The record-union., 1894-04-14
WAS THERE A FLOOD?
Treated From a Purely Scientific
Standpoint
''The Nestor Among Geologists'' Es-
tablishes the Origin OF the Tradi-
tion of Flood to the Satisfaction
of scientists-A Notable Meeting.

Especial Correspondence of RECORD UNION. ]
LONDON, March 22.-One of the largest
meetings ever held by the Victoria 1nsti-
tute of London, England, took place in
the third week of March, to hear that
well-known "Nestor among Biologists" +"
Prof. Prestwich, f. r. S., read paper on
"a Possible Cause for the Origin of the
Tradition of the Flood" in which he pro-
posed to treat the subject from purely
scientific standpoint" The chair was
taken by the ex-President of the Royal
Society. Sir George Stokes. Bart, +. X. 81.
the present occupant of that Profess
orial chair at Cambridge University
once occupied by Sir Issac Newton,
and also the President of the Victoria In
stitute. whose aim is to investigate all
scientific questions bearing on the truth
of tbs Bible, and to associate all scientific
men and people generally in the colonies
and America in aid of this work. The
great hall was packed in every part. as
those who arrived late found.
The business was commenced by Cap
tain Z. Petrie, the Honorary Secretary,
reading letter from the Duke of Argyll,
which Professor I. Rupert Jones, f. K.
.. read the paper prepared by Professor
Prestwieh, he not being sufficiently re-
covered from severe cold to do SO him.
self. Iu it the author described at con-
siderable length the various phenomena
which had come under his observation
during long years of geological research
in Europe and the coasts of the Mediter-
ranean. Among these he specially re-
ferred to having found the 1ints Of the
drift TO be of two classes, one with bones
of animals, carved, and interspersed with
the remains of man, and the other, which
he termed the rubbledrift, containing
bones of animals OF all ages and kinds in
vast heaps. He cited the confrmatory
opinions on this point of Professor
Geikie, T. r. S., member of the Insti-
tute, and drew special attention to the
geological surroundings OF these strange
deposits, and the manner in which the
bones were found.
He then referred to phenomena in re-
gard to raised sea beaches, and the
constant occurrence of 'shead," the large
masses of transported rock, loan and
loess, covering the high plains in
Hungary and Southern Russia, and the
ossiferous breccias in various localities.
From the circumstances attending these
and their surroundings he said he had
been forced to the conclusion that all
their phenomena were "only explicable
upon the hypothesis Of a widespread and
short submergence followed by early re-
elevation, and this hypothesis satisfied
all the important conditions of the
problem" which forced one to recognise
that there had been a submergence of
continental dimensions. The age of man
was held to be divided into pal&olithic
and neolithic, and he considered rightly
so. He concluded by suggesting that
thus there seemed cause for the origin of
q tradition of food
The paper was followed by reference to
a communication from Sir w. Dawson,
+. r. S., who welcomed the paper as con-
hrming his conclusion come to on geo.
logical ano archaeological grounds of a
physical break in the anthropic age. The
evidence for this was afforded by the cave
remains and from vast quantity OF
other sources. The discussion which en-
sued was commenced by Sir George
Stokes, Bart, T. r. S., referring to the
great value of the authors contribution
10 our knowledge and right understand
ing of the phenomena he had so long
studied.
Among those present were Mr.. Hud-
dleston, f. r. s., the Past President of
the Geological Society, and DIR. Wood
ward, f. 4. s., the present President.
The latter proposed q cordial vote of
thanks to his friend and teacher, DIR.
Prestwich, 'the Nestor among Geolo-
gists," whose contributions to our knowI-
edge of that science were recognized by
all as greater, more far-reaching and
more valuable than those of any other
in the present century. After sundry
other remarks Sir Henry Howorth, Bart,
f. r. S., spoke, urging the great import
ance of recognizing the value of the argu-
ments in the paper and many others
which had come under his own observa-
ton in Asia.
Professor Mex. Hughes, f. r. S., of
Cambridge University. followed with
some criticisms, and bore warm tesLi-
mony to the value of the paper, after
which Professor Hull. F. R. S., late Di-
rector of the Geographical Survey of Ire
land, spoke strongly in favor Of the sci
entific nature of the authors arguments.
Professor Rupert Jones, F. r. s., in a
few sentences replied to the speakers and
the brilliant gathering dispersed.