The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-04-09
GEOLOGY AND CHRISTIANITY.
The Bowels or the Earth-Eo InteFI.
or Molten Mass. i


The Bowels or the Earth-Eo InterI-
or Molten Mass.
The biologists are in trouble. They
can not settle the foundation princi-
pies of their favorite science. After a
long and hard struggle between the
aqueous and igneous theories of the
earth's. formation, it was generally
supposed that the igneous had won
the day, at least so far az relates
to the order of their worship. If any
| thing was supposed to De settled in ge-
oIogy, il was that the center of the
earth has been, or is. in a molten state,
and that the granite rocks are unstrati-
fed and give evidence of having been
formed under great pressure and in
tense heat. Earthquakes and Volca-
noes were referred to as proofs of this
great internal heat, and the p%rotru-
sion of trap rock as a proof of the
molten state. On this granite as a
solid foundation, the stFatifed rocks
were supposed to rest, though OF ne
cessity the order is generally dis
turbed by the long action of subter-
ranean forces.
l 4 Dub bH6 1~OuuQdllOu GGCku6 1T 4dSb
falling through. The aqueous theory
was al a new triumph, and Is dry
ing its rival from the field. Granite
is found to be not of igneous. but of
aqueous formation. Some years ago,
q Mr.. Evan Hopkins, of England,
preached anew theory, and attempted
to prove, on scientific principles, that
granite was formed not horizontally,
but vertically, and rot by heat and
pressure, but by solution and magnet
ism. His speculatiOns at first at
tracted little attention, and excited
much derision, but they have grad
ually attained the assent of many
masters in the science.
Professor Thompson, by rapid
mathematical reasoning from we'll
known physical laws, also proved
that the existence Of a liquid ocean
in the interior of the earth was sim
ply impossible. He declared it to be
a physical necessity that ''the interior
must be even more rigid than the SUI
~pericial parts"
Leading biologists are frankly sur.
rendering the old theory, and Prefes,
I 5rTIIsh Association in 1869, y :
"Geologists, until recently, have spo-
ken Of granite as a primitive rock, as
the nucleus of the earth, and as hav-
ing been from time to time erupted
playing IN important part 10 the dis
turbances by which the general frame
work of the earth is supposed to have
been constructed" ra
The observations of Daubree and
Sorby show that all true granite has
been elaborated with water, under
great pressure. and a temperature
below melting heat; that il has nei-
ther been elected, nor has it formed a
frame work. There arc GRANTEES of
all ages and of many kinds. Numer-
GUS observations show that granite al
ternates with, and passes into strait
fed rocks. and hal it's production
does not necessarily involve d~estruc-
ton and obliteration of all the STRAIT
lifted rocks with which it is associated.
This view of the nature of granite
will greatly affect the theories of geol.
ogy. sd a1
This is no longer a matter of the
DRY, but of demonstration. Granite
cannot have an igneous origin.
Chemists testify that the laws of
chemical action disproVe it. The
presence of black lead in granite and
gneiss is inconsistent with melting
heat, for black lead is pure carbon,
and would have beon reduced to ashes
by heat, and In turn would have also
reduced thu mica and h~ornblende, as
carbon always operates on silicates
in blast furnaces.
The chemists also testify that if
the GRANTEES were once in a melted
state the magnetic iron ore in them
would have united with the silicates.
forming a V~itieous instead of a crys-
talline rock. Attempts have been
made to resolve granite by heat into
| what is regarded as its original state,
| but they failed utterly. 1t would not
melt. Its crystals gradually decom-
| posed or turned into block glass, con-
frming the opinions of the chemical
critics. . 7a1 e
The laws of gravity also bear wit
ness against the igneous origin. As
the Annaat of Scientific Discovery
says: "lf granite were once in a mol
ten condition, then, as it cooled in the
first place, quartz must have crystal
lied out, and would have sunk down
Though the still molten, while mass
feldspar and mica must have crystal
lied at a much later stage of cooling,
as the necessary consequence of their
different degrees of fusibility."
AS a last and conclusive stage Of
proof that granite is of aqueous and
not of igneous origin, chemists have
succeeded in producing feldspar, the
base of granite, from solutions of kao-
lin and alkaline silicates in heated
water, and as il is generally conceded
that mica and quartz, the other prin-
cipal ingredients, are aqueous deposits.
the demonstrations may be regarded
as complete. 6a
The science of geology, therefore.
will need a thorough reconstruction.
If tho igneous origin of granite is
given up, the idea of a molten mass
at the earth's center will also he
abandoned. IF this intense central
heat be exploded, the for a
gradual cooling of the earth from the
ire-mist will limp badly, and tie La
place theory of physical DEVELOPMENT
viii lose all probability. And still
further, if the GRANTEES are not the
most ancient formations, but are often
of modern dates, intermingled with