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212 On Earthquakes—their causes and effects, Nh 
known volcanoes are situated near the sea. Cotopaxi is 
said to be farthest from it, at one hundred and forty miles 
distance. Thus it is that islands are so much more prolific 
of volcanoes than continents. In Europe there is but one 
on the continent, and twelve on its islands; in Asia eight, 
and on its islands fifty-eight ; in fe ninety- seven, and 
on its islands nineteen. Water therefore is an essential 
portion of the volcano, and we ity safely conclude that it 
is its most Diasici 2 ae We are all ‘es Sa with the 
During an eruption of Vesuvius a ” one thousand feet high 
= thrown up in one single ni 
- Whether the earth was created with its internal mass in an 
nited state, or whether the action of fire commenced since 
we find it, and e ur to show how this fire is kept up. 
In descendi the exterior strata of the earth we 
i the heat to as recede fr its 
se in the same ratio bey ‘ond the de 
t continue to” ‘depth | 
in has been able to attain, we should have at a compara= 
ively short distance, a state of ignition almost beyond our 
conception. If such be really the fact, the centre of this 
mass must assume a fluid form presenting a heterogenous 
mass of metalloids ; but it is difficult to suppose that it could 
remain in a state of ignition without a large supply of air: 
yet, on the contrary, the great density of the earth’s mass 
urges strongly in favour of such a belief. Dr. Maskelyne has 
proved this density to be 9 a 2 water, and 9 a 5 common 
stone. 
If we admit of channels extending to, and comecte vol- 
canoes, and branching into countries not possessed of them, 
they must be independent of, and superincumbent to the 
fluid mass. They may be considered, in fact, as a species 
_ of horizontal volcanoes, their walls and roofs furnishing them 
combustible matter, aided by oxygen supplied by 
“influx of the sea. That volcanoes are connected with 
the ocean, cannot admit of a reasonable doubt. Inde- 
pendent of what I have said on the subject, we have sub- 
o 
aa 
a measure twelve feet long and forty-five in circumference. a 
