The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-07-16
Instability of the Earth's Surface.
From the Scientific Americana


IFrom the Scientific Americana
We are so accustomed to consider the
solid earth to be the type of perfect sta
bility that it requires quite an effort of
the mind to elevate itself to the thought
that even the rocks, which appear TO be
the foundation on which everything else
rests, are of an unstable nature, subject
to upheavals, depressions, and disl1ca-
tions. Every observing mind that has
seen bold mountain regions, railroad
cuttings, or mining shafts must have
been struck with the evidences of mighty
disturbances, although perhaps book on
geology never came under his eye 1t is
the study of these disturbances which
has created this science, one of the most
interesting in the whole field of lnman
knowledge.
1t was formerly supposed that the only
cause of such changes was volcanic ac-
ton, and that all the metamorphoses
which have taken place were sudden and
violent. The observations of volcanic
action and of the changes which it rap
idly produces in the earth surface ne
cesSarily led to such conclusions; but
patient tinvestigation, during long periods
of time, has led TO knowledge of mode
of change, formerly unsuspected, by
slow upheavals and depressions, taking
place gradually. at a rate of one o. more
feet in a century. Such changes have
been and are now constantly taking
place, and necessarily mnst, if prolonged
for sufficiently long period of time, es-
sentialIy change the earth g surface, not
only as to the relative nights of contin
enta and islands, but, in connection with
the ocean, as to the whole cosmography
of our globe.
We will not speak of the supposed
continent Atlantis, mentioned by the an
cient neurological writers, which was,
they asserted, sunken in the Atlantic
ocean; but we will only mention positive
| facts, recorded as a result of careful OBJ
servation. That the coasts and bottom
of the Baltic sea are rising is an old and
well established fact, the ancient shores
being several thousand feet from the
present waters edge: while Great Brit
| ian and part of the west coast of Europe,
| Holland, Belgium, and France are in a
sinking condition. The evidences in and
around the British Channel have long
since proved the probability of this,
while the Astronomer Royal has an
nounced that minute observations prove
that Greenwich Observatory, with the
ground upon which it stands, has been
sinking ever since its establishment.
In regard to our continent, it has been
proved that the whole Pacific coast, es-
pecially California, with all its noun
tians, is perpetually rising, and that at a
comparatively rapid rate. The land con-
tainlng in its bosom our great American
Lakes is slowly sinking; while southern
Indiana, Kentucky, and the surrounding
States are rising. Geological investiga-
tions prove that our great lakes, except
Ontario, had formerly a southern outlet
until, by gradual northern depressions
and southern upheavals, a northern out
let was formed from Lake Erie into On
tario, about 40, 900 years ago. This out
let, the Niagara river, is still wearing
away its channel. The division line, o.
the watershed south of the lakes and
the Mississippi valley, has since thai
|, 81 ,tooI1lx, or1
and when Chicago recently turned tbs
: waters of Lake Michigan, through tn,
Chicago river, into the Mississippi vale,
the old state of affairs was artificially
: reestablished.
) New Jersey is sinking, with New
York City and Long Island, at the esti
mated rate of about 16 inches per cen
tury. The coast of Texas is ascending a
! comparatively very rapid rate, SOM
observers stating that it is as much as s.
or 40 feet in the last half century.
Combining these observations with tn
results of the recent deep soundings o
the United States steamer Tuscarora il
the Pacific Ocean, we find that the bed
evidentlya sunken continent, aboundini
in volcanic mountains some 12,o fee
high, many of them not reaching tn
surface of the ocean, and others which
do So forming the numberless islands O
the Pacific. The study of the coral rock
proves that this sinking has continual
been taking place during several GER
turies, and observations of the coast vii
. undoubtedly reveal the fact that il ha
not yet ceased.
The most eminent German geologist
, and ethnologists now maintain that tn
, locality of mans primitive origin, tn
? seat of the so called Paradise, was in til
o Pacific Ocean south of Asia, whence til
race slowly diffused itself northward I
Asia, westward to Africa, and eastwar
y to Australia. When the great Pacif
' continent slowly sank, so that the oceal
, commenced filling the valleys, man re
g treated to the mountains, which, by cor
tinued sinking, were transformed int
islands, and now form the many group
, of POLYNESIA The insularity of the thu
preserved races was not productive {
n civilization, which requires conflict, i
e which the superiors in the end gain tn
victory over the interiors. In thos
islands, the inferior races were preserve
e for want of this conflict, hence thei
$ savage condition even at the preser
q day; while primitively the greatest ad
e vance took place at the spot of the mos
y intense conflict, the continent of South
i. ern Asia. Even at the present day,
: has been said that gunpowder is tn
, greatest civilizer.
Something About Thumbs.
Man is the only animal with a thumb
' The thumb is his mark of distinction