THE 
MOURNAL OF GEOLOGY 
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER, 1909 
DIASTROPHISM AS THE ULTIMATE BASIS 
OF CORRELATION 
THOMAS CHROWDER CHAMBERLIN 
The University of Chicago 
XVI 
There are many and diverse views relative to the nature and the 
causes of diastrophic movements. ‘To keep as largely as may be 
on common ground, most of these divergencies of view may be set 
aside as immaterial to our present purpose. We may all agree that 
the fundamental factors of the case are a lithosphere with a deformable 
surface, a liquid, covering part of this surface and determining 
erosion and sedimentation, and a gaseous envelope. We may easily 
agree that the outer part of the lithosphere is solid and has a sufficient 
measure of rigidity to maintain the surface inequalities. I do not 
see that we need to agree as to the causes of deformation. In some 
sense, I do not see that we need even to agree as to just what the 
absolute movements were, i. e., I do not see that it is material for 
us here to know whether the deformative movements were shrink- 
ages, or expansions, or lateral shifts, provided we agree as to the 
general nature of their effects on the agencies at work on the surface 
of the lithosphere. We do not need to entertain the same conception 
of the nature of the earth’s interior, if we are at one as to the working 
conditions which have prevailed on its surface. 
No doubt we can easily agree on the present great working factors: 
(1) abysmal basins occupying about two-thirds of the earth’s surface, 
bordered by terrace faces rising at angles of 2° to 5° for say 12,000 
Vol. XVII, No. 8 635 
