The herald., 1895-06-09

interior of the earth exists in the flint
condition under high state of compress
sion; that the flint is molten, viscid
lava. having high temperature. or per-
haps that the liquid is more or less
metallic, or that it is permeated with
metals. Second, that the earth is solid
to its very center, with the exception of
numerous lava pools of molten mater, OF
varying size; that this liquid was and is
still being gradually squeezed out of the
interior by volcanic action.
These lava pools are regarded by some
as being the result of chemical action:
for while accepting the nebular hypothe-
sis they modify it, as shown by the fol-
lowing quotation:
The earth began its career as q revolv
ing sphere of cosmic gas and dust, about
thirty thousand miles in diameter. At
the center OF this great sphere was the
place of least mechanical movement and
disturbance. And It was here that the
work Of solidification commenced
OF those who accept this speculation
some regard the chemical action as hay
ing ceased, other as still continuing.
The remainder of those who entertain
the conception Of a solid earth. account
for the inclosed lava pools as being the
result of enormous compression, due to
the varying pressure OF the superincum-
bent columns, being sometimes noun
tains and sometimes sea. With the be-
levers Of the first conception the lava
cells are the direct cause of earthquakes
and volcanoes; with the second, they are
the indirect cause.
Among the peculiar conceptions regard
ing solid earth, ds one which asserts
that q hole extends through the earth
from pole to pole, at which places the in
ternal fires find vent, Jules Verne makes
use of this and other speculations in his
story A Voyage to the Center of the
Earth. The late Captain SemInes. the
commander OF the confederate Alabama.
believed in the polar hole and that the
escaping heat and fire in some way in
fuenced the earth's magnetism.
6 s'Another current speculation correlated
with the above is that, during the time
the matter O.: the earth was passing into
the liquid and then INTO the solid cond-
ton, partial or complete according to the
view We accept, the different elementary
and compound substances arranged them
selves in more or less concentrc strata.
following quite closely the order of their
specific grayities. That the vast interior
of the earth is made up of the heavier
metals and their chemical compounds. if
such can exist there. and that this Incl
dentally accounts for the sparse distribu-
tion of the heavier metals on the surface
| compared with that of the other ele-
ments.
A close study of this conception will
help to elucidate the problem. because it
brings in data through which we can
make rather accurate comparisons The
| conception seems reasonable because it is
in accord with many well-known phe-
nomena. The objection to it is that if
vigorously followed out. the central por-
ton OF the earth would be composed of
the heaviest metals entirely. Therefore
the maximum density of the eareh or of
any planet, for that matter would be
that OF the heaviest element. which is
the last element in the periodic series,
eka-platinum. the specific gravity of
| which is 27.72.
| This element and its two associated
elements. from which it differs but
| slightly in specific gravity, may consiti-
tute large portion of the earth at the
| center: hence the maximum may extend
| to quite distance from the center. Even
| if we do not take into consideration an
| increase of density due to compression,
] it will be seen that the mean between the