11 



Tlie theory built ui) oii it is uow aL'knowiedged uuteuable, 

 both as some volcanic areas proved to be situated at considerable 

 distance from the sea and because it was admitted impossible for 

 sea water to penetrate to the magma along a üssnre, only to be 

 violently expelled again along another, a more difficult passage. 



A. Daubreio (1) experimentally tried to establish the possibility of 

 the necessary explosive energy, being furnished by the contact of 

 water, reaching magma by capillary attraction, through the sediment- 

 ary strata; this assumption equally proved untenable however. 



In short we may say that since, the solution of the problem has 

 been sought in connection with the action of radioactive elements 

 of the interior of the earth, with cosmic intluences (solar and lunar 

 attraction, maxima and minima of sun spots, etc.) or else in connec- 

 tion with mountainfolding. At the same time it was considered 

 admissable to accept that both, the eruptive |)ower and the presence 

 of vapours and gases, are primordial elements of the magma (2). 



Lately A. Brun (3) denied the existence of water-vapour in large 

 quantities in volcanic emanations, an assertion which has been 

 refuted by the results of L. Day and E. S. Shepukrd's researches (4). 



When now we examine the way in which volcanic regions are 

 distributed over the earth, we notice that their situation coincides 

 in general with the steep Hanks of the G. A. ') which are, according 

 to the doctrine of isostatic movements of the earth's crust, //<(;/rtH//é?(/ 

 and fissured m/iaits of uiir (jlobe. 



In the author's opinion it would not seem improbable, that a 

 causal connection exists between the faulted condition of these regions 

 and the occurrence of volcanism at those very places. 



The products of erosion of the G. A. transported to the G. S. are 

 deposited in sea-iruter. 



Those sediments consequently consist of solid elements mixed with 

 sea- water. 



In the G.S. the hquid constituents of the upper layers surpass 

 the solid material (Deep-sea ooze). 



As sedimentation progi'esses, the pro[)orlioii of solid material in the 

 mixture increases, through entasseiuent. 



Ultimately the water contents of the sedimentary deposit will not 

 exceed the capacity of the total of capillary- (pore-)spaces, left between 

 the adjacent particles of solid material, of which the sediment is 

 built up. ') 



') In what follows the initials G. A. and G. S. will be used respectively for the 

 words Geo-anticlinal and Geo-synclinal. 



"} The question whellier larger 'cavities must be considered existable at very 



