New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-02-13
TIE GLACIERS.
GroruRE By PROF. A0AssE ON THE ANCIENT
=. GLACIERS OF THE TROPICS.


ward the speaker received with applause de then
said:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: Under the pressure OF mate
ras crowdng for presentation at the close OF my last
lecture omitted two statements which l weuld now
supply the first place would say to those who seek
or relaxation and pleasure in travel that the valley oil
khe Amazon is at present accessible once month
from New-York in splendid steamers and from
Para twice monthfOr the whole length Of the Amazon
with accommodations comfortable that our best river
hnent want to make, Is for the benefit OF those who are
Booking for private COMMERCIAL Nstohs with BrQz ana
pcos Of the East ~ peppe tbe Glove the nutmeg,
osmphor and the like have been cultivated IN the
fage thet that country could under sfu
BAEe she benefit OF the commerce winch Is nov sf Ne
koall your attention TO the subject OF TINS eV9nnSS
Recture The Ancient Glaciers u1eI the pit %S
ttaohes to the study OF the glaciers II MOI RlS S
the study OF the glaciers was an sccae endned e 81
ous accommodations Of snow formed on the SUBMITS OF GER
s1 g Y 1e I'D not &n GO SgS6G
MAT which Is derived from the picturesque beauty OF
he study Of their formation the study Of the changes
which they undergo the study Of the greater exIen
tmes; the signs which have been traced OF
Sne pi1sesCe enc eon rbe t wTre Of Their former
resenoe very far from the regions where they occur at
hresent have satisfied biologists that our globe mas
undergone changes Of temperature when We6 NOT ~ az
Fuspeotod before these investigations were made ana
That there was time preceding Immediately the estab-
shmont Of the state Of things which prevails now upon
geological convusons which have made our earth what
IL during which the whole surface OF Ihe CLONE
WAS covered by masses OF ice as thick, as
extensive. as compact, as those which nova
t6St period of Intense cold would have followed those
hypertrOpca periods IN geological history WhlGh nave
f 40 Won see that the study glaciers may well de
berve attention. and tnat were II only 10 test the
Fee Inclined TO give me vor hearing during this evening
Iappausc IN order TO be able 10 track the glaciers
no Longer it is necessary 10 become acquainted with the
egns which they leave whore they have been when they
disappear to become familiar win me indications
tss ,os 5O'P gr9's sI%Sv ga @ s eF Gn S
lhe SUBMITS Of the Alps, where had the best opportuni
es Of studying the glaciers OF our days and then gradu
the glaciers themselves have moved and perhaps we
ehall see that even whore the tropical sun OF today
fhnes there was at one fine field Of ice extending over
bhe Valley Of the Amazon extending toward the Atlantic
hnd perhaps covering the TO such extent that the
Auestton may be fairly asked as II Is now ASKED az he
bOlar region whether there open water under the
EXTENSIVE. 1 am satisfied have the changes Of the
temperature upon the surface OF the globe been.
must have moded the surface Of the globe to the eS
kent Of excluding life from It's surfaceOf inerrupting
Ihe normal course Of the vital phenomena and preparing
khe surface of the earth orthe new creation which
tsts upon it. attach great importance in PHILOSOPHICAL
Fan be demonstrated that such was the condition Of
Iso S sbc and Of the descent Of the AMI
als that live now from those Of past days ia cut at
boot by this Winter which put an end to all living
beings the surface OF the globe. lApplausel
Now, what do we have The accumulation of snow
unto icy condition and descending from the nights
where snow falls into the regions where the ice and snow
nelt every Summer such are me glaciers and IN their
appearance they present unusual beauty. The snow
pWnlCh dccunlales ny ceiah gus aOOIc 'e ieNei ~
the sea- or on the plain WITHIN the Arches melts Only
tFhere the average temperature OF the year Is above ~
BE- the snow may accumulate and where large masses
accumulate the snow, II u moves from the place where
persture is above 50. This IS what takes
place in the Alps. We have unfortunately
There are glaciers only in Rocky Mountains and
Pie whole range Of high SUBMITS which extend rom The
America. varying IN hight according TO the average tenn
aOns the level az which the remains perpetuay
kbe ground is at the level Of the Aud TINS condition
ern part further to the south than in Europe North
western Asia ARD IRON het eye T GG a f9S@S 80
Negroes northern latitude IN Europe, the snow,
FAILS remain on the highlands at mSher ana ana
bearer the tropics the extent that under the tropics
eemPerate regions; uggK 1Ae Oh T. lgS4sS say az {e
Est the hight a. which the SHOW remains the 9934
Throughout the year IN the Alps Of swzerand ana {et
fhore is no uniformity in the level which per
bnanent. at which the GLACIERS come down into the
HE surface affect the local tempe0ture aud in many
localities which are as much as eight or nlpe
seS warm winds from the south may sweep in such
manner as 70 melt away the Winter snow early IN TIE
enisg Influence Of the w9Sm southern TGas 2gd on TIE
Ehe snow may remain permanently even below the
average level OF perpetual snow AND then owing 10
ations Of snow ipto lower valleys and though they there
meet higher climate, there is such mas Of snow that
q gS sEt5R o Il H e Tiy Il the
EhamOuni LOO feet above Tho level Of the sea- yOu see
thBse OF ice come down from the mountains. I'm
Some Of the other valleys OF the Benese Oberand the
snow asseend K ne9Iy LEI above the Level Of , tas
rs 5000 feet the line OF perpetual snow being little
hbOve 600 feet Now this accumulation OF masses Of
bee In certain particular valleys is owing to the form
bf the ground upon which TING argc masses " snow may
accumulate during the Winter Just az you see IN your
btreets here where has been drifted, ice VIII be
Termed 10y alternate tEansfOTmatiOn-by alternate tbaw-
ing and freezing Of that snow And this ice toped out
bf the may remain in these sheltered places much
longer than the in other parts In fact the fosa
Zion Of the glacier y very mr 70 the formation Of zee
khaDges which tue snow undeftoes during the alternate
qualifications OF the temperature: In order that snow
bgater falls from the shy, may be TansfCIme4 into
Ehe glacier ice, into these Compact masses OF ice,
place IN consequence of which the becomes filled
been pelted freezing with tnat which has remained in
lrrystalzed condition forms sort Of loose porous ice,
sDOwy which gradualyhy the repetition Of that pro
keSs, is Transformed INTO sold compact mass OF ice
Widely different from any ice formed by frost upon the
surface OF water Glacier lee has none OF the properties
Df ordinary ice except tat IT is frozen water fo IN is
ktructpre it is totally different When sheet OF ICE Is
formed upon the suIaee Dl ,ue secumu!aIIol o.
Tom, s6fstifes f96st at the very surface and
Iprnpg layer the whole surface Of the water,
IInd a1ualy growing in thickness by the successive ae
foundation OF similar layers, until the lower temperature
6hoet lee Of the thickness which the climatic CONDITION
Of the country may permit Aud That ice when examined
divisions layers which mark the successive stages Of
fost during the alienation = the temperature OF day
ARE above aud below 32 Fahrenheit Water freezes only
when tho temperature falls below but when irolen MAY