glacier logo   Debating Glacial Theory, 1841
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De la Beche HENRY DE LA BECHE
English

You support the belief that major floods and other disruptions are necessary to account for valley formation, erratics and drift, and you support the process proposed by Leonce Elie de Beaumont to account for these floods.

On GoogleEarth Tour pay particular attention to:

  • Défilé de l'Ecluse
  • Auvergne

Familiarize yourself with the following Episodes:

  • Diluvialists versus Fluvialists
  • Alpine Revolutions

Read and summarize:

  • The Excavation of Valleys
  • Theoretical Geology, p.386-392

Be aware:

  • Yours is a very complete synthesis, and one that rivals the synthesis of de Charpentier in many respects. It is supported by Sedgwick. However, it depends upon the epochs of uplift postulated by Elie de Beaumont. Lyell is critical of flood theories and theories of sudden, rapid uplift of mountains, and his own observations and those of Darwin support more gradual, episodic uplift.