146 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECrS JOURNAL. 



[April, 



around us, as it is to facts coming under tlie cognizance of even 

 common observers. From the vpaters in the union of oxygen, liydrogen, 

 and nitrognn, aided by light and heat, species are produced, derive 

 their increase, their several capacities and powers, and are enabled 

 to propagate their species: the union of these elements in varying 

 proportions of necessity produces varying results : and, again, 

 vith these results, thus generated by the living, the several 

 elements of bodies, and decomposed portions of bodies, again 

 and again unite, producing a further and indefinite series of 

 resells. Some of the cryptogamia, for instance, derive their 

 nourishment and increase from the atmosphere alone, and thus 

 consolidated matter, termed vegetable earth, is production in inces- 

 sant decay and reproduction of these plants; quantity being pro- 

 duced from the continued generation of atoms in the unity of these 

 atoms, and quality being produced from the varying mixtures of matter 

 with matter, the earth obtaining increase by the processes of genera- 

 tion, dissolution, and change. Every organic body in the ocean 

 abstracts by its mechanical or chemical operations a certain portion 

 from the waters, the oxygen and hydrogen uniting according to the 

 forces of affinity and motion, ammonia, carbon, and other proximate 

 elementary bodies being produced, previously no existence, and 

 when formed maintaining their integrity of character under num- 

 berless combinations, and being incapable of returning to their 

 previous state. In like manner terrestrial species abstract from the 

 waters and the atmosphere — a portion of this abstracted material is 

 acrain returned to these elementary compounds, but another portion is 

 retained by the body which is thereby enabled to maintain its position 

 as a thing of life, to develope its parts, and to propagate its species. 

 The earth teems with countless myriads of animals and vegetables, and 

 life is sustained in and throughout the whole by incessant absortion, 

 and consequent abstraction of atmospheric air, a fourth body carbon 

 being the result, more concentrated in its nature and of greater specific 

 gravity, and consequently having a greater tendency to consolidate ; 

 and the carbon generated by animal life is greedily absorbed and con- 

 densed in form and hody, by vegetable species of simple organization 

 and ot simple elementary qualities. 



The laws of nature, in production and reproduction, are regulated 

 by the force of circumstances; orders are produced by local action 

 and re-action and local influences; genera and species diverge there- 

 from by local action, accidentally or casually manifested ; the genera, 

 order, or species produced, the multiplication of like from like, 

 depending entirely upon the accident of circumstance, over which they 

 liave no defined control: thus under favourable circumstances, and in 

 the absence of destroying agents they rapidly increase and multiply, 

 the trees become a forest, the polypes form chains of hills, and loco- 

 motive animals assemble in shoals — flocks and herds, or swarms, 

 obscure the face of day. Under less favourable circumstances they be- 

 come the sport and prey of hostile species, or of the elements; thus 

 the forests are laid low, the flock and herds are destroyed by disease 

 or bv carniverouSanimals, innumerable enemies thin the shoals of fishes, 

 and storms destroy the gathering insect tribe; brought into being they 

 become immediately the sport of circumstance, destroying and de- 

 stroyed : the frog feeds upon the insect tribe, the serpent feeds upon 

 the frog, the cormorant and the wild hog feed upon the serpent : each 

 of these has its enemies, and last of all comes man, before whose 

 wishes and desires Death marches terrific, mowing down all in his 

 wav. The law of nature is warl — war! — species arranged against 

 species — life against life ; — such is of necessity, otherwise the ocean 

 water would become stagnant with the living and the dead, and 

 terrestrial earth would for ever remain a desert. 



There is, it is true, apparent harmony in the economy of nature, both 

 in the ocean and on the earth, |iroceeding from the local distribution 

 of animals and vegetables, arranged in group's and families, and also 

 in the local disposition of inorganic matter, which, although produced 

 by many, contains elementary principles and proximate principles, 

 sunilating and in common with all : but, upon a close examination and 

 analysis, we find that all aggregate masses of matter differ widely 

 from each other, and, although the general aspect of the mineral 

 com|JOund may be such as to enable us to classify and arrange them, 

 still there is a marked diBFerence in the composition, structure, and 

 qualities of aggregates bearing the same name. Motions and matter 

 siuiilating and prolonged to a certain period of Time, produces an 

 apparent but no real regularity of disposition of strata, this apparent 

 arrangement proceeding from similar Causes, by a series of disposi- 

 tions of like qualities, and of like compound atomic particles, the 

 matter thus brought together, producing one result, the stratum 

 thus formed having qualities peculiar to the class to which it 

 owes its origin. In the union of matter inert there is no fixed law, 

 for countless organic bodies of the animal and vegetable kingdoms 

 are confusedly united together after the functional operations of life 



have ceased, and the nature of these bodies, and of the elementary 

 principles with which they unite in the mineral kingdom, determines 

 the nature of the strata ; thus some, in union and general decompo- 

 sition, form clay — others marls, varying in their qualities, according to 

 thei r mixtures — others sands, or limestone, or other kinds of rock, 

 or compound bodies. In all these Changes the Causes of effects pro- 

 duced may be many, but the result is one ; the material of the stratum 

 may differ in its local distribution, but the difference escapes the 

 cognizence of the senses as we review the one whole. 



