Projekt: Bestände der Universitätsbibliothek Freiberg
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Strukturtyp
Band
Parlamentsperiode
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Wahlperiode
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Titel
Chap. V. Theory Of The Diminuation Of The Waters Of The Globe. - Description Of Overlying Formations. - An Investigation Of The Contents Of The Original Waters Of The Globe During The Different Periods Of The Earth's Formation. - The Division Of Rocks Into Five Great Classes
Diminution of the Water. 7$ the primitive part of the earth is entirely compofed of chemical precipitations, and that mechanical de- pojitions do not appear until a later period, that is, in the Tranjition clafs ; and that from this point they continue increafing, through all the fucceeding clajfes of rocks, to the newejl or the alluvial, which are ah mojl entirely mechanical depojits. Thefe mod im portant obfervations afcertain in a fatisfa&or'y manner the univerfal diminution of the water from the furface of the earth. The linking of the level of the outgoings of the newer and newer ftrata, Ihews that the folution from which they were formed mult have experienced a limilar change ; that is, it mull have diminilhed in height, and that not in one fpot, but around the whole globe’. Hence the water which once covered the whole globe to a great height, muft have diminilhed univerfally. i( The period of the occurrence of Mechanical depofitions, is a further and moll ftriking proof of the diminution of the water. We find, that in the earlieft periods Chemical produ&ions only were formed, owing to the high and univerfal fub- mergence. It is evident, that when the earth was covered to> a great height with water, no mecha nical depolits could be formed ; for it is well known, that the motion communicated to water does not reach to a great depth. Mechanical de polits would, therefore, be firft formed, as foon as part of the folid mafs of the earth appeared above the