The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-09-16
MAGMA THEORY EXAMINED
REJoINDER TO DIR. BISHOPS LAST
LETTER
Seeks to Disprove the Presence of
Gases I'm Liquid or Solid Form" in
the Earth's Interior.


letter published in your paper of the
21st inst, and may 1 express the hope
that the present communication will
end the controversy as to whether "the
whole of the superheated magma or
lava of the (earths) interior, is satur-
ated with condensed gases under pres
sure in liquid or solid form"
In his last letter DR.. Bishop says II
will only stop to fortify my contention
that carbonic acid gas in soda water is
actually in the liquid state, by adduc-
ing the case of air absorbed by water.
That air seems to be liquifed and ques-
cent But if the water freezes, the air
contained refuses to solidify."
1t is indeed strange, Mr., Editor, that
DR.. Bishop does not appear to see the
absolute physical difference between
gases in solution, and the so-called
liquefied gases of the physicist. Air,
like carbon dioXide, is soluble in water,
but not in equal degree. This solubility
of gases that the doctor confuses with
with their compressibility and tendency
to change form under extreme degrees
Of cold, is simply a popularity they pos
sess In common with many other con-
ditions of matter. The status of a So
called liqufied gas is something entirely
per Sc, brought about by pressure and
keeping down it's kinetic energy by re-
duced temperature. What have air bub-
bles in ice to do with DR.. Bishops the
ory of liquid or solid gases in the earth's
interior? Absolutely nothing. Not the
most remote connection The confusion
in the Doctors mind is very apparent
when he says ''if the water freezes the
air contained refuses to solidify.' Why
should 1t solidify? How can it solidiry?
e.. A.
etremely low temperature, vastly more
intense, than that of ice is required,
first to lquefy it, and a still lower tenn
perature to freeze it.
Think sir, to what DR.. Bishops i'm
practicable theory leads him. Air bub-
bles are found in ice and do not solid
ify, hence carbon dioXide exists in soda
water in the condition of the physicists
liquid gas, ergo, gases in solid or liquid
form are "included throughout the
molecules of the hot magma" of the
earth's interior.
The doctor having returned to his
soda water theory, says that it is ne
chanicalI combination of carbon dioXide
and water. The doctor is given to m .
Producing mechanical combinations to
support his theories. His water and
quick lime suggestions will be remen-
bered. Now touching soda water when
carbon dioxide, coz, is forced into wa
ter, a chemical action takes place, and
the resultant liquid is represented by
the equation CO2XH2O-H2CO3. Pres
sure being removed, the excess of gas
escapes, the water however retaining
volume of the dioXide equal to it's own.
DR.. Bishop says he cannot presume
on using your space to discuss minor
points at issue. May I, sir, say that the
great master minds in science tell us
there is no great or small known to
l,f,, II. n1t 70
atom of matter is of no less moment
than the mighty mountain reaching
with its snow capped peak to the pOr-
tails of the clouds. DR.. Bishop made a
number of statements in support of an
assumption that he thus introduced:
Now for my own theory. What Of
this theory, Mr.. Editor, that DR.. Bishop
speaks of in terms of absolute proprle-
torship? What of this theory that he
says is a favorite solution of his own Of
the cause of lava ejectment? That /
have again to repeat ii | regret The
doctors words are The whole of the
superheated magma or lava of the
earth's interior, is saturated with con-
densed gases under pressure in liquid
or solid form" Now, sir, to
support this theory that DR.. Bishop
promulgates and further tells you, sir,
that ii is a favorite solution of his own
"Of great physical problem of which
no satisfactory account has hitherto
been given" / say, to support this the
ory the doctor made statements that
the writer contravened and they are
now spoken of by the doctor as minor
! points" and while he cannot presume
on using your space to discuss them,
nevertheless, he does occupy not a lit
| tie room in your columns by discussing
how new star" can be made, by in
Producing hypothetical measurements
| of CT nd
! by a not uninteresting dissertation up
on the latest conclusions of stellar sci
ence.
DR.. Bishop in his third letter says the
essential point of his contention is that
those gases are necessarily present
throughout the earth's interior. They
must be there"
Why, sir, of course gases are there.
! All the world believes them to be there.
| All the world thought of them as being
| there, long and long before the goth of
July last, when in The Star DR.. Bishop
announced his own theory. But Mr.,
| Editor. what the world did not know,
and what it does not now know, and
what it most certainly, with our pres
ent information cannot know or be-
| lieVe, is, that gases are there, in the
| earth's interior, in liquid or solid form
In DR.. Bishops last communication
he says he spoke of the gases as
! 'Wnetnef llQulu or SOllu. a reference
to the Doctors letter i'm which the pro-
nouncement of his own theory was
made will show that the doctor is mis-
taken. He did not write of the gases rs
| whether liquid or solid" but asserted
they were in such condition. Dr.
! Bishop says he need not discuss how
| c. $. seems most strangely to impute
| to him the absurdty "of supposing that
/ the meteOrites became embodied (sic)
| i'm the nebulous orb in a continued fro
zen state" ! have tried Mr., Editor, tc
impute nothing to DR.. Bishop. When
alludng to his Gown theory / have
| given his own very words, and when the
minor points" presented themselves tc
notice, | have given them also in the
doctors own dress and have simply put
the plain construction upon them, that
a fair knowledge of our mother tongue
seemed to warrant. l most certainly
would not play havoc with the doctor.
reputation by imputing to him any sucf
ideas as he himself has advanced, botf
Continued on page three)