American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1827-12-11
THE. OCEAN

tries sometimes by large openings, ard tre1uentl
by small straits. Could the eye take in this I'M
mense sheet of waters at one view, it would appea
lhe most august object under the whole heavens
IL occupies space on the surface of the globe a
least three times greater than that which is occn
pied by the land; comprehending an extent of A
millions OF square miles. Though the ocean strict
~ speaking. is but one immense body of water
extending in different directions, yet diferen
names have been appropriated to different POI ton
OF its surface. That portion of its waters which
rolls between the western coast of America ant
the eastern shores of Asia. is called the Pacif
ocean, and that portion which separates Europ,
and Africa from America. the atlantic ocean. 9th
er portions are termed the Northern, Southern
and Indian ocean. When its waters penetrat,
INTO the land, they form what are termed CULTS
and Mediterranean seas. But without foowin.
It through all its windlngs and divisions, | shall
simply state few general facts
| With regard to the dppth OF this body of water
no certain conclusions have yet been formed. Be
yond certain depth it has hitherto been found un
fathomabe We know, in general, that the depth
OF the sea increases gradually as we leave tht
shore but we have reason to believe that this in
crease OF depth continues only to certain dis
lance. The numerous islands scattered ever,
where through the ocean, demonstrate that the
bottom of the water. so far from uniformly sinking
sometimes rises into lofty mountains 1t is highl,
probable that the depth Of the is somewhat il,
proportion to the elevation OF the land for there
- some reason to conclude, that the present bed
OF the ocean formed the inhabited part of tile
ancient world previous to the general deluge, ant
that we are now occupying the bed of the former
ocean; and, If SO, its greatest depth will not ex
coed four or five miles; for there is no mountain
| that rises higher above the level of the sea Blu
the sea has never been actually sounded to grea
ter depth than mile and 66 feet. Along the coas
its depth has always been found proportionate t.
| the height of the shore; where the coast is hirt
and mountainous the sea that washes it is deep
but where the coast is low the water is shallow
10 calculate the quantity Of cater it contains, ",
must therefore suppose medium depth. Ii we
reckon IFS average depth at two miles, twill contain
296 millions of cubica miles of water. We shall
have more specific idea of this enormous mass q
water. if consider that it is sufficient to coye
the whole globe, to the height of more than eigh
thousand feet; and if this water were reduced t,
one spherical mass it would form globe OF mor
than 809 miles in diameter.
| With regard to its bottom-As the sea covers 81
great portion of the globe, we should no doubt
BY exploring its interior, discover vast number o
interesting objects. So far as the bed Of the ocea
has been explored, it is found to bear great re
semblance to the surface of the dry land bein:
like it, full of plains, caverns, rocks and noun
talns, some of which are abrupt and almost per
pendIcular, while others rise with gentle acclivi
| ty. and sometimes tower above the water and form
| islands. The materials too, which compose the
bottom OF the sea the same which form the
basis of the dry land. 1t also resembles the LAM
| in another remarkable particular; many fresI
springs, and even rivers rise out Of it, an instanc,
OF which occurs Cor, on the western part
Hintlostan, and in the Mediterranean sea, not fa
| from Marseilles. The sea sometimes assumes aif,
| no m
bottom, cause it to reflect different hues in differ
ent places; and its appearance also affected b,
the winds and sun. while the clouds that pass over
| it communicate all the varied and fleeing colors
| When the sun shines j. is green; when he CLEAN,
through fog it is yellow; near the poles it i,
black; while in the torritl zone, its color is otter
brown; and, on certain occasions it assumes u
minaus appearance, as ii sparkling fire.
! The ocean has three kinds Of motion. The frs
is that nndulation which is produced BY the wind
and which is entirely confined to its surface. 1t is
now ascertained, that this motion can be destro, ell
and its surface rendered smooth by throwing oil
upon its waves. The second motion is that con
tinual tendency which the whole water in the sea
has towards the west, which is greater near the
equator than towards the poles. 1t begins OH the
west side of America, where it is moderate but as
the waters advance westward, their motion is ac-
celebrated and after having traversed the globe.
they return, and strike with great violence on the
| eastern shore Of America. Beng stopped BY that
continent they rush with impetuosity into the
Gulf of Mexico, thence they proceed along the
coast of North America, till they come to the south
side of Newfoundland, when they turn Of aud run
down through the Western isles. This motion i,
, most probably owing to the diurna revolution OF
the earth on its axis, which is in direction con,
trary to the motion Of the sea- The motion Of the
is the tide. which is regular swell Of the ocean
every la hours. This motion is now ascrrtancd
to be owing to the attractive influence OF tie moon,
and also partly to that of the sun. Where is al
ways fux and rcfluX at the time in two parts
of the globe, and these opposite to each other