Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1882-06-10
Prehistoric Tides.

At present the moon is 100000 miles
away, but there was time when the
moon was only ene-sixth part of this, or
soy 10000 miles away. That time must
have corresporded to some geological
epoch. 1t may have been earlier than tho
time when Eozoon lived. It was more
likely to have been later. want to point
out that when the moon was only 40
600 miles away we had in it geological
engine OF transcendent power. II the
present tides be three feet. and If the
early tides be 216 times their present
amount, then it is plain that the ancient
tides must have been 648 feet.
There can be no doubt that in ancient
times tides Of this amount, and even tides
very much larger, must have occurred. I
ask the geologists to take account of these
facts and to consider the effect--a tidal
rise and fall of 64S feet twice every day.
Dwell for one moment on the sublime
spectacle of tide 648 feet high, and see
what an agent it would be for the per-
formance of geological work. We
are now standing, / suppose, some 500
feet above the level of the sea. The sea
is good many miles from Birmingham,
yet if the rise and fall at the coasts was
64s feet, Birmingham might be as great
seaport as Liverpool. Three quarters
tide would bring the sea into the streets
OF Birmingham. At high tide there
would be about $50 feet of blue water
over our heads. Every house would be
covered, and the tops of the chimneys
would alone indicate the site of the town.
In few hours more the whole of this
vast flood would have retreated. Not
only would it leave England high and
dry, probably the Straits of Dover
would be drained, and perhaps even Ire-
land would, in literal sense. become a
member of the United Kingdom. A few
hours passed, and the whole Of England
is again inundated, but only again to be
abandoned.
These mighty tides are the gift which
astronomers have now made to the work.
ing machinery of the geolcgists. They
constitute an engine of terrific power
to aid in the great work Of geology
What would the puny efforts of water in
other ways accomplish when compared
with majestic tides and the great currents
they produceG
In the great primeval tides win proba-
bly, be found the explanations OF what
has long been reproach to geology.
The early paleozonic rocks form stupen>
dous mass Of ocean made beds, which,
according to Professor Williamson, are
twenty miles thick up tc the top Of the
silurian beds. 1t has long been difticul-
ty to conceive how such gigantic guam.
tity of material could have been ground
up and deposited at the bottom of the
sea. The geologists said: "The rivers
and other agents Of the present day will
40 it if you give them time enough"
But, unfortunately, the mathematicians
and the natural philosophers weul.a not
give them enough, and they ordered the
geologists to "hurry up the phenomena"
The mathematicians had other resons for
believing that the earth could not have
been so old az the geologist demanded.
Now, however, the mathematicians have
discovered the new and stupendous tidal
grinding engine. With this powerful aid
the geologist can get through their work
in reasonable period of time. and the
geologists anu the mathematicians may
be econciled.-Lecture by Prof. Ball.