The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1879-08-02
WORLD WONDERS.
Eleven Thousand Years of Winter and an
Equally Long Summer.

Equally Long Summer.
Mr.. q. Hilton Scribner, ex-Secretary
of State for New York, has been giving
to the Troy Times his views ON the
momentous geological changes through
which the earth has passed, and is still
passing. Mr.. Scribner finds ready
solution of many of the difficulties
which perplex the geologist. The epochs
through which the globe has passed
are due largely, il not wholly, he be-
heves, to the fact that the earth's axis
describes circle in the northern heav-
ems, and that the effect of this is to
cause the earth to pass through long
winters and summers of 1000 years
each. During it's winter" says Mr..
Scribner, leach hemisphere is sub
merged under the ocean; its vegetation
compressed into coal beds; its whole
surface covered with marine deposits
and sediment transported and scattered
by ocean currents; and thus enriched,
it rises again after long winter of
1000 years, to be renewed in life,
clothed with vegetation and beauty, to
become again the theater of activity
through vast summer as long as its
season of repose. Sixty-fve coal-beds
in horizontal layers, one above another,
have been opened in the British islands,
which makes it probable that at least
sixty-five Of these long years have
passed since vegetation grew upon the
EARTH" This wonderful change in the
oceans level is brought about, Mr..
Scribne ,argues, by change in the
carth's center of gravity, and this again
is caused by the vast accumulation of
ice around the pole of the hemis-
phere which is passing through its
long winter. ave have supposed this
center of gravity of the EARTH" he
says "to be shifted southwark, by the
causes enumerated, about two miles,
or 10000 feet. This would increase the
depth of water in the Southern oceans
10000 feet, and would decrease the
depth OF water in the Northern oceans
10000 feet, in order 10 keep their sur
faces equi- distant from the earth's center
of gravity, or upon a water level but to
increase the depth of the ocean in the
Southern hemisphere by an additional
10000 feet would be to submerge nearly
all the lands in the Southern hemi-
sphere, and to increase the depth of the
ocean by 10000 feet north of the
equator would result in draining off
vast continents in the Southern hemi-
sphere. This is the exact condition of
things which the earth to-day presents"
Mr.. Scribner cites various facts which
he believes to be confrmatory of these
views. and finally sums up as follows
First, the North pole is toward the sun
while the earth passes slowly around
the lower portion of its orbit. Second,
the South pole is toward the sun while
the earth moves more rapidly around
the shorter portion of its orbit. Third,
this gives to the Northern hemisphere
about four days more of warm and four
days less of cold weather than the
Southern hemisphere receives of each.
Fourth, this keeps the ice thinner and
with narrower limits at the North pole,
and produces vast accumulations of ice
about the South pole. Fifth, this
changes the center of gravity of the
earth to the southwark of its center of
bulk. Sixth, this causes the oceans to
flow from the north, draining off vast
continents, to the Southern hemisphere,
and there submerging others of equal
extent; and lastly, extending the limit
of the banana, the vine, of grain and of
wood 800 miles farther north than the
same varieties are found south of the
equator" All of which, if not scien-
tifically accurate, is at least an interest
ing contribution on most fascinating
subiect