. The waters above the firmament, or The earth's annular system . uilding material. Then with the full understanding that the slow com-bustion in a swamp marsh or peat bog under favorableconditions gives rise to fuel carbon of various degreesof mineralization, we will begin our examination of thismomentous problem. First: It will be fully conceded by every scientificand philosophic mind that the natural change of vege-table organisms to the form of elementary products inpeat formation is a combustion, or slow distillation, bywhich the elements of the compounds forming the bodyof the plant are
. The waters above the firmament, or The earth's annular system . uilding material. Then with the full understanding that the slow com-bustion in a swamp marsh or peat bog under favorableconditions gives rise to fuel carbon of various degreesof mineralization, we will begin our examination of thismomentous problem. First: It will be fully conceded by every scientificand philosophic mind that the natural change of vege-table organisms to the form of elementary products inpeat formation is a combustion, or slow distillation, bywhich the elements of the compounds forming the bodyof the plant are dissociated and made to pass into otherforms. And in which combustion carbon particles re-leased from their associations remain in an unburnt con-dition. In other words, the carbon comprising the peatbed is simply unconsumed carbon. Second: This unconsumed carbon product of swampcombustion is the same as the unconsumed carbon ofany other combustion or distillation in which the car-bon element is involved, under whatever circumstancessaid combustion takes - O 1- a rcJ fc ® o = -^1 ii! c 1^1 fe •n ^ « 2=5 2 55 O oo ;;^ £ = *•= tf P a^ 1 -S X |^--1 cc eg c » § =* a „r o *:ll = § . s > 3 J3 » t. 50 OJ fe -»x»ll bo^ ^, - .5 g^i £ a E w « >.« = ^1 ^1 s s iiii = * -« a Consideration of the Evidence. 257 These are, as all can see, self-evident propositions—propositions to which we are all irretrievably commit-ted, and I want the reader to see that we diverge notfrom this in our line of argument. I ask my brothergeologists to give me their attention for one hour; andI will give them in return for their kindness a theoryof coal formation planted upon this rock. A theorythat must be true from the very nature of the problem,and which, if true, must explain every difficulty in-volved therein. From these considerations it is manifestly certain thatthe combustion that takes place in a stove or fire-placeis precisely similar, except in intensity, to that
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