The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1906-07-20
IS THE EARTH'S
CENTER CCLD9
soms csolo6lats Opposs shs paeIssn
Interior Thaogx.

Interior Iheogys
There is popular belief that this
earth on which we live b composed of
q surface crust; that within this cruat
there Is q molten maaa, heated 80 de-
gree beyond anything the human mind
can conceive, much less measure by de-
grees, or describe Ia figures.
We have been told that this crust can
only be compared 20 the shsll Of the
egg, and that even this comparison does
not do the subject justice, 90 much
thinner u our earth crust, oE shelL
than u the shell Of the egg, when the
respective volume Of the contents of
each.
II the existing theory is mistaken
one, Il must be admitted that Il may
yet be possible for man 20 descend to
depths Tar below any he has yet at
tanned.
The one fact upon which scientists
base the theory that the interior Is
liquid mass Of intense degree Of heat IL
that in the mines or other deep boringa
hitherto made in the earth's surface, Il
has been found that heat increases Ia
degree proportionate 20 the depth de-
seconded II has been found that this
heat increases degree Fahrenheit for
every 81 feet below the surface, and
that at depth Of two miles the tenn.
perature is equal 70 that OF boiling
water.
But there are those who question ali
this. They even question whether the
interior Of the earth ID IN any degree
warmer than jts surface, and II those
skeptics should be right the ingenuity
Of man may yet devise means 20 make
exploration far beyond any on which be
has yet ventured. The objection win
arise that II is q fact that Il does grow
rapidly warmer IS descent from the
earth's surface IL made.
Mr.. Frank Harris, an English geolo.
gist, in replying TO this objection, says
that instead Of the increasing heat per
ceptible when descent into the earth 70
any considerable depth Is made being
caused by much greater heat further
below, II Is, In reality, caused by the
pressure Of the air from above. He
cites two well-known instances 20 prove
this,
One Is that IN valleys in Switzerland
when cold wind descends upon them
the pressure Of the upper air, cold as Il
Is, upon the lower strata Of air, causes
great heat. Another place where sini-
lar effect 10 produced by similar cause,
he says, Is at Melbourne, Australia,
the South Atlantic the air exercises q
pressure upon the warmer northern air
below and produces oppressive heat that
continues until the cold current of air
has obtained mastery over the warmer
air beneath.
And, further, say those who do not
agree with the generally accepted the
DRY II the interior of the earth was
composed Of an intensely heated liquid
mass, enclosed within q shell as thin as
we have been taught TO believe the
earth's crust to be, Il would long since
have found vent and overwhelmed both
land and sea.
Beresford Ingram, B. A., F. c. s.,
who has given much thought 10 this
subject without having reached q con-
clusion TO which he will commit himself,
very fairly states the theory held by
some geologists that the earth Is q cool
ing body, with q thin crust and an inte-
rior composed Of q molten, liquid mass
Of some unknown substance, but, pre-
sumably, melted rocks, while others
hold that the pressure In the interior Of
the earth must be 30 great that through
the greater portion Of its diameter Il
must necessarily be solidifed, leaving
only \ comparatively small stratum Of
intensely heated liquid between this
UUCtGub anu TIC OuSGE CEunt.
One objection he sees to this theory,
however.
"If," says Mr.. Ingram, 1.-THE earth's
crust IL 80 thin Il would yield to the de-
forming influences Of the sun and the
moon, in which case the water would be
drawn up with the earth, and thus no
sensible tidal effect could be produced.
In order 20 counterfeit the attraction e
would be necessary TO admit that the
thickness Of the earth's crust 10 at least
two thousand miles"
He cites another theory that the
earth, having passed through the stage
Of alternate solidity and fiuidity, il now
solid throughout, but with large fluid
cavities existing In the mass, which
would 60 far 70 account for volcanoes
and earthquakes New York American.
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Mrs. w. w. GUNNER AAs issued inVl-
tationa for q river party for this after
noon In honor Of Miss Willlane, az
Tallahassee, who b che guest Of Mira
Dobbin Holmes. - Miss haREio
WiIliams, Of Tallahassee. who u The
gusst Of Mrs.. j. Dobbin Holmes, win
visit Nrs. Jamea p. TaliafeFro for few
days during the coming week. -Jaek
aOnvills Metropolis, 18th.
Mrs. A. G. Groom and her daughter.
MFs. Robert e BaFdoo, and her little