Objections to Capt. Huttons Theory. 609 



have seen has been furnished by Mr. Inglis of Cherra Ponji. Captain 

 Jenkins supplied us with decomposed granite, which seemed capable 

 of receiving a glaze from the fumes of salt, but from the imperfect 

 means of grinding and previous preparation to which it was exposed, 

 it could not be made sufficiently tough and adhesive, and this will be 

 an obstacle to the production of any kind of ware in India, for 

 many years to come, except such as may be made from natural 

 clay. A second sample furnished by Captain Jenkins, and said to be 

 the pipe clay discovered by Mr. Bedford in the Caribari hills, proved 

 to be fine white sand, somewhat adhesive when moist, but quite 

 friable when dried. 



Apparent objections to Captain Htjtton's Theory of the formation of 

 Terrestrial Strata. From a Correspondent. 



Any one perusing the two lately published essays* of this author, 

 on the very intricate subject, which he has attempted to elucidate 

 must acknowledge the ingenuity he has exhibited in his endeavours 

 to make all parts of his scheme consistent with the Mosaic records, 

 with actual geological facts, and with one another. It is much to be 

 feared, however, that he has, in his zeal to establish his theory, but 

 become an addition to the number of certain preceding labourers in 

 this interesting field, whose case he has described towards the close 

 of his last article in these words: " How easy is it for an author to be 

 absolutely blind to those facts, which are opposed to his favourite 

 fancies, while they are otherwise apparent to every one besides." 



But with hopes, however slight, that such is not his case, I have 

 ventured to note down the following apparently insuperable objec- 

 tions to his theory ; should he deem them of sufficient importance for 

 his notice, and succeed in overruling them, the consciousness of my 

 obtuseness, (which I will then gladly confess,) will be compensat- 

 ed by the additional explanations I shall have elicited, and which, if 

 satisfactory, will go far to make his scheme perfect. 



I understand the principle and basis of his conclusions to be, to 

 demonstrate, that there have been two great geological revolutions of 

 our earth ; viz. 



* Calcutta Journal of Natural History, No. 4 and No. 7. 



4 G 



