New-York tribune., 1870-08-25
MODERN SCIENCE.
,.,,,, ,,rp1cAN ASSOCIATION.

MI AuE-PROF. AGASSH ON THE "hiib
MoUNTAIN GLACIRRs-soIAR CLASSES
TRoY. N. Y, Aug. &:-The afternoon SEES
.ons Of sections and B. yesterday we're for the hrst
, suriue the Convention sparsely attended both rs
members and spectators. Countless sub-cenm .fces |
,attered all over the sucenty aecounted for the
.lim attendance. One Committee headed by Dr. Hunt
visited the extensive works of Mr Grswcld On
speclal invitation Of that gentleman.
PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION A.
The Epv George A. IAatin of Baltimore, read paper
ON the "substitution Of General Laws for speeai ns
la.ion." Formerly special application for any -,
OF bank charter necessary, and cons"queny ,sIa
was D oorrupting pressure TO innuen0o - ~ ga |
tureL But In some States all TINS is cha"e0e
a charter can be had by previously aetermheu
general laws the great advantage Oh suon .N., m"s
that they can more be pripeu 'nan s',,sOs s'a'
Now why not extend this principle TO other
Considerable debate followed this contribution; 'no
30 the suthor were not always agreed with, and
a, ,o, seemed to be voted down. The next paper was
nv prof suman on The Examination OF the Bessemer
Flame with the Chromopurometer" The Instrument
consists three glasses two OF light yellow and one OF
deep bue Through this combination at the beginning
f the process the flame deep crimson and extends
but n short distance from the converter AS the blow
proeresses the flame lengthens, and is OF paler tint
with purpish border. There is deep crimson band
process In the second period wreath OF crimson sur sur
rounds the flame where IL strikes the chimney ana ene
@qpa @ SSTy SGTafF des towSTd 20 the Close of the process
ar sfS a. tSe Se me Suddenly disappears
leaves only stream Of n0nlluminatng gas as at FIRST
The crimson appearance at the beginning and termna
ton the blow owing to the cooling OF the name ny
The Of these glasses the changes III the
only requiring two three seconds to reduce IL from
vaions made with the speetroseope and colored
gaeses ana me eoineldenees at re o ginning anu 'ei
PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION d.
The paper of greatest Importance was that OF Prof.
ASasz ION existence of Local Glaciers In the
White Mou ntains," read by his friend, Prof Perry
Twenty-three years ago, says Prof Agassiz, when
frst visited the White Mountains, noticed unmisak-
able evidence Of local glaciers have not any detailed
account Of my observations Tor tne reason sss ooe b
mot thSn pq any d % e indicative of White
Mountain glaciers. This year. prolonged stay among
more closely aud can show that the drift socaled
has the general characteristics on the northern ana
fore may have been the number 4ina Oh dur,ns nS
higher peaks which at any ny ynat ice sheet Which
then country this mountain range offered no
ern ice fields. On the north of these mountains as Wen
TO the SOUTH the northern DRIFT consists OF Pssee %
less cayey or sandy containing apraaeu idaS
great variety OF rocks SO mPacted as 70 aihs @
form sze or Weight Large powders ana pebbles Of all
found, and these cOarser materials have evil
under great pressure beneath heavy masses of
ice FOR they bear E oso m the FAMILIAR shsrceo T %sEk SaCs
seiion such as scratches grooves, fTTSrows etc
change in their direction that the fragments on which
they occur though held for time in position while
these straight lines were engraved upon the surface
changed that position more or less frequently few
htter Fragments with more angular outlines show only
one KIND OF scratches, having evidently been held for
longer time in the same position This drift however 1t
may bury different localities in meteorological compo
Bents exhibits everywhere the same Characteristic treat
R,gky Mountains, and beyond, in the White Mountains
REGION has the same mneralogical character rests
surface 1oc rs tHs
materials those above described so combined,
exhibiting characters in their surface, and hav
ng tine same diversity Of composition occur now at the
else being found between the ice and the rocks
"Tound moraines" because they always resting
the rock and the under surface OF thece Our tp
with the ground moraines OF the present day differing
only in its greater extension l Is IN fact ground mo
The great ice sheet of the glacial period which has fash
distTibHton It is very important to distinguish this
drif, the moraines formed under other circqm
stances, and from the sO-ceed erratcs ana perched
blocks Morines commonly understood, that is, late
raj and frontal noraines, consisting of loose materials
collected along the side and at the terminus OF glacier
always indicates and where uudlsturbed, actually de-
socaed medear moaines formed along the lines of the
junction OF the glaciers are carried upon upper surfaces
materials, the shape and aITangeIaent OF which
Tae Wostern slope Of this continent have not exam
mod cannot speak certainly. The great angular ir
Of that period were scattered ireguary over the
country the few large bowldesr are scattered on the
upper surface Of the eacia row II Is the contact act OF
able to trace in the White Mountains this Sum-
tracing OF the errutees to their origin far more
Identification Of the origin OF the ordinary drift
problem followed from distance to distance to the
ledge d, sifW from which they were detached Now in
the typical northern drift large erratic powders,
well lateral frontal and medean Woraines careful
oame from the White Mountains, and not from the
northern regions since they oyere the drift which they
have only here and there removed or modified. The
lateral mOranes III these regions may be seen along
the mFsdes hanklng the south branch OF the Amonoo
north OF the village OF Franconia The best medean
nuTaines 70 the cast of Bicket and Round lils.
nese LONGITUDINAL mOraines are more particularly inter-
estng as Connecting the erratic powders
side Of the FrancOna range with that mountain mass,
and showing that they are northern powders
ported southwark But by far the significant facts
showing the great extent OF the local glaciers OF the
White Mountain range, well the most accessible and
easily recognized, by travellers not very familiar
with glacial phenomena, are the terminal moranes to
head Of the Amonsuc River. The lane starting from
BethIebemst, following the cemetery for short dis
moranes in track Of about two miles. Some of these
moranes distinct the Alpine in Switzerland,
moy,ns from te south nortward This i indicated by
their abrupt southward slope facing toward the Fran
coma Range, while their northern face has much
gentler descent. The sleeper slope of a moraine is
always that resting against glacier while the outer
morae then, well their position. show that they
have come down rom the Franeona Mountains It win be
had retreaed 10 the wall which encirces the Fraconia
more protected valley within which the ranges must
have made halt and accumulated at this point south
and west Of the Saddle of Picket HILL very large
terminal mOraine. This moraine actually exists |
20 the pres day and Is OF the most characteristic
Prom the moment the glaciers were reduced |
80 the level OF Francona bottom It suddenly vanished
other long terminal moraines are seen between the
ars ane p n e higher pig % range Of Franeenia
White Mountains, and on the whole region adjacent |
These facts taken in relation with those enumerated be-
fore that there local glaciers on tho northern
well the southern slopes OF the White Mountains
ranges those the northern slopes moving norfhward
ana those the southern slopes southward ON some