APPENDIX. Mr. JAMES PARKER, F.G.S., in a paper upon "The Valley of the Somme," read before the Ashmolean Society at Oxford, said that :— "It was not a part of his task then to explain the phenomena of the Somme valley; but with that map before him he felt called on to say a few words as to the operations which he thought it suggested. He might add that the view he took was based not only on the data then before them, but upon the study of the levels of the Ordnance Survey in a much more minute degree than was represented by the figures on his diagram, and beyond this by many a tramp over the hills in question, sometimes in geological excursions, more often archæological. The great parallel lines of rivers, the furrows as it were stretching in a direction similar to that of the sloping chalk, suggested that the river valleys belonged to the operations consequent on the upheaval of the great mass of chalk from its ocean bed. He compared the result with what any one might see on any argillaceous shore, where the base was impervious and yet soft. The descending tide left channels and furrows, by which the surface was drained, but afterwards modified in character by evaporation and exposure to atmospheric influence. The great chalk expanse of a hundred miles was enormous in comparison to the few yards of a tidal shore, and so were the valleys of 100 and 200 feet depth to the little drifts of 2 or 3 inches. But this was not all. If it were argued that the effect was not proportionately sufficient, it might also be reasonably replied that the emergence of this vast chalk-bed from the ocean was probably not of that passive character which belonged to a tide receding from the shore; but it might well have been the result of active elevation of the chalk, and such elevation could scarcely have been unaccompanied by fissures and inequalities which, as a rule, would lie, as regards their greater intensity, in lines at right angles to the main axis of elevation. That was just what those valleys did, and the minor fissures represented by the smaller ravines lay again in a general sense at rightangles to them, as might be seen by a glance at the Ordnance map before them, on which the valleys were slightly tinted. The general aspect of the Somme valley and its tributary ravines pointed distinctly to operations connected with the rising from the ocean-bed. Whether that took place in tertiary or post-tertiary times, whether once or more than once, were not questions with which he had now to deal. All he would lay stress on was that those rivers and valleys, and among them the Somme river and Somme valley, did not owe their origin to the slow excavation of river action, and therefore the assumption of that action, as a measure of time in connection with phenomena which the valley presented, was an absolute error.” Mr. Parker's paper, referred to at page 331, will be found quoted at length in Volume VIII. of the Transactions of the Victoria Institute. NOTES. THE following extract from the notes to the preface of Vol. xii. of the Journal of Transactions of the Victoria Institute seems fitly placed at the conclusion of the present volume :—— 1. Age of the EARTH :-Chief Justice Daly, LL.D., President (for 1878) of the American Geographical Society, referring to this subject and a careful collocation thereon of the views of Astronomers, Geologists, and Physical Geographers, said, it was found that there was a wide diversity of opinion between them upon the question of time-a diversity so irreconcilable as to show that our knowledge is not yet sufficiently advanced to admit of any reliable theory as to the age of the Earth." 2. With regard to the bearing of recent Geological discovery upon the statements of Scripture, more than one paper and discussion referring thereto appear in Volume xiii. The following opinions will not be without their interest to many : 'We need not, in accepting the Bible narrative of man's creation, repudiate one fact accurately deduced from modern scientific research.". The late Radcliffe Observer (R. Main, 1878). Relig. Hist. of Man, p. 5. (See also Preface, Trans., vol. xi.) Nothing can exceed in truth and grandeur these words (Gen. i.) of the inspired historian, * * the most keen-eyed hypercriticism could see nothing to object to."