1853] 



ERICSSON'S ENGINE. 



271 



" Assuming as established tlie original molten condition of the 

 earth, and going very far back into the remote and primitive 

 periods of tlie earth's geological history, we may find glimjjses 

 of the cause of those tremendous deluges, of which geological 

 phenomena atlbrd such striking evidence,* and by whose peculiar 

 dissohing and disintegrating action of the igneous formations 

 ■which at that early period of the earth's history must have formed 

 the only material of its crust, we may in that respect obtain some 

 insight into the source whence the material which formed the first 

 sedimentary strata Avas derived. If we only carry our minds 

 back to that early period of the earth's geological histor}-, when 

 the temperature of its surface was so high as that no water in 

 its liquid form could rest upon it, and follow its condition from 

 such non-oceanic state to that period at which, by reason of the 

 comparatively cooled-down condition of its surface, it began to 

 be visited by partial and transient descents of the ocean, which 

 had till then existed only in the form of a vast vapor envelope to 

 the earth, we shall find in such considerations, not only the most 

 sublime subject of reftection in reference to the primitive condition . 

 of our globe, but also, as it appears to me, a very legitimate 

 basis on which to rest our speculations in regard to the probable 

 present condition of Jvpiter and Saturn, — both of which great 

 planets, I strongly incline to consider for the reasons before 

 stated, are yet in so hot a condition, as not only not to permit of 

 the permanent descent of the oceanic matter, but to cause such 

 to exist suspended as a vast A'apor envelope, subject to incessant 

 disturbances bj' reason of the abortive attempts which such vapor 

 envelope may make in temporary and partial descents upon the 

 hissing-hot surface of the planet. 



" Recurring again to this early period of the earth's geological 

 history, when it was surrounded with a vast envelope of vapor, 

 consisting of all the water which now forms the ocean. The 

 exterior portion of this vapor en\'elo]je must, by reason of the 

 radiation of its heat into space, have been continually descending 

 in the form of deluges of hot water upon the red hot surface of 

 the earth. Such an action as this must have produced atmos- 

 pheric commotions of the most fearful character ; and towards the 

 latter' days of this state of things, when considerable portions of 

 what was afterwards to form our ocean came down in torrents of 

 water upon the then thin solid crust of the earth, the sudden con- 

 traction which such transient visits of the ocean nnist have pro- 



• The deluges here nlhided to are qiiile distinct from those wiiich have so 

 frequently during various perioos ot tlie Earth's Geological Hi.slory, swept 

 over vast portions of its siirtace, and of whose tremendous violence we have 

 such clear evidence, in the denudation of the hardest rocks, th-^ debris of 

 which has yielded the maienat of nearly every ?edinientary formation, from 

 the period o( the old red sand stone formation upwards. 



These vast and often repeated deluges I consider to have resulted from 

 mighty incursions of the ocean over vast portions of the earth's suiAice, 

 which till then were dry land. The retreat ol the matter below the earth's 

 surlaee, resulting Irojn tne progressive contraction, consequent on itsj^radiial 

 cooling, must have again and again penniiled extensive portions o(" liie solid 

 crust ol tile earth to suddenly crush down, like an over-loaded ill-supported 

 flo(>r, and so allowed the ocean to rush in w.th tearful violence, and to occu- 

 py the place of the so submerged continent. 



Judging from the facts which Geological Phenomena yield us in alnind- 

 ance, these incursions o( the ocean inust have been sudden, violent, and of 

 frequent occurrence. 



The sudden sinking down of a continent to the extent of 1000 feet in depth, 

 would he but an idisjgniljcunt adjustment ol the crust otthe earth to the re- 

 treating or contraciing interior, as compared to its actual diameter (b-mg 

 only about one forty thoiisHndth part), but yet such a subsidence occurring 

 to any portion of a continent near tne sea, would occasion a lusli (i( waters 

 over its surface, amply suiTicient to perlorm all the feats ol violence antl de- 

 nudation which have taken place during many successive periods of the 

 earth's Geological History, and of the occurrence and action ofwliifh we 

 have most palpable evidence, not only in the vast accumulaiions of debris, 

 caused by these violent incursions of the ocean, but also in the pn:digious 

 dislocations of strata, which have resulted from the crushing down ol the 

 crust of the earth, in its attempts to follow down and fill up the void or hollow 

 spaces caused by tjie contracting and retreating Niu lens, whiih, as belore 

 said, 1 consider to be the true cause ot this class of deluges, the trunendous 

 violence of whicn has yielded the old red .sandstone; and all other sandstones, 

 conglomerate«, boulders, gravel, sand, and clay. 



