New-York tribune., 1877-06-27


dcncc and rcsnhnerreues To the west, however still
stretched the open which, since the beginning
OF the Cambriln. had. with single exception u'F''
been Invaded by land. 40 the close OF the Pas'@'c "e
two bordering land areas of Atlantis and Pacts since
the beginning OF the Clmbrian permanent and perhaps
extended continents began 20 sink They rapidy went
down end 40 last completely disappeared TIER places
being taken by the present Atlantic aud Pacinc oceans,
while the soa-hoor Of the American ocean, "mch han
Tar the mos part permanent oceanic area ever mi @
became Tho new continent America. which has "sc9
rth local Wei itudes a. to present Tue est anu
49, Vro inaesJ sen9rstei by a mediterranean sea,
sole relic OF the American ocean Wnich NO" oce"U
! q narrow north and south depfessiph 49,. .,.o .d,
In that mediterranean may say thaf the cond
tous have uniformitarian; tha is 10 say III te
great post PalGOzOc catastrophe tht ocean VII ihi
II remained body Of deep water lt- oott"h
by folds disocati9As, anu there is DO et S "
cessation OF sediments; yct the spt'l's WIZ, 49,
there throughout the vast length of the coal period Wefe
completely cxtinguisned, and entIty new new h ,tI
their a Iearhuce AIlnouEa "a ,a.r,I ltsr,-
physical catastrophe. the effect OF the genera ulsp
anee Of that whole quarter OF the globe was tior29g! M
caiastropnic and exeried faal influence upon fe lar
beyond tAe actual theater o. upheaNai. J. ,.,, ,rrs
Passing the Mesozoic age whlcl IN uesiii @ onei
much instructive material 10 rate % change, we pas
only notice catastrophe wnlch marked Tue eiose VI
In Observation-Disclosures way 10000 or 10000 feet OF
sediment had accumulated IN inc Fdgllc an ~ lf' I, -
the mediterranean when these regions, which during
their reception of sediment had been areas Of n, &
suddenly uphcaved the dOmins mp OF the middle OF the
comment quite Obteratng the mediterranean sea ana
! uniting the two lln1 masses into one: IL, l., 49,.
The catastrophe which removed this -ea resulted IN me
folding no OF mountain 10000 and 10000 feet III
hight thereby essentially changing the Whoe clate on
the cOntenr OF tie land life OF the Nssol'e aee We
have abundant remains. Thanks 10 the p""h
the wonderful reptiiian and avian fauna OF 'e MsoI1c
now familiar 10 Us All. but aIltI tic , ~
and the change of climate which must necssiiLy h.,ne ~
ensucd. totally perished The rate oi thls
post1 1retaceous change was III otheF "oiuS' '''"S
, u9ihc ~, - r.- e. =, . ,.,.os ~, ,vtIe .vtcnt
have occupied the weserl half of the continent on'H
was the character of tine great postC t mat
there left broad deep continental basins al0se e
level of the sec, Into these the early ertary rivers
found their way. creating extended lakes IN "hle1 az
the The whole history ot the Tertiary s
tnat the accumulation OF thick sedlmentary scIle IN
fe.h-Water lakes, accompanied py EllLual ana cV'io
! suhsidcnce carried smoothly and uniformly UP 10
! cerf.in uninf and then interrupted by Il sudden,
| Notwithstanding upAeayal, which drained the lakes
| and created basirs. The nNc minor cltistrppnt7
winch nave taken place III the western ha oi America
during the Tertiary age never resulted III those
broader changes when mark the close OF the AFche'u
the PllicOZlic. and tlc MtsQzoc ages. me! nv,Si @
broke tue g1audcr outline or the continent lhey "erc,
however OF such ~ important scale AS 10 very greatly
vary The conditions OF if ths COM uchl may c,o ~ ~
alcSt inuortant movement which took place prolaDy
within the human epoch certainty at tne cioss ~ A tn0
great Phoccne Lake period ~ me "t-t. me "oT @ id
great plains far mouth as We are aeln in.e yea
with geology and soutEwaid 20 The bordets oi tnc
Cuf v.,s occur c v broad lake which existed through
the Pocrue ncriod. having alwat suntOicl cliI''r
atei wien snodcnly the .rcl door atcd. causing
difference OF nsut 1000 fer between the SCUM ana
present plains a.d utterly n-ng le climate Of the
/ WuOl1 region mol q sprci-s survived
FIELD RECORDS OF CATAsrROpHLs.
