MAY 14 1892 
PROCEEDINGS 
OF THE 
ROYAL PHYSICAL SOCIETY. 
SESSION CXXVI. 
Wednesday, 18th November 1896.—Professor J. STRUTHERS, 
M.D., LL.D., President, in the Chair. 
Mr J. G. Goopcaitp, H.M. Geological Survey, F.G.S., 
F.Z.S., M.B.O.U., retiring Vice-President, delivered the 
following opening address, entitled “Some Geological 
Evidence regarding the Age of the Earth” :— 
Introduction.—Geologists from time to time have attempted 
many estimates regarding the Age of the Earth, and especially 
that portion of the Earth’s history represented by the interval 
between to-day and the period when the oldest strata con- 
taining fossils were laid down. All who have made the 
attempt have realised that it is impossible, with our present 
knowledge, to state the antiquity of the rocks in question in 
terms of centuries, thousands of years, or even in millions. 
All we can feel sure of is that the records of the rocks fully 
justify us in claiming for the earth an antiquity so vast as 
to be far beyond the power of the human intellect to grasp. 
When a geologist wishes to form even some faint conception 
of what this antiquity implies, he turns to astronomy, and, 
after having formed in his mind some conception of what is 
meant by astronomical distance, he is able, in some measure, 
to transfer his conception of those vast intervals of space to 
VOL, XIII. T 
