162 PROF. E. HULL, LL.D., F.R.S., F.G.S., ON THE SUB-OCEANIO 



silt there running down; but one effect of the constant running 

 doAvn is that the silt is deposited almost immediately, and iu no 

 case, that I am aware of, can j^ou find outside the bar of the 

 river, outside the deepest of the rivers, any ti-ace of the river 

 channel beyond the sea. You get at once into the normal depths 

 of the sea bottom. As to the question of no deposit being found 

 at the mouths of ancient rivers in abyssal depths, may not it be 

 accounted for by the vv^antof the alluvial soil which is in existence 

 now and which is now brought down in large quantities H But was 

 there at this time, any quantity of alluvial soil which if brought 

 down would form those deposits and terraces at the mouth of a 

 river ? 



The Chairman. — As time is advancing, I will ask Professor 

 Hull to I'eply to the points that have been brought forward. 



Professor Hull, F.R.S. — I am very pleased that Mr. Beuest, who 

 is familiar with this subject, is present this evening. What he 

 said about the Ganges is very interesting, and it strikes me, if 

 we had the necessary soundings made, some very important 

 results would arise as regards the former extension of the great 

 Indian Peninsula — that we should find it was vastly greater than 

 now if those river valleys could be restored to their original 

 positions. I am also glad to have heard Captain Heath's observa- 

 tions. As regards the spreading of the sediment at the mouth 

 of the river we have exactly what Professor Blake referred to ; 

 the old river channel of the Congo no doubt extended far up into 

 the land and is now filled with silt, and that sediment runs out to 

 this point in the ocean,* and has filled up the original valley. 



Professor Orchard. — Might I ask whether you refer all these 

 submerged tracts to one source ? Do you suppose that they all 

 occurred in or about the same epoch in geological history ? 



Professor Hull, F.R.S. — Yes. I would remind you that these 

 sub-oceanic channels are not peculiar to the eastern side of the 

 Atlantic, but that they have been recognised on the Avestern 

 side as well. Professor Spencer and others, — have recognised 

 them along the coast of America. So that the whole region 

 of the Atlantic underwent some great physical change. 



The Meeting was then adjourned. 



* Indicated by the 228 and 242 fathom souudings. — See Map. 



