Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1885-04-09
EARTHQUAKES.
inc Theories of Scientific Men and Sells
mOlogists in Regard to Them.

fhe Theories Of Scientific Men and sels-
mologists in Regard to Them.
The intimate relation between earth
luakcs and volcanoes is universally ad-
mitted, slough earthquakes do occur in
regions which give no indications of
either past or present volcanic activity.
Along the southeast coast of Spain,
however, there is ample evidence of
such activity in past times; and has
been remarked by writer on the SUBJ
ject that an earthquake is simply an in
tegIated volcano. As to what, how
ever. is the exact cause of chronological
action geologists have not yet Llade up
their minds. The mathematician have
compelled then to give up as quite I'M
tenable the old idea of a thin crust over
molten interior which in its surgings
YOU'D break through IN the shape of
volcano, or reprOdu. d, in the shell the
huge waves which would swell along
the internal surface. Tae hypothesis of
o solid shell and solid nucleus with
molten matter between has Jared little
b, tier. The earth, it is row held by
tie best geologists and physicists, must
be solid body to a very considerable
depth, if not, indeed. to the core At
The same time we may be assured that
the most intense heat exists at no very
great depth below the surface, heat 80
great that but for the immense pressure
eAe.ted by the sup crincumbent mass tie
matte. would actually melt; it is held
that it does occasionally do so when
fro:a any of the many forces which are
at Ork the pres ure is relieved. and
this, according to a certain school,
sirGs rise to volcanic or earthquake
phenomena.
Others, however, maintain that these
manifestations can be satisfactorily ac-
counted for by chemical and mechani-
cal action. 1t seems to be generally
admitted that great masses of water are
constantly filtering into the depths of
the earth from the ocean bed: and that
the molten materials which issue from
1Olcanic rents have absorbed enormous
quantities of steam and other gases,
Prof Judd tells us, we have the most
indisputable evidence. 1t is to the
violent escape of these gases from the
molten rock masses. as the pressure
upon them is relieved, that nearls all
the active phenomena of volcanoes mGst
be referred" And what accounts fL1
volcanic action NAV also account for It
least a certain class of earthquakes.
For there may be other causes. most of
them, however, referrab.c to the move
ments which must be almost constantly
70 l. Iy,Or hn int TO
the cooling of the earth's crust. Varia-
tons in atmospheric pressure have be-
thought to account for some earth
quakes, and it is noticeable that sharp
fall of the barometer was observed all
over tho south of Spain in the afternoon
before the first great shock, and that
there have since been frequent fluctua-
tons. The mere falling of an internal
cavity would almost certainly produce
vibratory phenomena. Indeed Prof
Milne seems to believe that the earth is
full of cavities of all sizes, like huge
Gyuyere cheese, and that consequently
vibrations of greater or less intensity
are constantly occurring, as we should
find had we instruments delicate enough
to measure them. But it is possible,
perhaps, to have seismographs of much
too fine structure, so fine as to record
the vibration of every passing jinriksha.
Essentially the explanation of all these
phenomena seems to be that our plane |
is u cooling body, and they will only |
cease when every particle of heat has
left the heart of our old mother, when |
also. geologists tell us, there will be no
more sea, when the air itself will have |
vanished. and the earth will be Us dead |
as the moon. London Times.