The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-05-29
Geological Cycles.

80 MIR, 6. HILTON SCR1BNER, ex-Secre-
tary of State of 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 geolo-
gist The epochs through which the
globe has passed are due largely, if not
wholly, he believes, to the fact that
the earth's axis describes circle in
the northern heavens, and that the eff
feet of this is to cause the earth to pass
through long winters and summers of
II, 900 years each. During its win
ter" says Mr.. Scribner, "each hem
isphere is submerged under the ocean;
its vegetation compressed into coal
beds; its whole surface covered with
marine deposits and sediment trans
ported and scattered by ocean cur
rents; and thus enriched, it rises again
after a long winter of 1000 years, to
be renewed in life, clothed with vege-
tation and beauty, to become again the
theater of activity through vast sum-
mer as long as its season of repOse.
Sixty.five coal-beds in horizontal lay
ers, one above another, with marine
deposits between, have been opened in
the British Islands, which make it
probable that at least sixty-five of
these long years have passed since veg
citation grew upon the earth" This
wonderful change in the oceans level
is brought about; Mr.. Scribner argues,
by change in the earth's center of
gravity, and this again, is caused by
the vast accumulation of ice around
the pole of the hemisphere which is
passing through its long winter. "We
have supposed this center of gravity
of the earth,'' he says, g to be shifted
to the southwark, by the causes emu
merated, 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 to keep their surfaces
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 near
~ all the land in the Southern Hem
isphere, and to increase the depth of the
ocean by 10000 feet north of the equa-
tor, would result in draining off vast
Continents in the Southern Hemis-
phere. This is the exact condition of
things which the earth to-day pre-
sents." Mr.. Scribner cites various
facts which he believes to be contirma-
tory of these views, and finally sums
up as follows: g First, the North Pole
is toward the sun while the earth pass
es slowly around the longer portion
of its orbit. Second, the South Pole is
toward the sun while the earth moves
more rapidly around the shorter por-
ton of its orbit. Third, this gives the
Northern Hemisphere about four days
more of warm and four days less of
cold than the Southern Hemisphere re-
ceives 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 south
ward 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;
aud, lastly, extending the limit of the
banana, the vine, of grain, and of wood
500 miles further north than the same
varieties are found south of the equa-
tor" All of which, if not scientifical-
ly accurate, is at least an interesting
contribution on a most fascinating SUBJ
ject.-Chicag0 Tribune.