have thus hastily ued few Of tue most i'm
portant reologca crstcuange in America whose rates
are deuonsruby catastrophe. Besides surface changes
involving suDsdence, upheayal. 1ulung aud corrusa
tou all OF which may be executed Oa scale OF az q rate
productive of destruction OF Lie' c&dstophes may De
brought Jr suad grcat changes oI climate OF py
intense volcanic energy. In the latter field there are
obviously no c.tastophos Of tine first order Geological
MAIDS of the Globe nave progressed Jar enough % demon
STRAIT. that considerable are and always have Decn
Tree from actual election of volcanic materials, on TIE
contrary numerous regions, notably the western
third o our own and the shores OF the Pichc
were once literally deuEed with volcanic fires An eN
animation Of the elected rock shows that modern crun
lions, hy WHICH ihc fultih .o", "a @ 'to I 80
are slow Wy built up from IS. t oIyfh' IS p,is one uol
tno1SnS n9ivI' M ~ .ve,+ IN ,c en- The criiet ,,,yncd
and enormous volumes OF lava roiediout Overwhelming
is. i,l'o-i,i.- i,.scd bat Iu- .rlf 1t hrn COM
| uar,d with the culfs OF molten master when were
thrown Up tine great massive eIupdun- IciWoen tue
ugr ana present volcanic uhenomonl there not only
,rr, of % .r.t blt of siud. IL is etsy 90 read the
mid eXnih ion 0t existing volcanoes "a uhli t iTlh
operation namely. tae growth oi cones by ,.isn accre
tou.; but reasoning s positively forbidden al Tie
/ {. poor punv little y-suvus could immoraliz' itself
by bGyng the town, at s feet tine feeble energy pf
i4s9jn caitlquasc could record itself the grave
stones of thousands oi mn' lh- the volcanic pefou Ia
| VS. n America was tfuly clti'ir'phtc
Modern vulc.u,m i- nut tnr faIut hcat ing survival
OF "ndt Was once "o-iN' dt aga .uI i'e eAADi'ioh
OF ceiurc energy, one whose distortions ald disinc-
u.ns of crust. whose dciuacs 0f molten stone" enis
sons mineral duei, heated Wlisrs, and nuNod- gases
could not have failed ,tfuct!ye cif.c- toe
/
Tie simple ne.d facts ample proof OF tne mteusy
Oi climatic c.a.tfophes have tine record of at least
one. Wucn tAe theory ol glacial period came To- -
/ INVASION OF even middle iattude- by polar ice were
re4z d, especially whoa the Devastating Effects ol tlc
| came TO bee studied. uuii0rmarHuism pure and simple
rec iyed fatal blow. ava aware that bri,sI stun uts
phenomena OK Tie sca.c ol our uaeruary exhibitions
rate Of stream erosion obtained 10y studying.
the western COdcias. tc riycr work O1 three distinct
deriuy we'll posed: first, PiOceuc Tertiary river val!
leYs Win thelr no"drls' siNcs aHd sands siil wing
of profound cno from 1000 90 JOU1 feet deep, which
Tie tanks of tir -rett mountain chains aLd forms
such fascinating object OF study, and not wonder,
because the -Ol-cS were 1tf-tu carved Ou since the
beginning OF thc eltc'aI period; thirdly the modern
rivers, eclOcs their parent O The early
Quateru1ry A. between tlics' tatte, The early
Queruay rivers stand out vastly ths most powerful
and excessive The present rivers utterly incapable,
infinite time, 90 perform the work of glacial torrents.
co. tIo, tGe Puorcur streams. although Oiycry vol
anne, were pOWcrc-s 20 wear ther way down INTO solid
rock thousands of lct 81 the rapid rate OF the early
r.y rs au the difference which separates modern
lDIoruutaanl stream and terrible. catastrophe en-
gne, the expression on climate ! winch struggle for
existence must have been something absolutely neon
ceiyable whel cOGsdtd lIo Ue water prccIpitatOus,
/ floods, torrents, .Iiu ciusuu- oI to-lly.
Unnounitaria1s are fout OF saying chat give pres
ent rivers time. plenty Of time. aud they per0rn
tAe clous OF Tie Coriileas. Tncy could never have
been car ed by The p-y uVei- ol this ciimatc t0 tAe
| c.iiius not euough 10 convince the most
sGeIcii ,tIdeut there lett hundreds 0f dry
bcH, "iih.h whose ul'tn Nart, hanked py 0id steep
banks eloquent with proofs Di powerful streams,
there is not water enough 60 qJrlcn tue thirst OF
hIi'IHiII Iil i''' cAtii'i IlFclt Gcao OF drnulh'
IN connection VITA the svscin pre,eI 20 per-
leciy overwhelming evidence ttt the general cposirou
OF a'"l N"cI t'c cons Iueh Hoods ana torrents, i'i-
n- as tuct I. DO the distinct expression of sharply
defined cycle OF climate, as compared either with the
"aici Pic l1heha oi t"e Ih diaiei} preceding Poeehe
age, or Win our own succeed nE condition. constitute au