New-York tribune., 1875-11-06


This suggests the question the variability o ese
patches on which points schroeer gives MS some evl
dence but not enough IN show that tho disappearance ~
Tie bright spots may not have been due to atmospheric
conditions alone.
TIE CoMsroCR LODE MINES.
This was an interesting account by Prof r. f. Rogers
Of the chemical processes going In the depths OF the
silver mines in the Comstook ode and of the processes
recently devised for extracting the precious metals from
tho tangs Of the crushing mills In the deeper driffs
CT the the heat almost intoerabe the tempera-
being frequently high 1902 Life is supported
only by pouring the head The water that
the rocky roof Of these drifts hot 10
almost scalding, and the worknen protected from
II by sheetiron The temperature Ia far beyond
what would be due from the depth Of the nine and Ia
largely owing TO the presence and decomposition OF sui
phdes There is trace of saline matter and the contact
Of the suphide Of silver with chloride of sodium
produces by chemical action the high temperature.
IL is singular fact that while there appears 10 be 10
trace Of copper tn the ore the washing from the quick
silver ms which into pond and there evapotites
leaves deposit which s only 500 nne instead INST OF 100 S
deposit is put INTO cpke receptacle OF felt. and hot
quicksilver Is turned upon It, which strains through, and
The next is to- separate The gold from the copper
in the drippngs. To effect this the combined substance
is heated to fusion and allowed to cool when the two
metals seegae, and the gold cracks of she copper Be
fore this process was discovered the tilnEs OF tne
mills were vaueess-now they are OF considerable worth
MINERALS FROM THE SKIES.
Prof J. Lawrence Smith described soluble crystal
line product from the graphite ofmeteoric iron Ths IA
by Prof Smith 20 be only Interesting fact
neeted with his investigation the carbon ass
cse with me,eort"s that to earth from cees
al space. In This investigation he ia not only examin
ing tho graphite carbon found those bodies, but con
trusting this carbon with such Ia found upon our
globe The present communication announces tho pres
Of substance in the carbon under investigation
that ia soluble In ether and crystaizes in delicate
accuar crystals. similar substance it was stated.
ady found by woaer and by Roscoe in Ger
laH
special the present communication which makes
IL one Of great interest II that Prof. Smith finds
this substance IN carbon nodules in the very
iron. When this substance was first noticed by Prof.
w0hcr ard Prof. Roscoe they considered il a hydro
carbon Prot Smith. however, gave reasons why hc
considered IL sulpbohy dro-carbon The quaint ~ Oh
tanned minute that the usual critical ANALYSIS can
not applied ii, but Prof. smith thinks tat in the
continuation Of hls experiment nc Will ohtln enough 10
MAKE ont very ec ary its constitution The scInnc m
crest of this discovery will ne due to its relations with
1c study o celestial cheIstry chat is now attracting ~
muci attention.
sTFAM GEYsERs N CALIFORNIA.
Prof K f. Rogers delivered a brief DISCOURSE without
manuscript or notes IL calculated to put tourists
with Of the great natural wonders Of
California Those who have ina agined, while sting the
geysrs that the curious and startling manifestation OF
jets OF steam and poole boiling caused by
the proximity the great interior furnaces and cauld
rons of the EARTH Will be disappointed t0 learn That all
the wonderful phenomena caused by chemical action
Tie heat caused hy the action OF air
and water upOn iron pyrites, generating oxide Of iron
and suphurc acid, which readily form suphae OF iron
TIE gcysers therefore exhibit great geological phe
n0menOn many have supporcd. but result solely from
the action OF superficial chemistry.
MINERAL DEPOSITS AND life N TIE SEA-
Prof r. Pumpelly traced the great cycles in which
several of the chemical elements, il not all. ase gradually
moved from their place land, carried into the sea- alb
sorbed first by animal aud afterwad by vegetable lit,
and fually precptatcd as mud which becomes TIE rocks
fa tho hgff
shall be dry land. The researches Of Forcinmmer and
others give the following list Of elements in the waters.
plants and animals Of the Oxygen hydrogen.
