Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1810-02-27

TIC proportion OF the above ratios, we
may approximate to the surface mel
ted every twsnty-four hours.
| he Saint Pierre is of opinion, that
The heat of the moon also assists in the
melting ofthe ice. To ascertain the
degree of the moons influence in this
operation. it is necessary to. discover
the ratio between the heat OF the sun
and that of the moon.
Boasuer, (rraite d'Opt. su r la gradlt.
se la lumi-re in ~ 1856, } makes the heat
Lot the moon only the 100000 ortAat of
the sun. Therefore. the moon, If this pro
portion be correG, can only melt the
100000 quantity Of ice which the sun
does; and IL We assume l49os7 as the
mean quantum mel ed by. the sun every
lay, we shall have a76 ofa square mile
| he quantity meked by the MON. which
compared that mehed by The sun,
ca,no, possibly affect the tides,
| Although have supposed the quaint.
ty of ice round both poles to be coral,
vet there is the best grounds for beIley
ing. tina. the portion of the globe covere
wth'ice towards the south pole. is much
grea er than that towards the norrb role
Flpsting &c have been found in vast aaa.
titles in the 49, ID. so' of south
laituie and Davis found solid ics.in $50
and CO degrees opposite to Cape Horn.
Men ele, ia his chart of the south D las
region, m lkes the islands of.ice from long.
10 + of Paris to long. 81 e. extend 10
'he,5oih degree of lai ude, aud pew en-
long.S Z to long. llo L. he island, OF
|;cs extend to the 6o. h degree oflatitude.
Two priqcipal causes MAJ be given 70
this dlRaience. 81. The snn b-iag Sc
seral.days l,nger on The nor h SIDE of til
equa o than on the south s dc I'D. Taere
lbel,g much more land IN The northern
hemisphere than in the souiherho
The mex, circumstance TO b. aiken in.
70 consideration, is the height of ths les
IN the polar regions above the horizon
fhs isa ques ioe, for the solu'Ion of which
! We have the most uncertain data. Upon
| comparing 'oge. her the accoun Of the,
several navg isors OF che heigll,s Of III .
Islands of &c, and the fields of ice which
] hey haze met, il sppears 10 me ,ha, We
cannot place the mean hight at more
than, 90 fe=l. Therefore, as We assume ed
i4SoS7 square miles as thu mean qlan
sun Office msited every TWEEN y fouc hours.
l49o57
we have --=7452s square niles of
| ice, twenty feet in thickness to affea eve :.
ry tide. Th: surface of the globe is =
l48, 51o,627 square miles, and according
20 Do6tor Long, the proportion of land
and water is as Ia 10 $40. Therefore,
The surface Of land = ss,s53,ois square
miles. and tina. OF wafer x los, str 500
square miles. Wherefore "a 10 six montos
we may reckon SOS tides; ----.
a65%7452s
"a gives us the number Of iimss the
surface of water on the globe is greater
than The sur ace Of melted ice. / mere
fore so-4 = = number Of feet which the
diurnal mel,iOg of Ice IN the polar region s
increases the waters of the ocean.
am sensible tina. several objections.
may be started to this calculation but /
do not believe that the increase of tides
by the polar ice can fer more than two
or three feet from the statement have
given. For the ex,en OF surface Of mel
ted ice We have the best da:a and ailIw
ling its height above The horiz On TO be on
| ~ ten feet, j, would increase the tides
| 3 ! 3 feet. We have no reason for sup.
posing that its mean height can exceed
80 teel, which would increase the waters
| by z 10 feet (; therefore it seems 10 me.
we NAV, without commit ing aoy gross
error, Gx upon fy. feet as the mean by
which the tides are Increased by the mel
ting Of the polar ice.
| 1t remains now TO ascertain the tim.
which each elfIsion from the polar regi-
oas is later than its preceding in arriving
at The equator. For this purpose, /. is ne
cessary to calculate the velocity with which
these illusions move towards The equa.
tor.
Sir Isacc Newton has calculated (Cor. I
Pop as, Book lId) that waves, whose
breadth is equal TO 3 1.is French feet,
will advance through space equal 10 their
breadth in one second oFlime and there
fore in one minute will 20 over space
lof 1873 and third feet; aud in an hour q
space Of Ii 900 feet, nearly; that IS a5ous
50 miles in.2s hours. Aud i, ia evident,
that constant succession Of illusions from
melted ice will occasion Constant success
son of waves, whose velocity, accordla,
10 SIR Isaac Newton, (CoT. 81 VIII be
augmen ed or diminished ~ the subddpii