188 University Geological Survey of Kansas. 
vanced an idea that petroleum might be produced by the ac- 
tion of water and carbon dioxid on highly heated alkalis. His 
experiments in the laboratory showed that when hot carbonic 
acid (COz) is brought in contact with hot alkali metals acety- 
lids are formed which, when treated with water-vapor, pro- 
duce other hydrocarbons resembling petroleum. If, now, it be 
admitted that deep down in the earth the temperature is high 
and that alkaline and other metallic beds exist in relative 
abundance, we would only have to assume that water with 
carbon dioxid dissolved in it can penetrate to such beds in 
order to have the necessary hydrocarbons produced. 
In 1871 Baysson presented a theory that petroleum has been 
produced by the action of water-vapor, carbon dioxid and hy- 
drogen sulphide (H2S) upon hot iron, a theory based upon lab- 
oratory experiments whereby hydrocarbons more or less resem- 
bling petroleum were actually obtained. He thought it pos- 
sible that sea-water holding lime carbonate in solution by an 
excess of carbonic acid may have penetrated to great depths, 
where it would come in contact with iron sulphide and hot iron 
at a sufficiently high temperature to bring about the change 
just named, and therefore all the hydrocarbons of petroleum 
and natural gas may have been produced in the same way. 
In 1877 Mendelejeff gave a new impetus to the chemical 
theory by espousing its cause and pointing out how hydrocar- 
bons might be derived from different metallic carbides estimated 
to exist in sufficient quantities far below the surface of the earth. 
When cast iron is acted upon at a high temperature by water- 
vapor it is claimed the water is decomposed, the oxygen taken 
up by the iron and the carbon of the cast iron and hydrogen 
of the water unite to form some form of hydrocarbons. More 
recently we have an analogous method brought into commer- 
cial use in the manufacture of acetylene gas for illuminating 
purposes by the action of water on calcium carbide at ordi- 
nary temperatures. Here, it seems, both compounds are de- 
composed, the calcium taking up oxygen and the hydrogen and 
carbon uniting to form acetylene gas. 
In 1877 Cloez obtained hydrocarbons resembling petroleum 
by the action of sulphuric acid on carbides of iron and manga- 
nese, and in 1878 he obtained like results by the action of hot 
water on the carbide of manganese. 
In recent years the French chemist Moissan has obtained 
many interesting results in connection with his extensive ex- 