duced on the crust of the earth w mid be followed by tretnendoua 

 contortions of its suiface, and belchings forth of the yet fnolten 

 matter from beneath, such as )ieW legitimate tnaterial for the 

 itnagination, and the most sublime subject for reflection. The 

 extraordinary contortions and confusion wiiich characterize the 

 mote pritnitive sedimentary strata, such as the gneiss, scliist, and 

 mica slate, in so very remarkable a deo'rec, shadow forth the 

 state of things, which must have existed during that ]>eriod, 

 when tlie ocean held a very disputed residence on the surface of 

 the earth. 



" Could the earth have been \'iewed at this era of its geologi- 

 cal history from such a distance as the planet Mars, I doubt not 

 it would have yielded an aspect in no respect very dissimilar to 

 that which we now observe in the case of Jupiter: namel}-, that 

 while the actual body of the earth would have bein hid by the 

 vast vapor envelope then surroundiug it, the tretnendous convul- 

 sions going on within this veil would have been indicated by 

 streaks and disruptions on the surface, which would be mottled 

 over with marking-s such as we observe in the case of the entife 

 suiface of Jupiter : and by reason of the belchings forth of the 

 monstrous volcanoes which at that period must have been so tre- 

 mendously active on the earth, the vapor envelope would be most 

 probably marked here and there with jtist such dingy and black- 

 and white patches, as form such remarkable features about the 

 equatorial region of Jupiter — pi-obably the result of volcanic 

 matter, such as ashes, &c., — which the volcanoes about his equator 

 may from time to time vomit forth, and send so far up into the 

 cloudy atmosphere as to appear on the exterior, and so cause 

 those remarkable features which so often manifest themselves on 

 the outward surface of his vapor envelope ; for I doubt if we have 

 ever yet seen the body of Jupiter, which will probably remain 

 veiled from mortal eyes for countless ages to come, or until he 

 be so cooled down as to permit of a pertnanent descent on his 

 surface, of his ocean, that is to be. 



" In applying these views to Saturn, it occurs to me that we 

 obtain some glimpses into the nature of those causes which have 

 induced, and are now apparently inducing, those changes in res- 

 pect to the aspect of his rings, which have more especially of 

 late, attracted so much attention. If Saturn also be so hot, that 

 his future ocean is suspended as a vast vapor envelope around 

 him, it is possible I conceive, that some portion of this vapor may 

 migrate, by reason of the peculiar electrical conditions which it is 

 probable his rings may be in, in respect to the body of the planet : 

 and that such migration of vapor in an intensely frozen state, as 

 it must be in such situation, may not only appear from time to 

 time, as the present phantom ring does, but also does incrust the 

 inner portion of the interior old ring with such vast coatings of 

 hoar-frost as to cause the remarkable whiteness which so pecu- 

 liarly distinguishes that portion of his rings. In fact, such are 

 the extraordinary phenomena presented by this planet, that one 

 is led to hazard a conjecture or two on the subject; and, I trust 

 such as I have now the pleasure to offei', may meet with a kind 

 reception from the Royal Astronomical Society. 



On Erics^n's Hot' Air, or Caloric Ei ?iiic; by William A. 

 Norlon, Professor of Civil Engineering in Yale College* 



(Continued from Page 249.^ 



PERFORM.\NCE. 



There have been two trial trips of the Ericsson, in the New 

 York harbor and bay, and the ship has subsequently made a 

 successftil trip to Alexandria and hack. On the first occasion only 

 the inventor, owners and crew were present. The performance 

 on the occasion of the second trip (.Jan. llth, 185.3) was witnes- 

 sed by the members of the New York pres=, and a few other 

 gentlemen, present by invitation. The results of the trip have 

 been published in all the New York papers, but the different 

 * Sill. Jour. 



