WCP2815

[1]¹

Honolulu, Hawaii

October 2, 1902

Doct^r Alfred R. Wallace,

Dear Sir,

Your favor² of 7th ult. is before me. It is a very great pleasure to receive the commendation of one whose name is so prominent in Science. By same mail came also a letter from Rev. O. Fisher,³ referring me to his work, which is not in our small local library. I had the satisfaction, however today of reading your article of Nov. '92, on "Our Molten Globe",⁴ in which you state Mr. Fisher's views.

Being aware of a strong consensus of scientific opinion in favor of the rigid solidity of the Earth's interior, I had not [2] 2 ventured to question the alleged fact, though glad to learn of so many considerations per contra. The evident rapidity of subsidence of accumulations on the surface is a very forcible one.

This group, extending nearly over 1200 miles (from Hawaii to Midway I.) in a continuous chain, gives remarkable evidence of such uniform subsidence, increasing steadily towards the older islands, only about one fourth of the chain remaining many feet above the sea. This island of Oahu, 250 miles from the S. E. end, has probably subsided as much as 6000 feet. It is probably from one to two million years since it first began to be built up by lava-flows.

I had inclined to the theory that as the alleged solidity was produced by the enormous pressure upon the magma, [3] 3 a local removal of that pressure by a fissure in the crust, would be followed by deliquescence of the relieved magma at that point. Thus my theory of occluded gases (and yours) would not be inconsistent with the alleged solidity. But I am glad to know the latter is so doubtful.

About the absence of action of the hydrostatic level between the 14,000 feet of the Mauna Loa, and the 40000 feet of Kīlauea, I had attributed it to the viscidity of the magma, which precluded natural hydrostatic pressure from being transmitted. In that condition, I would mention a peculiar phenomenon observed by myself in 1887. A small fire lake of a few acres in extent had long been welling up. At a point perhaps 500 feet away, on the [4] 4 upper floor of the main crater, a quantity of lava had foamed up, and had perused over a precipice of 150 feet falling into the lake at that lower level. Evidently there was no mutual hydrostatic action. In many places about Kīlauea are evidences of up-pouring of lavas at great differences of level. A viscid foam does not answer to hydrostatic pressure.

I beg to remain, with high respect, yours most truly, | Sereno E. Bishop⁵[signature]

P.S. If pressure suffices to solidify a molten interior, why is not the Sun’s interior rendered solid? The pressure there is immensely greater than on the Earth. But the continual transmission of heat by convection, proves the Sun’s interior to be liquid.

A. R. Wallace⁶