Show CAMPFIRE CAMP FIRE CHATS by PAUL glimpses into geological facts and problems jn in a former article which appeared in the mining review the mountain forming agencies were discussed but before there were mountains there was a crust composed of different formations in a later article we will consider all these formations as we see them one overlying the other until we reach the lowest exposed core all things have a beginning therefore let us consider in this article what preceded this lowest exposed core how did this core originate was it laid down in a primary state as we know it today was ras it originally a sediment if so what was the bottom of this first ocean the lowest and deepest rocks are hard and crystalline geologists came to the conclusion that their condition has probably resulted from the action of water and heat water alone would not dissolve the substances of which these crystallized rocks are composed but heated water especially if carrying kalies alkalis al in solution would be able to dissolve all the substances of these lower rocks whether cudlike or sandy hot alkaline waters would dissolve these very first sediments and then if the solutions were allowed to cool gradually the various constituents would enter into such combinations as suited their several affinities for each other this resulting rock would be extremely different from the original sediment it is supposed that this metamorphism took place even then far below the surface as the heat engaged seems to have been interior heat it was shut in and retained for ages by overlying masses of strata that the heat was internal is evinced by the proof of the existence of internal heat beat as demonstrated by our volcanoes geysers and hot springs today the wastage of the earths internal heat is proven by actual observation and there is no doubt that mother earth is growing colder therefore and from the very first we have to contemplate the earth as a cooling globe now as not the slightest evidence exists that the laws of heat were different in those days millions of years ago from what they are now we have necessarily only the one thing lett left namely to consider the gradual forming of our solid earth through a process of cooling let us now consider the remotest possibilities of such a cooling process all substances are capable not only of fusion but of volatilization on the other hand you know that gases like oxygen carbonic acid chlorine etc have been made solid all the metals have been reduced to vapor all gases can be liquefied every element therefore does exist in the gaseous liquid and solid state the form under which matter exists is simply a circumstance depending on temperature and pressure this conclusion vastly enlarges our field of view we can now safely suppose that our earth and all the planets could have formerly existed first in the gaseous then in a vaporous and finally as consolidation proceeded in a liquid and sona solid state our earth is only one of a system of worlds and there is good reason for believing that any origin which can be established for the earth must represent also the remote origin of the other planets one set of laws seems to govern them all they all so far as ascertained rotate on their axes all rotate from west to east the spectroscope has proven that they are represented by many of the same elements of which this world of ours is partly made and as science advances along these lines of inver investigation more facts will be gathered concerning this subject we traced the history of this our world to the very beginning did we here we have necessarily to stop we have forgotten the one important thing where did matter in any state first tome come from where is the center of the forces working so methodically |