406 Mr. R. Phillips's Analysis of a peculiar Submuriate 



of the formation of these deposits, but restricted within much 

 narrower limits, towards the very close of the epoch of these 

 formations ; as we find all the coal-measures, even the very 

 newest beds of the formation, equally affected by the same dis- 

 locations. 



Now the geological period thus limited cannot surely be 

 magnified (except by the optics of a very convenient faith) 

 into a series of ages of indefinite extent. I would then only 

 request any person at all acquainted with the subject, or in 

 the least competent to form an opinion, to compare these vast 

 and general convulsions of our coal-fields, with all the utmost 

 effects which the volcanic forces of the present period have 

 been capable of producing for the 3000 years of which we 

 possess historical information ; — the most favourably coloured 

 view of these actual convulsions may undoubtedly be found 

 in Mr. Lyell's work, and to this I most willingly refer. I will 

 only ask, whether these actual convulsions can be considered 

 as bearing any sensible proportion to those of the carboniferous 

 formations. If therefore we suppose that the disturbing forces 

 are still acting with the same degree of energy as formerly, we 

 must make large draughts on time, to enable the frequent re- 

 petition of the minor dislocations to produce aggregate effects 

 equal to the greater : and thus we shall have the following 

 proportionals, As the actual convulsions are to those of the 

 coal-fields (which may be taken almost as = : infinite), so is 

 3000 years (the actual historical period) to the single geologi- 

 cal epoch of the very close of the coal formation. I can only 

 add that he who can believe this geological epoch to have 

 been many million times 3000 years, must possess a some- 

 what larger imagination than I can lay any claim to. 



[To be continued.] 



LXII. Analysis of a peculiar Submuriate of Iron, and of some 

 other Subsalts. By R. Phillips, F.R.S. fyc. 



TTAVING occasion for a solution of peroxide of iron, 

 *■ -*■ that should contain as little excess of acid as possible, 

 I mixed such quantities of muriatic acid and moist precipi- 

 tated peroxide, as would form a compound of an atom of 

 each. I preferred the muriatic acid to all others, on account 

 of the facility with which it dissolves peroxide of iron in every 

 state of aggregation. I was surprised to find that the acid 

 took up much more of the oxide than I had anticipated ; and 

 after repeated additions of it, I procured a very deep red- 

 coloured 



