there U.s. therefore, evidence Of their
having been 10 those eras under water. AZ far ~ known
there no tertiary on the coasts north Of Cape God All
deveiopement or growth seems 70 have ceased there
age. But there post.teary deposits in the Arctic
regions IN many places, situate hundreds Of feet
Above tne sea- containing shells Of existing arctic species
THIS alone independent Of other evidence, would prove
change in the conditions Of geological progress amer
theeftary period The necessary inference U.s. then, that
play and the extremes Of the continent there
by IN process Of growth there little change going
in the far North But when the continent was nearly
hnbhed, its extremetes grown, and the stability conao
quent upon adult age acquired them through series Of
oscillations, course Of Development carried In
continent action Sh;cb =. bs va exsain
3D. involved the higher attitudes about the whole sphere
five rightly apprehend the results OF the post tertiary
period we shall perceive thai there wss vast
IN these finishing operations the sphere thai during
drif took place covering hills and nains with earth
that the valleys for rivers then either made
vastly enlarged that immense alluval plains then
spread out In terraces over the interior and in flats
the shores that thus large part Of the brighter lea
lures Of the globe were educed; the mountains
1aats - alt nd
gained some thousands Of feet aimee the tertiary and
rivers true o.pine Of the mountaus taxing she, 4 e
nom the size OF the mountain ranges were sent on reno
waiting missions the breadth Of the continents In
the pos tertiary these interior wasrs hs% ~
power vastly beyond what the streams now exhbit-an
extent which Is yet Unexplained unless AZ
In their strenrth thew deeny ohanne,sd he sis Nd
wrought much Of the existing subnmity Of mount ain
architecture There was the elimination OF beauty aud
in striking contrast with he earlier operations Of roc
making and mountainlnng; for those very conditions
those surface details were developed which were rno,t
TO the PASTORAL md sgrcuturai pursut Of man
in patriarcha times while that grandeur was impressed
the earth that shculd tend to raise his soul above It's
surface
This transfer OF the process OF deyelopeuaeut from thu
exremes TO the mora northern regions thence evoly
ing hese new and more refined Qualities OF inorganic ma
tufe and humanizng the earth has parallel in organic
gro for the extremes are nsheo anc adult size az
tanned before the head being are fully
The analogy s fancul vet il is too Obvious parsIeism
to be left unsajd on that account
We shall understand more definitely the relations Of
these later to the older oscillations we consider that
all were due TO one grand cause influencing the whole
extent Of the continent even 70 the Arctic ocean that
the force from the north the south asst and the south
west accorc ing TO the principle Explained was propor
toned TO the sizes OF the oceans the Arc
tic the Atlantic and the Pacific that the greater foroes
om the southeast and southwest acted against thai from
the north and through their superiority OF Strength or
greater 1exbty of the crust kept up those vbraou in
the progress Of which the border mountains made
ceased through The stifeaDs AZ uplifting Of the crust
and then the weaker northern force having q stable
fucrum made itself felt in The long and slow osclstons
hardly fail see that all was part OF quo system Of
development.
Thus then, the continent. was completed Contraction
the power under Divine direction which led the
oscillations Of the crust tho varied successous in The
strsa and excavations OF the earth's e era after
era. Acting from the Atlantic and Pacific directions II
caused the southern proloDgahon Of the land from
the icy North 10 the tropics while il raised mountains
the BORDERS and helped TO spread the Interior with
plains, varied slopes and lakes. And, finally through
It's action over the North, the surface received It's last
touches, fitting II for o ago-thc age OF mind.
The CHAIR observed that some years ago he had
sketched rude outline Of the work which Professor
Dana had now completed N an admirable manner. He
compmented Professor Dana on the excellent paper he
nap lsso, ,oa -, or,,o r,ao,s,oo. ,bo p.os,,
CO. rsd Ia nud,aa NJ ~ v ~, =, ~ ~ ~,
~, ,osoas .h.onnh az s, - 49,, ~ 's 80 , s
pos ed 10 have taken place by which ocean bottoms have
become mountain ridges, and mount lin ridges ocean
.,o IA a . =. a ge opnion 'ha' no suen a'ef
Prof Iyxyly commented the theories OF Prof Dana
Prof. DANA was Of opinion that the atcrratons-whose
No a'a NOV Wholly oeen much
frof AaAsnz was sausfed ,hsi the earth had passed
through series Of progressive changes and developc
ments passing step by step from condition suited 10 the
lowest or Ter OF vertebrated animals TO that which
required for the highest treated being-man.
Prof swallow, Of Missouri, must insist on planting
an sland In Prof. Iana's ocean-an bland comprising
part of Northern Arkansas and Southern Missouri lie
could not spare that Island.
Prof DANA was net disposed 70 refuse admittance 10
the island.
Prof AGAss1z inquired after the hunchbacS on whose
back Cincinnati rested2
Prof. DANA was not informed on It's subject
Professor SWALLOW sad tina, Missouri contained tho
Oldest land IN the United States-the Missouri. iron
tain.
Professor DANA was aware tina, Professor Whitney had
sad 80.
Professor SWALLOW had heard the same thing stated
ty Professor Agassiz when be lectured In the West two
" three years ago.
Professor DANA made some further explanations.
Mr.. wooIwos1H on behalf Of the Local Commistee, In
vited the members Of the association present
entertainment givea by Mr. Robert Townsend that
ng He called thcm TO receive their tickets nj the desk