chlorine bromne iodine nu Tlne, sulphur, phosphorus
carbun, nitrogen, s,iWium, boron, silver cop
per lead, zinc, cobalt, nickel. iron, ,nancan So
aluminium. gueslum, calcium, stroniinm, l'a1nn'
doul,iess he increased by more eX, ended research All
the land Of this earth wherever rain as az rlveI now;
is undergoing gradual solutinn by mechanical AMI
19c,'i I & eiv" v an The elements of the land ana
land above The level 81 tbe sea THIS Qcess must rVe
cycle that Is gone through by which rock is dissolved
Goatcd absorbed dccomprsed, recomposed ln,etaicd,
and AGAIN hardened % rock varies with each element
each mineral Clay, sand, AMI un,S~, we'd lime are eur
red in susl enslCn ~ rivers ani derositto nnlI
their months. Carbonate Of lime - carried down
the means IN srat quantities, hut IN s"ntion
this also true 10 smaller proporions o. thr soluble
az other eartAs and metals. ut the OCc al ~
not att1lrated w,:h she carbonate ~ Time; fact, The
amount of t1at substance eontlihed " sea Wr T. "n @
factIlu Of what II can d.ssol'e lie sufnus u con-
tnuaily withdrawn hy animals 70 form nnnumeItd
myade of shells coral hanks, and ONT FORMS 1 aniHi
structure many " which are individually microscope
bnt collectively enormous in quantity Am'ng the sub
stances with which marine life is thus s,bciaiy inter
lnked IN ts cycle Of change the ioInw.ns a'e nlst w
mrortince in relation TO mineral deposits; Carb'nic
Sea water charged with free car,onc acid, to the
Tnf & @ q aBs Pil Of tGe y and The lnothness or roe
OF TIE water surface the acton =" Che waves "ssiss
au escape of carbonc acid into the air sea
plants like vegetation shore decOrnpOse carbonc
led tO carbon for their own st.uctares. Tine
oxygen set FIVE III the sea water gives ts poScr
sustain animal lifo; without the Oxyg 'hes would
simply perish sn1oeatOn and all animal life IA de
would soon become extinct Oh inr caI"Ol ~hl9h III
plants takes the form Of hydrocarbons eonsideri-
ole proportion is the food Of ANIMALS, such Ia into
THEN circulation ana lie Ox,dIfd asah 10 ciinoT aci,
when IL s expelled by their breathing apparatus lnthe
ease of carbon however this short cycle Is intesnkei
with lar longer one uLn t9at "i any I otnea
OF the elements certain portion OF thr Gallon
The Prof Pumpely thinks is practically nsOlube It,
continuous formation would ultimately have withdrawn
support of vegetable lie; witf tue extinction OF
vegetable ie all organic Hxslere On the slope Woi
therefore, restores the taauee an prtOngs the exist
eHcc OF all lie the earth The ercle which lime passes
Iuoucf was skctched including its combinations with
sulphur, its tran fOrnaI0ns In the plant and animal; IT.
part the formation of globigeIinl mud and OF co=il
banks destined be, when ecvateI limestones, chalk,
met4oiplic rocks again TO he dissolved
ers Tic cycles of phospnoic acid and fuorine
usually ated togetherI and of sulphur were smi
Iil traced ih deI,d. OtAef ruDs lance uionS waGn
the heavy metals must exist IA water, though III
quantities scarcely susceptible of determination ny an
al sis Ther presence ~ however proved ny the 'c 81
their being found IN sea plants whlc grow Altogether IN
he Watel not having ro'ts III tne sl nci W. anu III lt
anmsls that feed these plants or IN the structures
which tuesc animals sccrete. Among these Substances
are appeeaDe quantities Of lead, copper zc, nickel
cd and river. Tne vital processes aosrO these lneia
from water aud concentrate them Toe plants tidt
% riorm tins ONCE for minerals N such great
quanty thai they fOrU forests which several
Gincrent methods and sources OF estimate s.o" 10 DC
greater total vegetation than there II III tne forests
of the land. The individual pants lust IN hight III
instances. our greatest tIres and nave more eA
panded foliage. In tue tropical regions th"se siassrr
fairly MI the Ia eddes out oI the track ol ocean
currents the saragossa for instance, filling space oi
from 40 or % 10 I2o of latitude AMI ilBs taTUn.h
perhaps 45o of longitude This accumulation OF Doatus
seaweed covering greater than the whole bsIn oi
ia. Mi-sSsi,. tlckcns the with s grtaiiun 80
render navigation in II difficult IL serves fo sustain