WCP2815

[1]

Honolulu, Hawaii

October 2, 1902

Doctor Alfred R. Wallace

Dear Sir,

Your favour of 7th Sept is before me. It is a very great pleasure to receive the commendation of one whose name is so provisional in Science. By same mail came also a letter from Rev. O. Fisher¹, 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", in which you state Mr. Fisher's views.

Being aware of a strong continuant of scientific opinion in favour of the rigid solidity of the Earth's interior, I had not [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[sland].) in a continuous chain, gives recalculable evidence of such uniform subsidence, increasing steadily towards the older islands, only about one forth of the chain remaining many feet above the sea. This island of Aatu, 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 at the alleged solidity was produced by the enormous pressure upon the magma, [3] a local memorial of that pressure by a fissure in the crust, would be followed by deliquescence of the island magma at that point. This 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 land 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 300 feet away, on the upper floor of the main crater, a quantity of Lava had formed up, and had perched over a precipice of 150 feet falling into the lake at that lower level. Evidently there was no measurable hydrostatic action. In many places about Kīlauea are evidences of out pouring of layers 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. Bishop²[signature]

P.S. If pressure suffices to solidity a molten interior, why is not the [1 word illeg.] interior rendered solid? The pressure there is immensely greater than on the Earths. But the continual transmission of heat by conduction, proves [1 word illeg.] interior to be liquid.