Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-04-14
The Earthls Crust.

Richmond College has the most beauti-
full lecture hall in the city. 1t is capacious
and elegant, but for several reasons only
about one half of full assembly can com
fortably hear the lecturer. Some of the
lecturers are feeble-voiced, and this Is one
especial reason. Could not some better
position be assigned to the speaker
The Thomas lectures are compliment
to the community. Lecturers holding dis
tinguished positions have been employed
10 deliver them, and they have been de-
livered. Taken as a whole, we cannot say
that they equalled in ability, certainly
not in interest. the public lectures of the
college professors.
II ia announced that one Of these distin-
guished gentlemen will soon be here to
lecture upon the Chemistry of the Crust
of the Earth" and 1t is expected that the
lecture will be of SURPRISING interest, mas.
much as the topic Is worthy OF the best
efforts of the scientist
Exceptipp its astronomical relations
nothing is known of the earth but OF its
crust Comprehensively the chemistry OF
the crust of the earth embraces all chemls-
try except the chemistry Of life, and with
this fossils are closely connected. The
bulk of the earth amounts TO 256, 600 mil
lions of cubic miles, but its crust by COM
parison is only q mere skin IN thickness,
about the same in proportion. as a sheet
of thin cardboard surrounding liquid
sphere yard IN diameter
When studied in the light of chemistry
the crust of the earth is the most interest
ing object in the material universe, not
withstanding the fact that the earth's size
is insignificant as compared with the sun,
and the sun itself O mere spark in the Him
table expanse of worlds. Force is pre-
dominant and matter subordinates IN all
those majestic orbs that illuminate space
They are awful in flames and thunder, but
on this earth matter and force are IN equi-
librium and matter is found in variety OF
forms and conditions and combinations
that appear nowhere else.
Man is no insignificant being, for
among the intelligencies he is only
| little lower than the angels, and, so far as
il can be ascertained, the being. wisdom,
and goodness, if not the power, OF God
have been displayed as IN no other part OF
creation in preparing the crust OF the
earth for his habitation. IL Is cast into
mountains, valleys, hills, and dales, and
supplied with seas, lakes, streams, and
| springs. 1t is oInamented with grassy
carpets. trees, fruits, and flowers, 1t IS
| animated with the cattle on thousand
| hills, with beasts, birds, and fishes; it is
enriched with coal, iron, and costly gems (;
! il is surrounded by vast orbs that shine,
affording that glorious spectacle, the
nightly procession of the heavenly bodies.
| There are awey off in space double stars
| that are colored. and the planets that re-
volve around them have a double sun
rise, two moons, and two sunsets, blue and
| crimson-the one color now prevailing,
then the other; then a glorious commin-
Cling of colors into white light: then an
| Attenuation of blue days and crimson days
without any intervening night. But all
| this cannot DO 30 grateful to the hu-
man eve, nor so congenial to the re-
flecting mind as the slow and solemn APP
bearing of the terrestrial dawn increasing
| into day, the steady noon, and the depar-
| ture of the western sun in flood of glory.
| "What is man that Thou art mindful of
him, or the son of man that Thou (the Son
of God yisitest him?"
CHEMISTRY.
"As the original gases contained the
atoms of all the substances belonging to
our globe, and as all these substances do
not lquify of the same temperature, it is
plain that when the surface of the globe
was congealing into crusts there must have
been fiery clouds of unliquifed gases
hanging up overhead. These gases have
all been gradually absorbed into the globe,
except the Atmospheric air, which doubt
| less will remain unabsorbed until We have
no more use for it," (Roeks, minerals, and
| stocks.)
There are regions among the nebul@
where all matter is now in state OF ire
mendously- heated gas. Science says that
was once the condition of our earth. One
| of the most celebrated chemists in the
world thinks that by means Of the spectre
scope he has discovered the fact that IN
| that awfully heated condition all matter
appears as q unit-that is. that ultimately
| there is only one kind of matter. BE that
| true or not, chemists recognize about
seventy elements or unalterable forms Of
matter. OF these the crust OF the earth IS
| composed. An element is never found
| alone Matter consists in the form OF mole
| cules. By the combination of elements an
| innumeTable variety and quantity OF mole
cules is formed. Molecules act upon each
other, producing change OF composition
| in matter-this Is chemistry. The chemistry
| of the crust OF the earth Is history of
those molecular changes which have re-
suited in the present condition OF the
rocks 1--WE use the word IN its geo.
| logical meaning) that compose the
1 cr9,st 90 the earth. We feel Incompetent
/ 10 discuss this wonderful subject in n
I suitable manner, nor - newspaper column
/ space enough. The distinguished professor
/ who is to lecture can only outline its main
| features or present ITS most interesting
| facts in an hours time. Chemistry Is the
! foremost science and the explanation it
/ has to give Of the formation Of the earth's
I crust is a theme worthy OF Its most En-
allied expounder.
.In certain point of view is not our
almost imperceptible planet as great as the
universe, III that it Is the expression Of
! the same lRwsgn Heb.
All IN the Trimming.
lClopk Reyiewl