WARREN UPHAM, ESQ., ON CAUSES OF THE ICE AGE. 235 



position, and hence causing the Pole of second rotation to alter its 

 position. At page 258 I state : — 



Now, a comparatively slight change in the position of the Poles of 

 second rotation may produce a very great change in the climatic condi- 

 tions during a second rotation. 



At page 259 I state : — 



To conclude, however, that because the Poles of the second axis of 

 rotation are now 29° 25' 47" from the Poles of daily rotation, they must 

 always have been so, no matter how much or how little the position of 

 the centre of gravity of the Earth has varied, is unsound and is im- 

 possible. 



At page 260 I state (with the aid of a diagram), that a small 

 change in the position of the Pole of second rotation vi^ould cause 

 an uniform climate on the Earth dui-ing many thousand years ; and 

 at page 261 I point out that the formation of coal beds, with 

 sandstone and shale intervening, would be the results of a change 

 in the position of the Pole of second rotation, yet Mr. Upham says, 

 "According to General Dray son astronomical conditions capable 

 of producing an Ice Age have recurred every 31,000 years." 



It must be borne in mind that when the summer midday altitude 

 of the Sun was 12° greater than at present, the heat in summer in 

 Polar regions would have been much greater than at present. If 

 more ice were formed in winter than could be melted in summer, 

 there would be an annual increase of ice. If, however, the whole 

 of the ice formed in winter were melted in summer, there would 

 be no ice annually accumulated in high northern regions, especially 

 ■where the ground was flat. Siberia and Alaska seem to meet 

 these conditions, and it is probable that during the height of 

 the Ice Age the i"egions close to the Poles were more free from ice 

 than they are at present. 



I refrain from venturing any remarks on the geological state- 

 ments put forward by Mr. Upham. If I did so, I might soon 

 show that I was writing on a subject with which I was only 

 superficially acquainted. It does, however, seem to me that 

 confirmation is required to prove that the Earth's surface was 

 forced up 4,000 feet to cause the Ice Age, and that the weight 

 of this ice pressed down the Earth's crust upon its "fused 

 interior." 



Professor James Geikie, at the end of his paper, vol. 26, page 248, 

 Journal of the Victoria Institute, states : — 



There are many other objections to the Earth's movement hypothesis 

 which the limits of this j^aper forbid me entering upon. But those 