In the union of particles and proximate principles, of which terres- 

 trial earth is composed, crystaline and cemented masses are produced, 

 and even the jetherial and volatile principles loosely disseminated in 

 the atmosphere, and in the earth, decomposed by the action of light 

 and heat, unite in quantities with the particles and aggregates of 

 matter: thus the bulk of earth receives a continued accession to its 

 parts and quantities; the wafers and the air enter into the composition 

 of fossil and mineral aggregates: this being the case, it is not neces- 

 sary to ensure the continual increase of the earth and decrease of the 

 waters and the atmosphere, that the elementary constituents of organic 

 bodies should be preserved together as one whole after the functions of 

 life have ceased and the body has mingled with the dust; for were 

 the leaves of a forest to volatilize entirely, even then, the volatile 

 principles in their ultimate recombinations become constituents of the 

 rocks, earths, metals, or gaseous products. 



This ditference in quantities and qualities would have no ex- 

 istence did Nature act by unerring rules: a compound aggregate 

 mass of inorganic matter is naturally formed, but the object for which it 

 is formed, or the intents and purposes of it application, are alike un- 

 certain: there are peculiar kinds of rock, which man can seve- 

 rally and usefully employ, but, at the same time, it will be acknow- 

 ledged that there is no necessity for any one particular kind of rock, 

 for man could do without it, the earth could do without it, and its ab- 

 sence would very often be an advantage to production and re-pro- 

 duction, and more particularly to man, whose brief career is passed 

 in rendering nature subservient to his wants and purposes. Again, 

 strata are produced, but there is no necessity for strata having pecu- 

 liarity of form, composition, and character, for the use of a thing 

 does not constitute its necessity, even admitting for a moment that it 

 is useful ; and this applies even to the precious metals, for, however 

 desirable gold may be in our eyes, still it must be acknowledged there 

 is no necessity for gold — man perhaps would be happier without it. 



The stratum forms by the mere accidents of union of matter with 

 matter ; it disunites once more, and is irrevocably separated by the 

 accidents of flood or fire, and new results are produced by the mere 

 accidents of union. In all the changes manifest in tins planet, Life is 

 subservient to the building of consolidated matter, and this consoli- 

 dated matter is in turn subservient to life, the accidents of production 

 and the accidents of destruction equally afl'ecting both. The laws of 

 Nature are the laws of Forces, which regulate the distribution of 

 Forces and consequent Action, and the union of bodies proceeds from 

 the forces of affinity and cohesion which invariably govern the dispo- 

 sition of matter uniting with matter : thus, bodies unite with bodies, 

 similating, or bearing relationship to themselves. Again, aggregates 

 unite by the force of specific gravity and lateral pressure, or upon 

 the cessation of motion, or the disposition of those forces imparted. 

 It is from these necessary consequences of matter united, uniting, and 

 contending with matter, that rocks, strata, and other compound mine- 

 ral bodies are produced. 



Philosophers of the present day have placed a record before us, 

 facts the most astounding, of vast aggregate masses of terrestrial 

 earth, being formed of minute animalcula: thus Ehrenberg speaks of 

 his discoveries of chalk, earths, tripoli, and other compounds, being 

 wholly composed of animal life: "At Swienemude in the Baltic," he 

 observes, " where about two millions and a half of cubic feet of mud 

 were recently removed in one year, one third of that entire mass 

 consisted of microscopic animals. The Moors of Leinburgh present 

 accumulations of fossil inlusoiia 28 feet in thickness. In the peaty 

 layer of Berlin tunnel-shaped deposits of eggs reach in some places 

 to the depth of CJU feet; there is no doubt," lie says, " they are still 

 alive, and capable of increase." The like phenomena are mentioned 

 by American writers as manifest on that continent. M. 



Fossil Oak in a Freestone Quarry. — A few days ago, some workmen 

 engaged io exciivaUng freestone from a quarry near Darlaston, iliseovered an oak tree, 

 nearly 15Ieet in length, in a complete fossil slate, imbedded in the Ireestone. This matter 

 is worthy the attention of geologists, it being a very rare occurrence tliat such specimens 

 are fouuU in freestoue, 



