Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-05-01
FlNELgcTURE ON GEOLOGY.
Professor Clarke Discusses the Compost
tIon of the Earth's Crust.

A largo audience of Richmond's most
cultured people filed the chapel at the
College last night 70 hear the first OF the series
OF lectures on the chemistry OF tho earths crust
by Professor W. s. Clarke, OF Washington.
The genial Professor Winston, after stating the
origin OF these annual lectures and giving brief
statement OF the series OF preceding years miro
duced the speaker, who delivered an INSTRUCTIVE
and entertaining lecture on the composition ot
the earth's crust.
Including five miles above and an equal depth
below the sea level, the speaker SAID, wo knew
comparatively nothing OF anything except some
ten miles Of the earth's outer shell. Inc relhin-
ing $3.50 miles Of its diameter are utterly un-
known except from what little information vol
canic eruptions bring us from an uncertain
depth. The crust Of the earth may De cOhSluoI-
ed In three ssctions-the atmospheric she'll the
sheet OF ocean, aud the she'll OF rock. inc ac-
tual amount OF matter In the atmosphere " SO
small as 10 be left out Of account IN comparison
with the water and tho rock. The constitution
OF the air is chiefly oxygen anu nitrogen III 'h0
proportions one 70 four.
WHAT THE SEA CONTAINS.
Tho saa contains almost or quite all the seventy
elementary substances In some form or o'her;
IL has gold enough and silver enough 10 pay on
the national debt, but t would require zen tlllos
that amount 20 get II out. us chiet elenlenIs l
are oxygen and hydrogen. The rocks are COM
posed almost entirely OF some seventeen eie-
ments the other ifty-thrse entering IN quants'les
so small as 20 be practically dlsreghtueau,. va
these some OF the elements usuaily O~ohslueicu ~
raro are abundant, and some that We thlbA IhoSt ~,
abundant-e. a.. nlirogen-enter In very sIhali
quantities. Oxygen furnishes one nan 'he mat
ter OF the universe.
WHAT Is THE STATE OF THE INTERIOR OF THE
EARTH?
The answer 10 this question, the speaker stli1,
must be inferred from various evidences. ~ y
concluded that i Is chiefly solid with nterspersed
lIauld-a sort OF spongy substance, 20 70 speaA.
with the liauld In it, which might Do sluee%eu
out II We had the means to do the squeezing
Evidences are more and more pointing 70 auu
scientists are more and more accepting the theO-
~ Of a common, single elementary substance, -, "
which all other sO-called substances hIo ohiI
notifications secured by reerrahseinon'' snN
combinations, etc. -. 49,
The lecturer introduced some new anu sur
prislng faets-the result OF his own NV ,
and performed some experiments sh0Wlhs nyw ~
the elements came 20 be disposed as 'ne5 a,o 80, -
the formation OF the earth's crust ,,1,As cn hoA :
Tuesday night the lecture wiz DC on l,l.. mne,a.
Waters and Minerals" and on tne ion""'He
Thursday on "Coal and Petroleum.
Other Notes from the College,
Tomorrow evening tho annual contest Tor tne
oest-debatersp medal In the Philoioglarm 30
ciety viii take place 10 the sOcietys hali. Iheto
are six contestants and much interest," 10 ieis III
the event .oo ,.,ooh
On next Wednesday afternoon at 4:3o ocloSH DSlA
the annual contest for the steer poaaps n. y
medal will take place under the dlrecton ol ~ ~ ~
feesos l. X. Hambern, the successful Ieaenor NJ ~
expression. There are nine contestants WIZ
win be glad to see their friends present