62 



REVIEWS AND BOOK NOTICES. 



A New System of Geology : With Archaeological proofs of the De- 

 struction of the World by water and fire, by Mary Salter. London : 

 Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co., Ltd., 304 pp. 



As a rule we deprecate the appearance of a portrait of a writer as a 

 frontispiece to a book. In the present case, however, we are glad that the 

 authoress has given us her picture. It has entirely altered the method we 

 should otherwise have adopted in reviewing her book. It has prevented 

 us, we hope, from saying a single thing which would in any way be unkind, 

 or hurt her feelings. We are afraid, however, that we are one of those 

 to whom she refers in the following words : " Man is a creature of custom, 

 and prefers to sail quietly on the old canal to being drawn out into an 

 unknown sea." Having made this confession, she will perhaps. pardon us 

 if we decline to be ' drawn out ' into the ' unknown sea ' through which 

 she would act as our pilot. Briefly, her theme may be summarised in the 

 following 'discoveries ' which she has made, and duly announced and 

 registered at the Stationers Hall : — 



(1) A red sandy bed underlies limestone and chalk ; its upper surface 

 was changed by the descent of fiery aether. June loth, 1903. 



(2) Sand was formed as sand, and deposited on the earth during the 

 dispersion of chaos. May 14th, 1904. 



(3) Radium and its transmutation into Helium had much to do with 

 the fabrication of the outer crust- of the earth and of the moon. 

 August 3rd, and September, 1904. 



(4) Metals are the result of a mixture of metallic vapours with the 

 waters above the earth, and fell as salts in the watery mixture. 

 February 5th, 1904, April 7th, 1906. 



(5) A second manipulation by fire collected the disseminated metal. 

 May, 1906. 



(6) The history of the evolution of the Universe is to be read on the 

 two stones known as H.V, and J. HI. They are the Siriadic pillars, 

 and contain the lore of the ancients, including Bible history. Nov- 

 ember, 1906, January, 1907. 



The Manuscript was ready last year [1906], and was brought to 

 London on May 7th, [1907]. 

 Her various theories, should they prove accurate, would simplify 

 many geological problems. For instance, we learn (p. 73) : " Mr. Jukes 

 Browne recognises the fact that it is difficult to separate the Permian 

 from the carboniferous, its principal rock is the magnesian limestone . . . 

 and the red marls and sands ; all three are the results of the cosmic 

 downpour.' This may be all right, but the narrow old canal down which 

 we have been so far sailing, and on which we hope to remain, will not per- 

 mit us to make the great tacks that may be taken in ' an unknown sea.' 

 Having therefore indicated the lines upon which the book is written, we 

 must leave it by recommending it to those ' who are not adverse to ad- 

 venture, and are willing to try on its merits, any new theory which is 

 presented to them.' 



The First Report of the Excavations on the Site of the Roman 

 Fortress at Pevensey has been issued (L. F. Salzmann, 10, Orange 

 Street, W.C. 34 pp., 2,6). 



By a series of carefully-planned trenches, much valuable information 

 has been obtained relative to the nature of the fortification and the buil- 

 dings with them. Carefully prepared sections shewing the details exposed 

 in the trenches, photographs of the excavations, and of the pottery and 

 other relics found, accompany the report. Further explorations are 

 •contemplated, towards which Mr. Salzmann, the Hon. Secretary, would be 

 glad to receive contributions. 



Naturalisi. 



