The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1869-10-02


From the New Orleans Bulletin.
Capt. Ericsson contributed to the National
Academy of Sciences nc it's recent session. a rath.
or startling essay the retardaton of tho earth
axial motion resulting from the movement of
water and documentary matter carried by the
Mississippi and other great rivers towards the
Equator. The center of the Mississippi BASIN az
he shows by diagrams and calculations, rotstes
in q circle Of Is, ,782 feet radius, with cir
cumferential velocity of 1147.90 feet per second.
But the mouth OF the river .rotates in circle Of
1926, 1O2 feet radius, with a circumferental
velocity of 1869 feet per second. Thus an in
creased velocity of nearly 179 feet per second
must be impaired to the sedimentary matter in
its course from the center of the basin to the
mouth of the river. Where is the motive energy
aecessary to supply this increase to come from ?
The earth must yield the needed force that is to
say, the earth must use an amount of its ole viva
equal to the force required to generate the aug.
mented speed. We here quote Captain Ericssoas
own words: ~ II BI),
1T has already been stated that the mean an.
nual discharge of earthly matter at the mouth of
the Mississippi is 9O3,10O million of ponnds.
The centre of the basin being 461, 800 feet near.
er the axis than the mouth of the river, we can
readily calculate that the increase of rotary
velocity will be, % already stated, 179 feet per
second; rate acquired by fall through 50O8
feet. The elements are thusfurnished for dsterm.
ming with precision the amount of pis vica which
the earth must part with in consequence of the
change OF position of matter attending the abrs.
sion during the flow of the rain water from the
basin TO the mouth of the river Multiplying
sos, 100 millions BY 6O06, We prove positively
that the amount of energy to be given up by the
earth in order to impart the stated increase of
rotary velocity to the abraded matter, exceeds
four hundred and ffty.two trillions Of foot.
pounds annually. But the formation of 10000
quare miles of delta, over which the Mississippi
now runs, has required many ages, during whiSh
the earth has been INCREASINGLY deprived of pis
Uioa."
Capt. Ericsson then considers the retarding in.
fusnce of the wstsr discharged BY the Mississ-
ippi river, at rate exceeding &c, 500 900 pounds
per second. He says: e 7ai,,aeR ,
''The mean rate Of discharge of the Mississippi
into the Gulf OF Mexico somewhat exceeds 49,.
10000 pounds per second. We have already seen
that the position of the center Of the basin ia 40
far north OF the outlet of tho river % to place
the latter 461 800 feet further from the axis of
the earth than the former, and that this differ.
snce produces an increase of circumferential We.
locity so considerable that fall through 5OO.6
feet is necessary to generate the same. The
amount Of cis Uioa of which the earth is being
deprived every second by the waters of the Miss.
issippi and its tributaries during their flow to
the sea will accordingly DO 1888, 100000 Of
foot-pounds. As the mind cannot properly com.
prebend the magnitude of this force, let us re-
duce it to y standard with which we have become
familiarized. A horsepower is 80, 600 pounds
raised one foot high in a minute, or $50 pounds
raised one foot high per second. Dividing the
before stated total energy by this standard of
800 the important fact will be established that
to make good the loss of gis yiva which the earth
snffers demands constant expenditure of 35..
$4,000 horsepower"
He next discussed the question of compcnsa.
ton, in tho way OF recovery of the earth's y,s
oiya, by the action Of solar force through wind
currents. clouds, and rivers discharging into the
Arctic seas; and he concludes that oil these forces
fail to supply the energy extinguished by the
action OF the Mississippi and the rivers flowing
towards the equator. mo reasonable doubt"
he says, loan b entertained that the earth sus.
tains loss OF ola e,ua of 80 1914 s5S foot.pounds
every second. Multiplying this sum by 88,4OO
seconds, We learn that every succeeding day
marks diminution in the esrth's els gico of g..
44o'46l 40 foot-pounds, IN consequence Of the
change OF position Of the sbrsided matter carried
towards the equator" 7
very interesting part OF the essay relstss to
the depression Of the earths surface BY abrasive
operation OF rain water. Il has been assumed
oy many intelligent spsrsons sthat the lowering
process attending rain flows 10 sufficiently rapid
70 counterfeit the retarding effect of the move
ment equatorwards Of large rivsrs charged with
seoimentary matter; and some have even fan.
cleo That, ct not VERY distant dav kha Vwhole "a