Detrital Theory of Geology. 313 



to conceive the mountain mass to have a base much wider than 

 that belonging to the base of an equilateral triangle. 



But, on the other hand, grant that the earth has a central 

 nucleus, and that the heat has not rendered fluid all the 

 matter from the inner circle to the centre, then let X Y 

 be the base of the isosceles triangle X Y Z, and let Z be 

 the apex. 



As the central nucleus, being solid, must be the fixed 

 resisting medium for all force gendered by heat acting to- 

 wards the earth's surface, then, as the base from which that 

 force acts cannot be wider than the diameter of the central 

 nucleus, however large or small that nucleus may be, it 

 follows that, for the crust to yield opposite to the apex of 

 a triangle so formed, as at the point P, opposite Z, the 

 elevation on the surface formed by force so acting, must 

 have a base far narrower than the length of either of the otJier 

 two sides leading to the apex. 



Hence, if force act either from a fixed central body, or 

 from the sides of a large enclosed caldron, the elevation on 

 the surface arising from it, and only acting at one point, so as 

 to form a mountain or peak, will have the sides as long or 

 longer than the base, as the case may be, but under no circum- 

 stances will the base be materially wider, the discrepancy being 

 little more than fractional. 



In contrast with this induction, stands the formidable 

 phalanx of all the mountain systems in the world, of every 

 hill, and, almost, hillock, found on land ; for at the base of 

 each, whether it be of the Himalayan range, the Andes, the 

 Alpine, or any other mountain range, let a bore or tunnel be 

 cut through, and in many the base would be quite five times 

 longer than the height taken at its highest peak ; and there 

 are few which would not have a base three times longer, 

 or wider, than the height ; while, in a mountain formed 

 upon the basis of an equilateral triangle, the base would not 



