New-York tribune., 1876-09-09
SCIENCE AT BUFFALO.
INTERESTING PAPERS.
EFFECT OF MAKING SILVER A STANDARD OF VALUE
THE ORIGIN or TmR GREAT LAKES.

THE ORIGIN or TIE GREAT LAKES.
frRoM srAFP CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRrBuNE
BUFFALO, Sept 3.-DecidedIy the most in.
strctiye essay the general public is concerned
that read in Section A. was that Of Prof E. b Elliott
OF Washington the Relative Prices OF Gold and Silver
and their influence the Metallic Monetary Standard cf
the United States In this brief paper there Just the
kind OF information most needed in discussing the
silver question; information which is fact and
scientific induction-not speculative guesswork.
From 1792-the date Of the adoption OF system Of
coinage by the Goyernment-to February, 1873 doube
standard attempted 90 be maintained. But duiing
the latter part the period from 1853 TO 1873 sub
sidary silver coinage incorporated in the system
In February, 1873, the coinage OF silver as full legal
tender was discontinued and In the codiacation OF the
laws which followed known tie Revised Statutes,
silver coins OF all kinds ceased TO legal tender IN
exceeding Ave dolars The attempt 10 establish double
standard has always failed to the end desired,
and the experience Of tho American Government IL
no exception to the rule. Ia 1892, the coD ratio
Of gold to silver was fixed By Government
at precisely to l. the quantity of pure silver In tbs
standard silver dollar being fixed at precisely is times
the weight OF pure gold in the tenth OF the
$40. In short time, however the market value
diverged from this standard, gold becoming relatively
valuable than In the ratio of 10 to l. In 1884 the
market ratio had reached 1875 70 l. that 49, one ounce Of
gold was worth 57s ounces OF silver.
A double standard is practically an impossbility and
America not conflict IN this regard with that OF
other countries TIC principle by wAeh the two pre-
neously and in harmony was frst discovered aud ap.
silver n GERMANY and the adoption Of gold Standard
with subsidiary silver in place OF Their former silver
upon the market like action Of the scandinavian
nations, sweden, Norway and Donmark, and OF the
is small mach smaller than supposed Owing 70
this disturbance Of the market, together With
mines, and also to apprehension in the public
mind that British India about 70 substitute single
1daffn fnguI i'm na alt
the price OF silver throughout the world mas met with
sudden and extreme fan These several causes arc be.
leved be insufficient and the fall must be attributed
TO mere panic. IL IS now demanded by some OF
and that attempt be made with view TO restOra-
ton OF nominal double standard TIe Re salt OF such
to slyerwhich about IL 10 l. and which has been Ia
the late panic as low as 20 TO Line result would be
in which gold legal tender fox AL amounts and silver
In but limited amounts ltiizes Tor m0netafy purposes
or the many valuable papers geological subjects
presented by Prof 8. Newberry Of Columbia Col
ege OF the highest rank II was tempt TO ex.
plain the origin Of the grct lakes of this country
The sequence of events tie formation of the great
First Laurentian belt north Of the great lakes
Seen sGTGg SSe h q he 1soze % era
has supplied the mechanical materials which compose the
neso haads has III
% S vi" eoas q s rae si he PS elevation Of this
portion Of The continent as eoasierl9 greater than now
lower present AT that ule lakes
valley Of river VIII CD subsequently became the lawrence
achisns in the nc 6f deeply buried channel
hawk passing thorga the rogh Of the Hudson aud empty
Michigan was entity then part toi river eoure which
straits Of Mackiraw being not yer opened
w M @ 9 aS so pencil "a oea glaciers
z gradually crepi down on TO and began 20 the
eavatn OF oar lake basins was begun and perhaps in large
FSaTtS As the cold increased ard reached its maximum
a g pars TGs Ss Ss O ,s sq m n
epoch, THIS mayobed cesheo orcompOuud glacier moved
tie CANADIAN highlands; its 0So lo5e rcachs IS far sS as
Cncpnan Lho eIct oi TINS gileeT upon Lake ire snd
against and Edng away with inconceiSabs power their
TJi With tho aneliOraOn climate spread
% Which s asSy SGS 0f a e daas &
Sat te aSf b Sps M TSt m S Ie G gser M w sap eos
unable TO oyertop its summit but dehected by IT, Il flowed
basin N wioR TalS 5fe now hes
haps oseasiqne @ ed by sin q the cs1tnsn Which pro
the 81 Lawrence Kncslon and up the Ottawa TO Am
prior. The valleys q the 81 Lawence and the HGson
Of New England were le as am island II ia also pssbe
Valley OF the Mohawk and through that OF the ~ pp bnt
Of THIS we have no ia The presence Of T@ns FOSSILS
the lakes lie was probsy at this time filled TO the brim with
Tho following document. signed by Profs Joseph
Henry. F. A. p. Barnard, J. Hilgard, and James C.
Watson, was presented
Among the instruments designed for instrlc1 ion and
research which, form par. of the International Exhibition
at Philadelphia the acoustic apparatus constructed by
Dr. Rudolph kOenig OF Paris holds eminent place. and
the undersigned desire to call the attention Of eluca-
tional institutions and scientific associations the
Uuited States its great value and scientific interest
IN this collection there two groups OF instruments
which severally possess Eiueh more than ordinary
scientific Importance. or one Of these the instruments,
constructed ON a magnitude OK scale without any pre-
vOls example are ca able OF producing acoustic effects
with power which must make them Invaluable TO the
Instructor or the investigator Tic other is tOnOnetvo
apparatus giving hi re than GO different shades OF
musical pitch, extending range Of four tIVes.
from 5l2 TO S,l92 simple vibrations per second the
whole furnishing a means Of determining without
pertinent tentative process the number of vibrations
producing any given sound under investigation by the
simple cxpeGient of counting the bca,s.
These instruments the perfected result OF years or
labOT;0us study and great mechanical skill and they are
entirely uDiqne OF their kind TAC undersigned cannot
but feel that tt would bo q misfortune the OF
scientific progress IN the United II they should be
permitted to the country Their cOSness places
them beyond tho reach OF any OF institutions OF
learning except few OF tho most wealthy; but there
ay individual friends OF science in the United
States WHO arc able 10 mako the aequSOn aud To these
the undersigned respectfully present me present appeal
ia the hope that OF tho number may purchase
these valuable collections and generously present them
to institution in which they may be made useful
promoting the advancement OF science. W. Z. W.
RRUIVN UNIVEPSITY