Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1871-04-28
geisHti6e.
DOES THE EaRTH'S CRUST VI
BRaTE?

DnAiE
The Attraction Of the Sun anG
1Teon Sets up Waves in ouI
Eirni set BaII-An Ingenious
MaryIaudcT's Mode Of Account
ing for Earthquakes and ether
Disturbances.
Mr.. William T. Steiger, of Mary
land, has communicated in letters to
Hon. Charles Mason and Professor a.
Il. ROessler, of Washington, the re-
suits of some ingenious experiments
upon the changes in the direction OF
gravity and its conclusions from them.
The latter gentleman, who is United
States geolOgist, referred the letters 10
the Liberal Club, where they were
read the other night, but have not yet
been discussed. Mr.. Steiger's general
conclusions are as follows:
A-That there is general vibratory
movement or elOngatiOn of the whole
crust of the earth, which movement is
necessarily SOW, and depends upon
the aggregate action of our planetary
system.
B-That in addition to this move
ment there is another, due to the di-
rect action of the sun and moon, the
power of the former being derived
from its immensely superior size, and
that of the latter from its proximity
to our globe
C-That these regular elongatiOns
are accompanied by irregular distur-
Dances, attributable to local causes,
chiefly changes Of atmospheric press
ure, and gradual accIetiOns and sudden
diminutions of the internal matter
:he crust.
Careful observations upon bullets
suspended by silk fibre to poles firmly
fixed in the ground. shaded from the
wind, and swinging freely, as well as
upon accurately adjusted dipping-nee-
dies first suggested to this Observers
mind that the earth is a plastic
body, yielding to external forces, and
changing its contour constantly in
obedience to their attractions. That
independently of the tides of the
ocean there are also two or more tides
o. the whole crust in each twenty-four
hours, which tides are in themselves
insensible earthquakes and rise to
height, and occur at times, depending
upon the relative position of the sun,
moon, and planets. If these points
can be demonstrated by further Obser-
vations the following Important con-
Of his hypothesis are thrown
out by the author:
l. 1t confirms the nebular theory
and the liquified condition of our
planet.
2. 1t will throw light upon the caus-
es of earthquakes or violent undula-
ti0ns of the crust; these, in accordance
with the true pathological theory, be-
i g only nrolOngatious of the mild
disturbances which normally take
place.
3. It will account for the sO-called
heap" of tides.
4. 1t will go far to explain the cause
of storms and irregular winds, and
why storms move in curved lines as
recently ascertained.
5. The extraordinary risings and
and fallings of the barometer are in
part due to this cause: and
6. 1t may 90 far to account for the
conflicts and disagreements in those
delicate astronomical observations as
cribed to defective mechanical con-
struction of the instruments or clum-
sy manipulation of them.
d The importance of these cOnse-
quences to the progress of general sci
ence will doubtless cause this hypothe-
sis. which seems very plausible, espe-
ciaIly as relating to earthquakes, to be
carefully inquired into by competent
physicists.