Daily Republican., 1885-08-18
TWO tn EORIES.

one that it 10 q water formation and
the other that IL is the result of cooling |
from u melted state. The first Is isup-
ported by tradition oral and written. |
The last has the least ground for its |
support of any theory that has received
such wide acceptance.
In the first place, granite, which is
the basic rock, il composed according
to the mineralogist, of mica, feldspar
and quartz according 20 the chemist
of silica, potash, soda, lime, trace OF
iroA, etc.
Now, If substance of this kind were
melted, the result would be not a.
crystalline mixture, az granite is, but
variety Of glass, showing vitreous
fracture.
i. is perfectly possible that granite
should have cry stalled from watery
solution utterly impossible that it
could have resulted from cooling from
state OF fusion.
Simple substances may crystalize
from fused condit ition compound
ones seldom II ever and granite IL q
mixture of compound substances.
Again, 1T is contrary to the laws OF
cooling bodies. A ball Of melted glass
| will not cool 30 as to form crust on
1 inc suriSco WHO eho ih"oAhoA AoAAo
fluid.
Further, the ignoeus theory will not
account for either earthquakes or vol.
canoes.
We know of but two agents in
nature widely enough distributed and
capable under certain conditions, OF
producing these phenomena, steam and
gas.
Now, IL the earth's condition had re-
suited from cooling from q melted
state, there would have been nothing
left inside of the surface that could
possibly produce any commissions No
gas nor anything TO make 1t of, nc
water; and melted glass OH cooling doet
mot wrinkle the surface nor crack, &c
as to let the water down. Again,
steam will not produce the fame and
smoke of volcanoes. We are driven
then to find some agent that will &C
count more satisfactorily for tht
various conditions anu processes which
we see. That agent must be hydro
carbon gas. This supposition was i'm
possible under the igneOus theory, bu
/ lave shown that to be untenable, bul
it harmonizss 30 entirely with the aquaou
view of the subject. 1t will readily &C
count TOR the flame and smoke Of vol
canoes, and also for their intermitten
action. After q volcano has blown
ont, IL subsidies into rest, more or les
complete.
Now, during this Tina of rest in th
Immense cavities underlying and In th
mountains, atmospheric air gradual
, mikes with gases from the interior
This forms an explosive compound. Th
heat of pressure or an electric spar
would ignite the mixture, and tt
earthquake and eruption immediatel
ensue. The volcanoes, then, are safet
valves, and the more gas wells that 81
sunk the less liable are we TO eartt
auakes. 1t follows also that by borin
!. through the granite we ought to I'm
gas.
n OF course there is no telling bo
thick that might be without tryinl
From q study Of the phenomens
earthquakes think there must be 81
tensive cavities in the crust Of u
earth, through which the gas moves
times with great velocity.
To account for such large amounts
!, gas inside of the earth, l will take Il
liberty of suggesting 8 theory whit
/. has at least the merit OF plausibility.
suppose that the oil which we ca
original element In nature as water
that the earth in its first condition CO
sisted OF petroleum, and q watery sol
tiop of the ma aterials, which now cons
tutes its crust; this original watery ear
, Ito have been much smaller in diamet
, than 1t Is at this time that when axia
rotation commenced, (trom whatev
cause) that the petroleum would imm
diately occupy the inside and the wat
the ou side OF the globe.
II tho present amount of atrnosphe
- was then attached to the globe, 1t wou
have been Gf much greater depth a
q would have constituted lens OF gre
n power, concentrating the rays of the b
n, on the earth and heading 1t considerab
10 This heat could cause slow, but &C
,n tinual formation OF gas from
's petroleum, which, seeking the directi
~ of least resistance, would accumuli
- at the centre of the earth. The consta
: . accumulation Of gas at the centre VOL
'' cause the fluid earth to expand In p
portion, which would have the effect
lessening the depth of the atmosph'
ian and increasing the speed Of surf
rotation.
These two causes acting togetl
would tend to produce degree OF co
which might be increased to suct
degree as ~ freeze the entire water
the globe into solid cake Of Ice.
Now, water In turning to Ice elil
~ mates earthly impurities, conseQuen
,lC the whole residuary matter held
solution would be precipitated betw'
iua, .n the ice and the petroleum, which wo'
,nts now line the inner side Of the holl
ocai earth.
gan gan Now, here we have an incipient CT,
'r,s ep pclosed In rigid she'll, but suppos
fui- the formation of gas to still continue
SIS side, the crust would be impacted W
loer i'm mense force against the Icy she'll.
'lns ME til at last the pressure would becom,