Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1870-03-19

- kfsI lG T
Hsnn zoe Ngw Tssh wsrla,l
sra are identical changes
u.s. Mfvs On tie eaTth's surface
continuance must ineviA-
h. hing about the Anal extiuc-
fsn 81 man. and Ultimately thal
of III other lie upon our planet.
a Comparatively and
geologically speaking the end
8 near"
This startling announcement,
made BY Prof. Wurtz, Is, accord.
ing b some authorities, based
hnon strict deduction from physi-
al Law. CarrbOniC acid forms
one.thoussndth part Of the at
mosphere OF our globe, and Is
the fundamental chemical nutri-
msnt Of vial existence, furnish.
ing. as Il does, the carbon to
growing plants. 1t is evident
that, compared with other con-
sliGuenis 81 the atmosphere, this
gus exists 70 but Q very limited
extent in the form In which 1t
alone can support vegetable life,
and the only means by which it is'
"#.
restored 20 the air are the com
bnstioa and decay Of organic
bodice, and the respiration % an
imals4 4
1.-THE gas we're used only BY
plaats. these means Of It's resteFa-
lion 70 the air would be suiii@Bn
b counterbalance its cOnsump-
lion, and for this reason: The
approximate number Of living
species Of plants l0,0O0-the In.
dlviduals of each species out
numberingthose ofeach species OF
animal kindgom appropriated :
ndloates 10000, mOllusks 10000;
artlonIAtes, 100000, v~eFtebrates,
H,O0O-making In all $4,000.
Iti s thus seen, that animals be-
lnR % much IN excess % plants
they would throw out m0le gas
than would be sufficient 70 aup-
port ne vegetables, taxing bulk
by bulk. PIants In deCaying,
would restore carbon 10 the air,
and, ~ nearly oil that animals tai
from che air they restore 70 1t, an
oqalAhsium would b kept up,
But there are other instrumen.
taIIgIes which are nnceasing-
~ distributing this equilibnGm
mi Withdrawing the gas from the
atmosphere. What are these in
strumentalisies which are lima IN
tiringly rendering the globe unfit
70 support organic life?
Within the sea are living beings.
preparing destruction 70 ali life.
The devil hsh, Of which Victor
Hugo has given such Q romantic
and horrible description, is as
nauRht when compared TO the
mute, ingloriOus clam and the
delicious bat deadly oyster, who,
like the heardess monster that he
8, lies IN bed and bldes his time,
watching In grim repsse his even
Ing prey. Baddage undertook to
show that me destruction Of one
animal BY another produced more
happiness than the world would
know Il no such destruction went
on. which was > scientific way Of
saving that II no animal ate, none
would I've. Il took many pages
Of the BFidgeWater treatise to
prove this astounding fact; but
whas soIace is that to the eaten
although L does give moral sup
porto the eaterT We feel justi-
aed In eating oysters, but oh /! to
think that Ell the while they arc
nibbling at our vitals, while pre-.
tending merely ~assinilating infu-
soria. Yet such Is the horrible
fact Disguise II as we may
shut our eyes 70 il; turn our
backs and refuse TO see tit is
sfIlI there. The oysters are after
as.
The ocean covers about three
fourths Of the earth's surface, oil
150.00O,000 miles, but il Is mol
nearly So deep. Marine animals
with calcareous shells or skele
tons, aecrete carbOnates from the
ocean water, the carbOnic acid oil
thess oarhonatss having original
Iy come from the atmosphere.
When We consider the almost in.
finite number Of these ash with
calcareons shells or skeIetops-
those large Gsh who will take il
cation II they can get it-WI
mus admit, with Professor
Wurlx, that they are likely 4
cause tale great machine 70 ruE
DOWN and let "aflnity obtaiE
It. nnsl victory over It's mysteri
oua hnhgoniat, Vitality Z a.
e ordinary tempera,
eedily absorbs carbohiC
aad. nnder the usual pres.
S Il lie Atmosphere, il takes
up a bulk Of It. When thV
IT, sed from the water,
md ~ 4 commitment Of the
0l Il Is perfmahsutly
l0csd theFe, "a ever afterW 1
Is unavailable fs1 anTposes of Of.
ganic ne Thus, fkeb watar o,
the ocean IS forced 70 draw ron
The cir immediatelY abos Il. h
ordr Is maintain ls re- rahd