The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1872-05-24
WATER FAMINEPREDICTED
From the New York IIcrald)

Inc intelligence Wnlcn reaches
us from various parts of the world
seems to invest this question with
present and paramount importance
In a recent article we commented
on the exceptional and phenomenal
cold Of the past winter, and showed
that it might, perhaps, be attribute.
bic to the periodic return Of what
eminent meteorologists have called
"the cold wave" through which our
planet is supposed to pass once in
every ten or fifteen years. The
Astronomers Royal Of Scotland, in
common with other able and eau
tious physicists, predicted last year
such an event, and sought to explain
1t on broad cosmical principles
Whether correct or not in their rea.
sonings their can be no doubt now
that the prediction was verified in
fact. The diminution of our annual
heat supply derived from solar radi.
alton, it is easy to see, will be mark
ed by diminution in the amount
Of water evaporated from the bill.
lows of the ocean and delivered to
be transported over the great con
tinental masses Of the globe for
their irrigation and refreshments
The rainfall statistics and returns
of the present year, so far as re-
ceived, appear to bear out the nat
ural inference from the above facts,
and give us timely warning to be
prepared for great scarcity Of water
during the coming summer. We
already know, by experience, that
the rains of the season have fallen
short of their usual abundance
this spring in the United States, al
though the condensation Of the past
week has been considerable. The
returns from England, carefully col
lated by Mr.. Glaishcr, give a gen
cral average of only twenty-five in
ches for the past year, while the
proper mean rainfall Of England is
thirty inches The deficiency of
eight inches Of the usual fall may be
roughly estimated at over a million
gallons Of water for every square
mile of British territory, and should
be carefully noted. In the tropics,
where the atmospheric machinery
takes up the greatest amount of
moisture from the sea for terrestrial
distribution, we find similar results.
From the returns Of the Windward
West Indies the official figures for
last December show a deficiency
greater than has been known in the
twenty-four years preceding; and
the average Of the year 1871 was
twenty, eight per cent, or more than
forth below that of the preccd-
ing twenty-four years. For the
month of January, 1872, the returns
are still more discouraging, the ave
rage falling short Of that for the
same month Of the twenty-five pre-
ceding years by thirty-tive per cent,
or more than one-third.
Taking these facts in connection
with the widespread and terrible
ravages of the great Northwestern
fires and forest conilagratiOns, which {
so many districts of coun- G
try last fall, and remembering the 6
climatic deterioration usually OBJ
served to follow the clearing of the
soil and telling of trees, we see i
good reason for calling the attention q
of the whole country to the most {
frugal outstanding Of the precious 7
water supply distilled from the
clouds. 1t may not now be too 4
late to warn agriculturists to pre- '
pare for any emergency by the con-
struction Of ponds and reservoirs for '
the irrigation Of the soil. But the J
warning is certainly opportune and ,
of vital Importance in all the cities J
and towns of the land to economize J
the water, that in case Of blighting d
droughts and epidemic disease the o
terror Of water famine may not have q
to be endured. The proposed action h
of Congress in providing for or en- g
couraging the planting and preser- a
walton of trees on the public lands E
is step in the right direction. The /
danger now apprehended by this q
means, by the early sinking of ar i
tesian wells and other precautions. !
may be materially averted and less I.
ened. a