Sir Henry H. Howorth on “Geology in Nubibus”

Abstract

HAVING given my views on glacial geology in the current issue of the Fortnightly Review, to be followed by one dealing at some length with the ice-origin of lake-basins, I should not have thought any reply to Sir Henry Howorth's “Appeal” necessary except for the consideration that my articles may not be seen by many readers of NATURE. And first, I would remark, that the mental attitude which Sir H. Howorth imputes to extreme glacialists I have myself been unable to detect in their writings. In fact, I was under the impression that the “scoffing” and “jeering” was chiefly from the other side; but it seems I was mistaken, and I must apologise for my ignorance. Those who read my articles will see that I make no appeal to “transcendental ice,” but judge of its powers and properties by its admitted effects. Sir H. Howorth says that “ice is known to crush under moderate pressure,” implying that a glacier a mile or perhaps half a mile thick is impossible. But will he or anyone else tell us what happens to the ice after it is crushed, and the pressure that crushed it is continued and slowly increased? Will it not suffer re-gelation and become denser ice; and if by sudden increase of pressure it is again crushed, will it not by still further pressure again suffer re-gelation? He stops at the first “crushing,” as if that were the end of all things so far as a glacier is concerned. All this, however, is beside the question from my point of view. The work of ice on the rocks is as clear as that of palæolithic man on the flints; all the difficulties that may be suggested as to how he lived, or how he shaped the flints do not in the slightest degree affect our conclusion that the palæolithic flint implements are the work of man; and there is equally clear evidence that ice did march a hundred miles, mostly uphill, from the head of Lake Geneva to Soleure, whatever transcendental qualities it must have possessed to do so.