Outlines of the Geology of England and Wales: With an Introductory Compendium of the General Principles of that Science, and Comparative Views of the Structure of Foreign Countries ..., Part 1

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W. Phillips, 1822 - Geology - 470 pages
 

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Page xxxv - Even before the trees form a wood, the real sea-birds nestle here; strayed landbirds take refuge in the bushes; and at a much later period, when the work has been long since completed, man also appears, builds his hut on the fruitful soil formed by the corruption of the leaves of the trees, and calls himself lord and proprietor of this new creation.
Page lvi - The grand fact of an universal deluge at no very remote period is proved on grounds so decisive and incontrovertible, that had we never heard of such an event from Scripture or any other Authority, Geology of itself must have called in the assistance of some such catastrophe to explain the phenomena of diluvial action...
Page xxxv - After this the calcareous sand lies undisturbed, and offers to the seeds of trees and plants cast upon it by the waves, a soil upon which they rapidly grow, to overshadow its dazzling white surface. Entire trunks of trees, which are carried by the rivers from other countries and islands, find here, at length, a...
Page 255 - This limestone is particularly characterised by its dull earthy aspect, and large conchoidal fracture ; in colour it varies in different beds from light slate blue, or smoke grey, to white : the former varieties usually constituting the upper ; the latter, the lower portions of the formation. The blue lias, which contains much iron, affords a strong lime, distinguished by its property of setting under water ; the white lias takes a high polish, and may readily be employed for the purposes of lithography.
Page liv - We argue thus: it is demonstrable from Geology that there was a period when no organic beings had existence ; these organic beings must therefore have had a beginning subsequently to this period ; and where is that beginning to be found but in the will and fiat of an intelligent and all-wise Creator...
Page xxxv - The heat of the sun so penetrates the mass of stone when it is dry, that it splits in many places, and breaks off in flakes. These flakes, so separated, are raised one upon another by the waves at the time of high water.
Page 317 - That there is n progressive tendency to approach this limit, is certain, but ages may yet pass before it is felt very sensibly ; and when it does approach, the increasing difficulty and expense of working the mines of coal, will operate, by successive and gradual checks, against its consumption, through a long period, so that the transition may not be very violent ; our...
Page 367 - ... same time they are not without their use; when veins are filled, as is often the case, with stiff clay, numerous springs are dammed up, and brought to the surface ; and by means of those dykes which throw down the strata, valuable beds of coal are preserved within the field, which would otherwise have cropped out, and been lost altogether.
Page 439 - On examining this subterranean wonder, it was found to be a complete gallery, which had been driven forward many hundred yards to the bed of coal : that it branched off into numerous...
Page 438 - The Connaught coal-district stands next in order of value and importance to the Leinster and Munster, and possibly may be found to deserve the first place when its subterranean treasures shall be explored. At present nothing is known, except that the outer edges of several beds of coal have been observed, but they have not been traced to any distance, so that their extent is by no means ascertained. The coal is of the bituminous species. This coal is particularly adapted to the purposes of iron-works,...

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