The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1827-09-05
I,a(sCelId1tD.
From Dicks Christian PHILOSOPHER.
ryITT

FROM D'ck's Christian Philosopher.
! THE OCEAN.
The ocean surrounds the earth on all
sides, and penetrates into the interior parts
OF different countries, sometimes by large
openings, and frequently by small straits.
Could the eye take in this immense sheet
OF waters, and at one view, it would appear
the most august object under the whole
heavens. 1t occupies a space on the sur
face OF the globe at least three times great
er than that which is occupied by land
comprehending an extent of l4S millions of
square miles. Though the ocean, strictly
speaking, Is but one immense body of wa
tiers, extending in different directions. vet
different names have been appropriated to
different portions of its surface. That por-
ton OF Its waters which rolls between the
western coast of America, and the eastern
shores OF Asia, is called the Pacific ocean
and that portion which separates Europe
and Africa from America, the atlantic
ocean. Other portions are termed the
Northern, Southern, and Indian oceans
When It's waters penetrate into the land.
they form what are termed gulphs, and
mediterranean seas. But without follow
ing 1t through all its winnings and divis-
ions, | shall simply state few general
facts.
With regard to the depth of this body Of
water, no certain conclusions have yet been
formed. Beyond a certain depth, it has
hitherto !een found unfathomable. We
increases gradually as " We feGae tf f fbao Fea
but we have reason to believe that this in
crease of depth continues only to a certain
distance. The numerous islands scattered
every where through the ocean, demon
strate that the bottom of the waters, so far
from uniformly sinking, sometimes rises in
to lofty mountains. 1t is highly probable
that the depth of the sea is somewhat in
proportion to the elevation of the lc2:n.;a! c2r
there is some reason to conclude, that the
present bed of the ocean formed the inhab-
tied part of the ancient world, previous 20
the general deluge, and that we are now
occupying the bed of the former ocean :;
and, if so, It's greatest depth will not exceed
four or FIVE miles for there is no mountain
that rises higher above the level of the sea.
But the sea has never actually been sound
ed to a greater depth than a mile and 66
feet Along the coast its depth has al
ways been found proportionate to the
height of the shore where the coast is
high and mountainous, the sea that washes
it is deep; but where the coast is low, the
water is shallow. To calculate the guam
tity Of ,0dter it contains, we must therefore
suppose q medium depth. If we reckon its
average depth at two miles, it will contain
296 millions of cubical miles of water. We
shall have more specific idea of this enor-
nous mass of water if we consider that it
is sufficient to cover the whole globe to the
! height of eight thousand feet; and if this
water reduced to one spherical mass, it
would form globe of more than 500 miles
in diameter.
With regard to its botton,.-As the sea
covers so great portion of the globe, we
should, no doubt, by exploring its interior,
discover Il vast number of interesting OBJ
iects. So far as the bed of the ocean has
| been explored, it is found to bear a great
resemblance to the surface of the dry land ;
being, like it, full of plains, caverns, rocks
and mountains, some of which are abrupt
and almost perpendicular, while others rise
with gentle ACTIVITY, and sometimes tow
or above the water ard form Islands. The
materials, too, which compose the bottom
of the sea, are the same which form the
basis of tho dry land. 1t also resembles
the land in another remarkable particular
many fresh springs, and even rivers, rise
out of it {; an instance of which occurs near
Cor, on the western coast of Hindostan
and in the Mediterranean sea, not far from
Marseilles. The sea sometimes assumes
different colors. The materials which COM
pose its bottom cause it to reflect different
hues in different places; and its appear
ance is also affected by the winds and the
sun, while the clouds that pass over it com.
municate all the varied and fleeing colors
When the sun shines, it is green; wher
he CLEANS through fog, it is yellow neal
the poles, it is black; while in the torrid
zone, its color is often brown; and, on Ger.
tain occasions, it assumes luminous ap
T pearance, as if sparkling with FIRE.
The ocean has three kinds Of motionS.-
! The first is that inhalation which is pro
duced by the wind, and which is entirely
, confined to its surface. 1t is now ascer
tanned that this motion can be destroyed
and its surface rendered smooth, by throw
r ing oil upon its waves. The second mo
, ton is that continual tendency which tn
, whole water in the sea has towards til
/ west, which is greater near the equato
than the poles 1t begins on the west sid
$ Of America, where it is moderate but, =