Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-07-10
Recent Geographical Work.

Among the general labors which
affect the earth as whole. and when
are embraced under the title of Physi-
cal Geography, special attention is
claimed by one result of the English ex-
pedition to the Arctic in the confirma-
ton of the discoAery by DR.. Bessells, of
the P0Idris, of the Junction OF two I'M
portant tides in the larger part of
Smiths Sound, creating the impression
that new type of tide has been found.
occurring every eight hours. The
shifting ofthe earth axis has command
ed particular notice. The question has
been studied whether there have been
not merely one glacial period, but many
successive periods, extending over vast
lengths of time, with intervals in which
semi-tropIcal climate has prevailed.
The views of astronomers, geologists,
and physical geographers upon the age
of the earth have been brought together
by H. z. Mallet and a writer in the
Ouarter1y Reris,c, and have revealed a
diversity so wide and irreconciiable as
to show that our knowledge is not yet
sufficient To admit of any theory of the
age of the earth that can be relied upon
As propable. Interest in meteorology
has greatly increased during the year
past. Among the most remarkable
events I'm physics have been the perfec-
ton 10 which the discovery of the tele-
phone has been brought, proving that
the human voice can be heard over
distance of hundred miles, and
Edison's invention of the phonograph,
by means of which the human voice
can be stored up and reproduced at will
over and over again, in any part of the
world where the message is sent, and
in the very tones of the person, dead or
alive, who sent it. The investigation
of the antiquity of man has been con-
tinued, although it has lately been
illustrated by critical papers than by
important discove ries. Interesting
antiquities have been discovered in
America and Olympia, and also in
Central Armenia. Accounts have been
published of the archaeological discov-
cries OF General iii CesnOla in Cyprus,
and of DR.. Schliemann at Mycena. 1t
is alleged that the remains of Columbus
have been discovered in the capital of
the Island of ST. Domingo.
The French expedition under Lieu
tenant Wyse. for ascertaining route
for canal across the IsthmGs of Darien
has completed its reconnaissance, arriv-
ing at the inevitable conclusion that no
navigable channel is possible between
the Tuyra and the AtratO without locks
or tunneling. Many valuable facts
have been revealed by the explorations
of Rivira and Werthemen in the noun
tains of Peru, Weiner in Bolivia, and
Moreno in Patagonia. Arctic eXplora-
tions have been carried on during the
year, but to limited extent compared
with those of previous years. Many
explorers have been busy in Asia, in
Palestine, Persia, Turkestan, Thibet,
China, India, and Japan. Wojiekofi'
hiss completed his meteorological jour-
ney round the world. The geographic
cal work of the United States Corps of
Engineers. under General Humphreys,
especially in the Territories west of
the Tooth meridian, has been vigorously
prosecuted. The geological and geo
graphical survey of the Territories.
under Professor Hayden, having been
completed in Colorado in the summer
of 1876, was resumed in Wyoming and
Utah In June, 1867. But the crOwning
honOrs of the year are due TO the eX-
plorations in Africa by Stanley, who
is now fully eXOnerated from the
charge, which his own letters had
seemed to sustain, of wanton cruelty TO
native Africans, and whom even his
old enemies among theoretical geogra-
pliers unite with President DAILY in
eulogizingas having solved the mystery
of the Nile and the mystery of the
Congo. Stanley - has fixed his name
in the foremost rank of geographers,
explorers, and travellers" But. after
all, near as the earth l. to us, how little
do We yet know of it,