New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-09-01

least around the entire area extending from eaSh poe To-
ward the equator for indefinite distanGes es snd
den intense Winter that was also last for ages ie
upon our globe" OF late the disposition mas pee more
ara Sn S prevalent phsn6md among & fcrRn
clusively hy reference 20 the hCuou M a. 10
1t was found after some years OF eG OF the sur
California concerned the phehPdhSt Of eTplana
face geology not eXpicated or duhDu. on oPp,i
u9, so i az ibe STATE noibjng which be called
Northern drift" no body OF dctrtal mateila ~
in the Northern Atlantic States and through Canda ana
in the region OF the Great Lakes. . . r,,,,h 60 ar
that the surface detritus is local IN us chaacte anu
that il has been moved over the C9un eAcePt n
manner strictly subordinate 70 lis ee ta' ID " 'ho
position OF tho mountain chains and Valleys g., -.
Prof Whitney in closing said that 50 !h as ~ Evil
there are glacial marks IN the FAR Noftn eAVeL SUN
as are traceable to the high mountains III Tue vei1y
and when the coast and country geneIip @ o"' "0i'
That the glacial period on the wost side OF this con-
tinent was either synchronous with or Ioo"en ~ a
Basin These lakes resemble those now existing IN inc
upper Rocky Mountains in British Columbia ,,.o.,ou
The existence OF lakes is not necessarily an ihuoaou
Of regions having been exposed TO giacihl aello
lakes and OF any great Size we're 80 produced
reason why lakes do not usually occur IN any except
northern regions is that the evaporation 700 great 70
allow standing water to remain. e,.--.. .,,..u.u ,r.
AsWe ascend high up into the Sierras, however, we
find abundant evidence OF the existence OF ice IN the
OF glaciers, and OF the usual effects OF thtse sush
asmoraines polished and rounded suriacesand stae All
glaciers have disappeared, ana IL is nOt known na1
there is within the limits OF the United states anything
course excepted.
South OF $50 80 there has been found no evidence Of
glacial action, and / convinced that glaciers could
not have reached below that point There Is no place
in the world where the action OF gaoers can be so wen
studied as I'm California The polish and stTiatlOn are
st plain upon the rocks Acua! glaciers are not known
Eyidentiy lakes are primarily dependent for their
isteuce the meteorological condition OF the region IN
which they occur Nevada once exhibedthe same Won
derful network Of lakes which British Columbia now
does, which have disappeared under some clatOlOglo
change and left only dry valleys in their place.
into which greater amount OF water is poured or pre-
opitaed than can escape at me outlet dheTe
which should be very deep lake, surrounded as It Is ny
lofty mountains; but the quantity OF rain falling Ia TINS
region small and the evaporation 80 great that II
remains dry alkah fiat in the Summer, ana muddy
saltwater marsh in the Winter melting snow on the ao
iacent mountains keeping II moist IL suddenly IA much
rain were TO fall there as now fails IN NewEngah1 anu
the evaporation should DO reduced IN proportion DeaI
Valley would be inland sea, 40 miles long, ana 10
speakng OF coasts he said that from Chill to British
Columbia, distance Of more than 1000 mes' there 10
hardly than good haThOr the Bay OF san ftl-
CISCO This fact lns immensely retarded the prosperity
t hot rn9 rnn We see that deeply indented coasts
are chiefly limited TO high attitudes and that they occur
in much greater Development to the north OF the equator
than to the souh that lords and deep ndental0ns occur
only where high mountain range comes near 70 the sea-
tsi ho mos, deepy mdened coasts are on the side
OF such range OF mountains. Tho want of harb0rs on
the Pacific Coast shows that the coast has always been
UNDERGOING uphcayal u aepressiUh o. iV ge deem
and narrow n0rds running up luto me slerras. -.
The following Interesting items OF the business trans
acted AT the evening meeting have reached me The two
vacancies in the list Of 90 members were tled by the
election OF DR. simpson, Secretary Of the Chicago Aoad-
cmy OF Sciences and Prot Edward Tuckerman Of Am
herst Mass The next meeting was appointed at Wash
ington D. c. on the second Tuesday IN April The Tooth
asterod discovered by Prof Watson, member OF tho
Academy was named by the Academy, AT his request,
"Hccat6" The student OF Greek numerals will see the
point Of this naine The 0lst aseTOd also discovered
by Prof Watson, has been named Helena by Dr. b. A.
Could, at his request
With tho business meeting the ontiro session closed
Most OF the members will leave town tomorrow, ana
those Of who have made their acquaintance VIII soma
our good wishes after them.