The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-06-14

water 10 flow off as an under current toward
The Polar or some other regions Of lighter

water TO flow of as an under current towart
the Polar or some other regions Of lighte
water. o@ sttff tha
Now, II the sea were not salt, there woult
be no coral islands TO beau,ify its Landscape
and give variety TO It's features; sea-shelll
and marine insects could not operate upor
the specific gravity of It's waters, nor give
variety TO its climates; neither could evap
oralon give dynamical force 10 It's circula
ton, and they ceasing 10 contract as tbei
ieperaiure falls below 40 deg, would give
but little impulse 10 It's currents, and thu,
its circulation would be torpid aud its bosom
lack animation.
The makers of nice astronomical instru
ments, when they have but the different
paris of their machinery together and set il te
work, fird, as in the chronometer, for in
stance, that il is subjected in its performance
10 many irregularities and imperfeclions
thai in one state of lhings there is expansion
and in another state contraction among cogs
springs, and wheels, with an increase or di.
minution of rate. This defect the makers
have sought to overcome and with beau
tiful display of ingenuity they have attached
10 the works of the inslrumen, contrivance
which has had the effect of correcting these
irregularities by counleracting the tendency
OF the instrument 10 change lis performance
with the changing influences Of lempera.
ture. '.
This con,rivance is called compensation;
and chronometer that is we'll regulated and
properly compensated will perform its office
with certainty, and preserve its rate under
all the vicissiiudes OF beat and cold to which
it may be exposed,
Iu the clock-work of the ocean, and the
machinery of the universe, order and regu.
larily are maintained by system of CON-
pensa.ions. A celestial body, as il revolves
around its sun, flies off under the influence
of centrifugal force but Immediately the
forces of compensation begin 10 act, the
planetis brought back TO its elIipticsl path,
and held in the orbit for which its mass, its
motions, and IFS distance are adjusted. lis
compensation is perfect.
So,. 100, with the salts and the shells of the
sea in the machinery Of the ocean from
them are derived principles Of compensa.
lon the most perfect; through their agency
the undue effects OF heat aud cold, of storm
and rain, in disturbing the equilibrium and
producing thereby currents in The sea, are
compensated, regulated, and controlled
Tho do~e, iie ,aliis, ana lne rivers are
continually dissolving certain minerals OF The
earth and carrying Them off 10 the sea. This
is an accumulaling process and if it were
not compensated, The sea would finally be-
COME as the Dead Sea is, saturated with salt,
and therefore unsuitable for the habitation of
manv fish of the sea. ......
The sea-shels and marine insects afford
the required compensation. They are the
conservalors OF The ocean. As The salts are
empied into the sea, these creatures secrete
them again and pile them up in solid masses,
TO serve as the bases of islands and CONT
nenls, TO be in the process Of ages upheaved
iIto vi iduut anu ucu dSdiu uioUiftu Ny tuc
dews and rains, and washed by the rivers
away into the sea.
Thus, from studying the works of the
physical agents Of the universe, we are led
10 perceive that the nha5i,ants of the ocean
are as much the creatures of climate as are
those of The dry land; for the same Almighty
hand which decked the lily, and cares for
the sparrow, fashioned also the pearl, and
feeds the great whale. Whether of the land
or OF the sea, they are all his creatures, sub
jecls of his laws, and agents in his economy.
The sea, therefore, we infer, has its offices
and duties m perform; so, may we infer,
have its currents and so, too: its inhabitants; /;
consequently he who undertakes TO study
It's phenomena, must cease to regard il as a
waste of waters. He must look upon il as
part of the exquisite machinery BY which
the 5armunies Of nature are preserved, and
then he will begin 10 perceive The develop
menis of order and the evidence of design,
which make it a most beautiful and interes.
ting subject for contemplation.