The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1868-08-14
Miseellaneans.
The Ocean and Some Of Its Pro-
i FbQ ii ducts B'i ~

The ocean and Some Of its Pro-
i GOA II Y ducts i'a [ III T
The ocean bed is supposed to be as tii,
yersitied as the solid earth, and maps have
been prepared exhibiting the character2of
the submerged land at different localities.
The most thorough soundings have been
show it to be a long trough or cash extend
ing probably from pole to pole. The di-
vision commonly made between the differ
ent oceans is a purely imaginary one, as
| they are in fact One large body of water,
different portions of which are known by
different names The regular swelling and
sinking of this vast fluid mass, called the
tide, is caused by the combined influence
OF the sun and moon, and is supposed to
originate in the southern polar seas, and
thence to roll around the globe The attrac-
tion of the moon is threefold that of the sun,
owing to its greater proximity TO the earth
and the ocean is so constantly and strongly
drawn to the point ioverwhich the satellite
stands as to rise toward it, forming an accu-
mutation of water, while, at the same time,
a sort of secondary swelling takes place. on
the, other side of the globe. The interme-
diate points are left at different stages of
low tide, according to their distance from
the watery elevations. lAltbough the sun
exercises an influence far less potent than
that of the moon, it still produces Visible
effect upon the waters and modifies their
movement When the sun and moon stand
directly in line, the combined attraction
of the two raises the tidal wave to the
greatest possible height, and causes the
spring tide, which occurs every full and
new moon while when they stand at right
angles to each other, the effect is partially
-eounteraeted, and the result isra low tide
AS the moon passes ON, the tidal wave fol-
lows her, always about three hours in the
rear, flooding the different shores as it,rolls
by, and rising to a greater 4ors less height
according to the varying character Of the
coats and other controlling circumstances.
In the South Sea islands the tides scarcely
reach the height Of twenty inches, while
the highest tide known, which occurs, in
the Bay oflFundy, attains forty fifty, and
even sixty feet aAH , q, ''i p gPalog
The ocean covers more than seven tenths
of the surface of the globe, and contains a
much larger number Of living creatures
than can be found on dry land. The min
ute beings, visible only with the micro
scope, which exist in its waters are alone
sufficient to form the subject of a separate
science. Lowest in the rank Of animal life
stands the sponge, a creature which has
been known from antiquity, and whose ma
ture has always been subject of dispute
For some time it was classed by naturalists
among vegetable productions, and only re-
Gently has it been assigned q place in the
animal Kingdom. It is undecided even
yet whether each sponge is q single indi-
| uidual or nopuraoatian nf 70 oroo
lures living together in q community like
that of the coral polypi.
f. 10 The most important sponge fisheries
are those in the Grecian Archipelago and
on the shores of Syria although the COM
modify is also obtained from the Red Sea,
the Gulf of Mexico, and to some extent
along the whole Mediterranean coast. The
snon0e hoe b~------i-- =. --,--..l1In n. urea-
| Gle OF commerce. that the fisheries have
been nearly exhausted in order to supply
the demand; and unless artificial cultiva-
ton is resorted to-, it is probable that the
sponge will soon entirely disappear. The
poorer qualities are found in shallow water
and torn from the rocks by means of three
forked harpoon; but the finer kinds, which
grow at q depth of from twelvet to twenty
fathoms, are brought up by the divers, and
have to be carefully detached from the
rock by means of knife 81 10 ~ lasl
Closely allied to, the sponges are the COR
ais, whose rank in the order of creation
was for a long time equally undetermined.
The plant-like appearance of the majority
of corals caused them to be classed among
vegetables; and .Peyssonnel, the first to
discover their animal nature, was met with
such indifference and irony, that he became
discouraged and retired to the Antilles,
where he spent the remainder of his life as
a naval surgeon. Subsequently the natu-
ralists who had opposed his theory became
convinced of its truth, and introduced it
into established science. Coral was found
to be a stony structure composed of the
calcareous cells of innumerable' little crea-
lures called polypi, whose abodes formed q
compact mass, and whose shells, when the
living animal within died, became foun-
dalton for the homes of their successors.-
The polypi increases by budding, the young
creature springing from the sides of the
older animals, and there remaining fixed
to grow and harden. Although the single
animals are exceedingly minute, they in
crease in such immense numbers that they
soon fill a large space and numerous islands
| have been formed by the slow and constant
upward growth of the coral until it has
reached the surface. Then the constant ac-
tion of the waves breaks off large portions