Sept. 28, 1888.J 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



549 



Mr. Claypole referred to the different rocks of the 

 Alps which contained crystals and organic forms. 



M. Renevier drew attention to the determinations 

 of fossils made by different savants in certain crystalline 

 rocks of the Alps, of Norway, and of the Ural. He 

 opposed the theory that supposed all the crystalline 

 schists to be of Archaean age. They were generally 

 pre-Cambrian, but in some regions of a more recent age, 

 as in the Swiss Alps. 



Dr. Sterry Hunt rejected the idea attributed to him, 

 according to which the crystalline schists were without 

 exception of the pre-Cambrian age. The formation of 

 minerals and even of silicates had been carried on in all 

 periods, but with a diminishing force. These crystalli- 

 sations took place at all times under the action of 

 mineralising waters — perhaps at the bottom of the old 

 seas, perhaps in the neighbourhood of, or in contact with, 

 the volcanic rocks. The pressure to which certain 

 geologists attributed so important an influence on the 

 phenomena would not be able to produce heat by itself. 

 For that the movement must have been checked. The 

 experiences of Spring had furnished the most evident 

 proof that the most powerful pressures had not produced 

 heat. It was the chemical affinities which gave birth to 

 the minerals. 



Professor Heim declared that the trunks of trees stated 

 to be found in the gneiss of Switzerland were not found 

 in the real gneiss but in the intercalated beds and in 

 sericitic pseudo-gneissic rocks. In the same way the 

 belemnites were found in the schistose rocks, containing 

 albite, garnet, chlorite, and mica. 



Colonel Delgado called the attention of the Congress 

 to the graptolitic schists with chiastolite exhibited by him, 

 and the modifications of which were due to the proximity 

 of granite. 



M. de Lapparent drew attention to the classical 

 locality of the chiastolite schists with fossils — namely, 

 Lobau in Brittany. From a general point of view he 

 insisted on the power of pressure to develop heat, but if, 

 as pressure, it was really incapable of this, it produced 

 a movement instead when its effect was not checked by 

 the absolute resistance of the wall. This movement, 

 when it was not identical for all the elements, caused a 

 friction, and the change engendered heat. However 

 this might be, all metamorphic, mechanical, and chemi- 

 cal effects were limited in extent, and it was this which 

 distinguished their results from that universal crystalline 

 formation which lay at the base of all the formations. 



Professor Lapworth called attention to the special point 

 of view, based exclusively on facts, which had always 

 been adopted by the English geologists. When present 

 causes were sufficient there was no need to have recourse 

 to other agencies. This was the school of Lyell, of 

 Hutton, and of Darwin. The known evolution of organic 

 nature at the Cambrian epoch bore witness to the fact 

 that numerous periods had preceded. The sedimentary 

 and eruptive rocks formed in those distant times were 

 necessarily the most modified. In fact, the rocks of the 

 most recent periods continued their process of trans- 

 formation according as one descended in point of time 

 and in depth of the formation. His personal researches 

 in the north-west Highlands had shown him that the 

 crystalline schists formed an inferior division to the 

 palaeozoic formations. He explained the sweeping modi- 

 fications to which they had been ' ubjected in accordance 

 with the principles of Heim and of Lehmann — such as 

 mechanical actions, volcanic injections, and others. 



Professor Heim believed that the heat might be pro- 

 duced by shocks and successive movements analogous to 

 those observed in the earthquakes of the present time. 

 But the dislocations en masse of the contorted regions 

 had not had this effect. 



M. de Lapparent equally attributed a production of 

 heat to the sliding of the particles, mineralogically 

 different, over one another. 



Mr Callaway presented the result of his researches 

 concerning the origin of the crystalline rocks of the north- 

 west of England. 



On Saturday M. Hanchecorne announced that he had 

 received the geological map of Great Britain, for use in 

 the preparation of the European map. 



Professor K. von Zittel then gave the names of the 

 gentlemen appointed on the American Provisional Com- 

 mittee for the arrangement of the next meeting of the 

 Congress. The gentlemen were Messrs. Dana, Frazer, 

 Gilbert, Hall, Marsh, Newberry, Sterry Hunt, and Walcot. 



Dr. Persifor Frazer said that he was requested to give 

 some explanations in regard to the invitation which he 

 had presented to the Congress on behalf of the citizens of 

 Philadelphia The year 1891, in which the Congress 

 would again meet, was the centenary of the University 

 of Pennsylvania in its present organization, and great 

 preparations were being made to celebrate this event. 

 No doubt the occasion would draw together a large 

 number of the men of letters and science best known 

 throughout the world ; and, besides this, the International 

 American Congress would meet at the same time in 

 Washington, and assurances had been received from 

 some of its members that they would attend at the Phila- 

 delphia gathering. These facts furnished some of the 

 reasons for the invitation to the Geological Congress to 

 meet next at Philadelphia. The invitation was remark- 

 able in the signatures attached to it. In addition to the 

 mayor and the principal municipal officers, the Judges of 

 the United States and State Courts, the professors of the 

 Universities, etc., the presidents of the railways, and 

 many others had joined in the invitation, so that there 

 would be no doubt as to the warmth of the reception 

 that would be accorded to members of the congress. The 

 presence of the principal officers of three great railways 

 insured that the expenses of travel would be reduced to 

 a minimum. Excursions would be arranged to the 

 Rocky Mountains, and to the gold and silver regions, to 

 Georgia and North Carolina, to the great lakes, and to 

 Canada. 



Professor von Zittel expressed the thanks of the Con- 

 gress to Dr. Frazer for his announcement, and felt sure 

 that the Congress of 1891 would be successful. 



M. de Lapparent then presented the report of the 

 committee on the subject of voting. In order to avoid 

 the inconvenience which might arise from the great 

 numerical superiority of the members belonging to the 

 country in which the Congress is held, the committee 

 recommended that the votes should be decided in the 

 following manner: — The votes of native members and 

 the votes of the foreign members should be taken sepa- 

 rately. If the votes of the two divisions were accordant, 

 the result was to be accepted ; but if they differed, the 

 subject was to be considered immature for settlement. 

 Matters purely theoretical should not be voted upon by 

 the Congress. These recommendations were carried 

 unanimously. M. de Lapparent then expressed his 

 appreciation of the courtesy and respect for the indi- 



