The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1885-04-07
EARTHQUAKES.
The Theories of Scientific Men and seisj
moIogists i'm Regard to Them.

moiogists I'm Regard to Them
The intimate relation between earth
quakes and volcanoes is universally adj
mitted, though 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 sub
ject that an earthquake is simply an in
tegrated volcano. As TO what. how
ever, Is the exact cause of seismological
action biologists have not yet made up
their minds. The mathematicians have
compelled them 10 give up as quite un-
tenable the old idea of a thin crust over
molten interior which in its Surgings
would break through in the shape of a
volcano, or reproduce in the shell the
huge waves which would swell along
the internal surface. The hypothesis Of
a solid shell and a solid nucleus with
molten matter between has Jared little
better. The earth, it is now held by
the best biologists and physicists, must
be solid body TO very considerable
depth, if not, indeed, to the core. At
the same time we NAV be assured tina.
the most intense heat exists ut no very
great depth below the surface, heat so
great that but for the immense pressure
eXertei by the superintendent mass the
matter would actually melt; it is held
that it does occasionally do so when
from any of the MANY forces which are
at work the pressure is relieved. and
this, according TO "A certain school.
gives rise To volcanic or earthquake
phenomena.
Others, however. maintain that these
manifestations can be satisfactorily &C
counted for by chemical and mechani-
cal action. Ii seems 10 be generally
admitted that great masses of water are
constantly tiltering into the depths of
the earth from the ocean bed; and that
the molten materials which issue from
volcanic rents have absorbed enormous
quantities of steam and other gases. !
Prof Judd tells U.s.. we have the most
indisputable evidence. 1T is TO the !
violent escape of these gases from the |
molten rock masses. a the pressure /
upon them Is relieved. that nearly all |
the active phenomena of volcanoes must |
be referred" And what accounts for /
volcanic action NAV also account for at
least a certain class of earthquakes. |
For there may be other causes. most OF
them, however. referrable To the move /
ments which must he almost constantly |
taking place in the interior, owing TO
the cooling of the earth's crust. Varia-
tons in atmospheric pressure have been
thought TO account for some earth
quakes, and ii Is noticeable that a sharp |
fall of the barometer was observed all
over the south of Spain in the afternoon
before the first great shock. and that
there have since been frequent tiuctua-
tons. The mere falling of an Internal
cavity would almost certainly produce
phenomena. Indeed Prof.
Milne seems TO believe that the earth is
full of cavities of all sizes. like huge
Grlyere 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 il is possible.
perhaps, TO have seismographs of much
too fine n structure, so fine as To record
the vibration of every passing jinriksha.
the explanation of all these
phenomena seems TO be that our planet
is cooling body, and they will only
cease when every particle of heat has
left the heart of our old mother. when
also, biologists tell us, there will be no
more sea, when the air itself will have
and the earth will be rs dead
as the moon.-LOndOn Times.