North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-07-16

rFr,n the National Intelli..c .cer.l
THE SEA

-rby BE Mel1et and others, is the Constant aho GER
- n diminution Of the Sea- OF ne
Al she waters of the OCEAN. Facts can DC Pioo"eTu
io,; thai ,Ac ocean line of coasts has frequently
altered projecting itself into the sea- ana that rochs
have annearei above the waters winch were known
- Co;n,rrcdavs to have been considerably Immersed
- t,c,s nave been attributed by some TO volcanic
ct;on and by others to the gradual rsing OF the ano
ny interior heat, expanding beneath and forcing inc
mass above rlse.- But we propose 10 snow iat an
these phenomena of the change in the ocean line OF
.acoast and appearance of rocks above the wafer, Is
.aiiscj by a constant dimnution OF the waters OF the
cean and that process is at all times going on by
,hich the substances held in solution IN the ocean
tiers arc converted into solids In order make
- L., subject plain and lucid all technical scientific
3s:nencatures will be avoided, and even the names
q he busy and different classes of architects in the
eat work of consolidation OF the vast uEfaIhonabic
.;pan, will be called by simple names. The object
Il scientific knowledge is not to cover up science by
names which be only translated by the learned,
bu, simply to make smooth the paths of Nature and
o3en her deep resources of knowledge and Natures
SETS plainly and conciSely. | shall endeavor 10 do
this in simple terms and beg the learned and scien
tifc savan to excuse me if the vulgar terms and
,anes instead of the learned classcationS set down
by themselves. Now my subject.
The sea, the waters of the sea- composed
partly of solid substance held in solution. Some OF
these SALT soda and lime 1t Is with these three
We have principally to deal. From these are manu-
fsccced shells, concealed coral reefs, islands, and
hans = throughout the ocean depths. The Florida
reefs nes, coasts of Mexico and all Poy nesla, or
near.y ali, taken from the solid substances held
in solution by the waters of the ocean. The orma-
ton of coral islands in the ocean is most singular,
curious and wonderful. The little busy scientific work
men employed i'll this species OF architecture are SO
very minute that il requresa powerful microscope 10
slow even the senblance of some Of them, while
o;,.rs can be detected by the naked eye. They are
divided into separate classes. and each class Is per-
.facty master OF his business. we ma them MOI
oiv practical workmen but scientific architects ana
chemists. Let any one who feels an interest III ms
subject, take up few shells, single valve, dohbir
l.. floTp oinc u he al
the interior of the shell is composed Of lime mixed
with large proportion of Soda and, as he approach
es the exterior, it will be to be mixed with The
three substances-lime, soda, and sat-iha 1t IS as
hard as the most durable stone. These substances
are taken from the of the separated by
the animal formed in the waters from whence they are
taken and made in the same substance IN which they
were held in solution. This peculiar chemical sep
aratiun-the precipitation Of each substance. IN the
singular manner performed by she-fsh in the fabri-
cation of their domics-has yet been attained
by the most learned and practical chemists.
The little coral insect, which silently, surely, and
industriousIy builds Up from the depth his tree
house, is equally with the shefsh, an accomplished
architect and scientific chemist He selects his ma
teriaS from the ocean, separates them, mixes them IN
proper proportions and forms them into solids, in the
same medium from which the materials taken.
Each workman performs his part, abandons it when
Finished and gves place to another set as systenai-
jcaIiy as the Others and more than either the brick
layer the carpenter, Plaserer IN modern building
These submerged land-ocean mechanics and chenl-
lists fail in their work. Interfere with each
other. We never a unvalve attempting to fabri-
cate biyave'S mansion; nor do we see tree-coai
working on the mansion of a mushroom; but eac!
builds his structure, and then gives place 10
other character of workman at the moment he Is re-
CURED to commence.
The first mechanic in this great work of the dimi-
mutton of the is the tree-cora This little in
sect generally Il may say always selects the deepest
of all this tribe 10 work in his foundation
quires fat surface here he fas!ens his base, and
commences the supcrstructure. The whole body
commence their work at the time, and continue
INCREASINGLY until their forest city is completely built.
No mistake is made is out of its proper pO-
sltion, but each regularly and beautifully arranged,
and in such that neither storms, waves,
other causes can dsplace throw down their man.
sons. Here then is foundation laid for island,
continent. These ha6itations abandoned,
and the little chemist and mechanic drifts off to
other bank, there again TO form his forest house. He
is replaced by another. who sHbtracts from the
liquid his materials, passes them through us
laboratory and forms another species of mansion,
uniting solid the forests of his predecessors.
abandons il and craws off another forest. He then
is succeeded by another, and another succrets him.
until the reef becomes island. Salt, soda and
lime the prncl pal ingredients which compose this
solid base, which there is to be formed earth,
trees, and other vegetation. This supersructure
becomes the home of innumerable tertaceous mig7a-
tory fish. which form their cost shells from the
the coral insect
Let us illustrate the formation of shells, coral &c.
and show the dminution OF the by this process
thousand pounds OF water. Within this space
all the varieties of coral insects perform their
work; and all the shell-fsh take their place
and abstract from the waters the materials for their
d7incils; hen all have finished, let US weigh the
wafer and will find it has lost in weight the d.
of material required fdbricate each and eve
~ style of building, and the would not occu-
Ply much space. If transferred to another bog,
the waters would be found to have been diminished
This, then, is the process by which the waters of the
ccean SLOWLY but certainly diminishing on the
earth. THE tOaters are becoming solids.
But other causes aiding in this great work,
such as the ocean plants, such kelp and partcu-
lary the Sargossa plant, or gulf weed These mate
rails grow either the surface of the ocean, deriving
all their substance from it, adhere the coral for
nations and assist in forming islands. This process
OF lsand-forming is uniting by great all the
Antilles the great mass of islands in the Pacific, Chi
n with Japan, and finally will unite the whole of the
Pacific isles with the continent of Asia, diminishing
the ocean by this accumulation OF solid, and in fact
diminishing the waters Of the earth by MANY millions
Of square miles.
This theory Is no wild and visionary specul atiop
Already have topographers and surveyors discovered
that their sea line of modern date does not correspond
with the sea line of ancient times The vast accu-
mutation OF coral reefs and islands in the Pacific
and on the coast of North and South America has
diminished the ocean liquid sufficiently to alter the
seacoasts OF Europe-proecng them further into the
sea. One remarkable fact in the dininutjon of the
shores OF the Mediterranean, which annear tn he
higher now than they formerly is particularly
SHOWN IN the Straits OF Gibraltar and the passage OF
the Dardanees. De MelIet noticed these facts over
sixty years since. bat attributed them to every differ
ent causes fsoW those herein stated This process
OF lSIand-makinU ia fha