-Ibid., in Aids to Faith. (See also Trans., vol. xi. p. 431.) * "With regard to Physical Science, I think we have seen that its real advances are in favour of Religious Faith."-Ibid., Trans., vol. x., p. 174. "The language of Scripture neither is, nor can be, *contrary to the language of Science."-Professor Challis, M.A., F.R.S., F.R.A.S., Plumian Professor of Astronomy at Cambridge. Trans., vol. ix. p. 140. ** "The Bible abounds in illustrative references to natural objects and phenomena, * these are remarkable for their precise truth to nature.” -Principal Dawson, LL.D., F.R.S. Trans., vol. ix. p. 173. "The great discoveries as to the physical constitution and probable origin of the universe, the doctrine of the correlation and conservation of forces, * * these, and many other aspects of the later progress of Science, must tend to bring it back into greater harmony with revealed Religion."Ibid., in Origin of the World. (See also Preface, Trans., vol. xi.) "There has never been produced in my own mind * * the slightest impression that we (he, and those who studied under him) were considering facts and laws in any way opposed to Christian Faith, to the inferences of Natural Theology, or the deductions from Scripture."--The late Professor Phillips, F.R.S., speaking of his duties as Professor of Geology at Oxford. Aids to Faith. (See also Trans., vol. xi. p. 432.) "We all admit that the book of Nature and the book of Revelation come alike from God, and that, consequently, there can be no real discrepancy between the two, if rightly interpreted."--Professor G. G. Stokes, M.A., F.R.S., &c., Secretary of the Royal Society. (See Preface, Trans., vol. v. See also the very important paper read by Professor Stokes, F.R.S.. before the Church Congress in 1879. ORDINARY MEETING, MAY 5, 1879. THE REV. G. CURREY, D.D., MASTER OF THE CHARTERHOUSE, The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed, and the following elections were announced : HON. LOCAL SECRETARY:-Rev. H. Finlay, M.D., Limasol, Cyprus. ASSOCIATES:-A. J. Arnold, Esq., London; P. Stewart Macliver, Esq., Also the presentation of the following Works for the Library : "Proceedings of the Royal Society." "Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society." From the same. Ditto. Ditto. From T. Greenwell, Esq. A lecture on the "State of the World at the Advent (or commencement of the Christian Era"), was then given by Professor W. Lee, D.D., of Glasgow University. A discussion ensued, in which the following took part :—The Chairman, D. Howard, Esq., F.C.S.; the Reverends W. Berry, M.A., R. W. Ground, F. N. Oxenham, M.A., and T. M. Gorman, M.A.; the author having replied, The meeting was then adjourned. COUNCIL AND OFFICERS FOR 1879-80. President. THE RIGHT HON. THE EARL OF SHAFTESBURY, K.G. Vice-Presidents. THE RIGHT HON. THE EARL OF HARROWBY, K.G. C. B. RADCLIFFE, ESQ., M.D., &c. REV. ROBINSON THORNTON, D.D. W. FORSYTH, ESQ., Q.C., LL.D., M.P. REV. PRINCIPAL T. P. BOULTBEE, LL.D. Honorary Correspondents. PROFESSOR JOACHIM BARRANDE, Prague. HORMUZD RASSAM, ESQ. (Mossul). PROFESSOR G. G. STOKES, D.C.L., F.R.S. (Camb. Univ.). PROFESSOR WURTZ (Past-President of the Association of France for the Advancement of Science), and Others. Honorary Treasurer. WILLIAM NOWELL WEST, ESQ. Hon. Sec. and Editor of the Journal. CAPTAIN FRANCIS W. H. PETRIE, F.R.S.L., F.G.S., &c. Council. R. BAXTER, ESQ. (Trustee). ADMIRAL E. G. FISHBOURNE, C.B. ROBERT N. FOWLER, ESQ. (Trustee). WILLIAM H. INCE, ESQ., F.L.S., F.R.M.S. ALEXANDER MCARTHUR, ESQ., M.P. E. J. MORSHEAD, ESQ., H.M.C.S. (Hon. For. Cor.) S. D. WADDY, ESQ., Q.C., M.P. WILLIAM VANNER, ESQ., F.R.M.S. ALFRED J. WOODHOUSE, ESQ., F.R.M.S. REV. PRINCIPAL JAMES H. RIGG, D.D. REV. PREBENDARY C. A. ROW, M.A. J. A. FRASER, ESQ., M.D., I.G.H. H. CADMAN JONES, ESQ., Barrister-at-Law. C. R. BREE, ESQ., M.D., F.Z.S., &c. JOHN ELIOT HOWARD, ESQ., F.R.S. REV. G. WARBURTON WELDON, M.A., B.M. REV. PRINCIPAL J. ANGUS, M.A., D.D. JAMES BATEMAN, ESQ., F.R.S., F.L.S. THE MASTER OF THE CHARTERHOUSE. D. HOWARD, ESQ., F.C.S. PROFESSOR H. A. NICHOLSON, M.D., F.R.S.E., &c. |