The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-01-24

that modern science asks Is, WneCn0r
there is any other evidence tof the re-
cent existence of Atlantis.
Since the expiration Of the North
Atlantic sea bottom for telegraphic
purposes proved that no elevations or
depressions inconsistent with the safe
laying of cables were to be found be-
tween Newfoundland and Ireland, it
has been popularity taught that the
Atlantic lies in vast trough with a
comparatively regular bottom. A
wider range of soundings made by the
American ship Dolphin, the German
frigate Gazelle, the British ships Hy-
dra and Porcupine. and more recently
by the Challenger, quite OverthrOws
the popular idea, proving the Atlantic
bed to be rather double trough. the
deeper depressions separated by a
mountainous ridge of great altitude
way between the existing continents.
From the variations in the soundings
along the ridge there is every reason
to infer that it is line of broken
country, the higher peaks reaching
the surface north Of the equator in
the Azore Islands, and further south
in st. panl's Rocks, the Islands of AS
ascension, Tristan d'Acunha, etc.
On the other side of the ridge the
water deepens, the bottom presenting
a surface diversified by hills and val
leys, such as could be carved out only
when the sea bed existed as dry land.
From the soundings made and col
lated by the officers of the Challenger
expedition, chart has been prepared,
showing by soundings, first, the At
lantic areas having a depth Of over
1900 fathoms, and second, the areas
ranging between 1000 and 1000 faith
oms; the narrower areas having a
depth of less than a thousand faith
oms. showing white. BY far the
greater portion of the sea bed south
of so n. L. exceeds the depth of 1000
fathoms. The area of medium depth
covers the northern sea down to an
irregular line between Newfoundland
and England. Thence narrow 18TH
mus beginning about $50 n. L. and
200 w. Long. from Greenwich) con-
meets the northern table lands with
what has been denominated the Dol
phin Ridge-a shell-shaped area with
it's head to the north and it's tail join
ing lat about $50 n. l.. and 45o w. L.
another ridge called the Connecting
Ridge. The latter puts out from the
South American shore just north Of
the AmaZOn'S mouth, and extends
from about 100 n. l.. and 500 w. L.,
southeastward to a point on the equa-
tor about Long. 100 W., where it turns
abruptly south and forms the Chal-
lenger Ridge, which broadens south
ward, but is not mapped below 10 S.
Lat. Just north of Tristan Acunha
the Challenger Ridge sends off an
arm, which, curving to the northeast.
joins the coast of Africa.
here unquestionaDly we have the
backbone of the ancient Atlantic con-
tinent; and in recent lecture in Lon
don one of the challenger staff has
reviewed the evidence of soundings
touching the general contour of the
''lOst atlantis. It's valleys and hills
are not such as could he formed by
any natural irregularity in the deposi-
ton Of sediments, nor by submarine
elevations; they have been carved by
agencies acting above the water level.
Along the ridge there are four points
which remain unsubmerged-th the
Azores. st. Paul's Rocks, Ascension,
and Tristan 'Acunha. In the deeper
basins, the Bermudas, Fernando de
Noronha, Trinidad, and st. Helena
rise to the surface, in some instances
not far distant from depths exceeding
5000 fathoms. A group of such
soundings under the equator mot far
from where the general ridge makes
the angle separating the Connecting
Ridge from the Challenger Ridge
give evidence of an ancient valley
line. Surprising the continent raised
until this valley became dry land, the
high peaks NOW islands) near by would
rise to Himalayan heights, and the
ridge itself would average about 800
feet. Even under the equator such
elevations would he capped with SNOW,
If the atmospheric conditions were at
all as now. The lower levels along
the mountain ridge would present ev-
cry variety Of climate, according to
the height; and with such line Of
communication any serious problems
of plant and animal Inigrations across
the equator during the geologic ages
could he easily solved. In the North
AttdtLs' ttc io'iS tic gtDsl ~ tttsdLtDl
of the ridge is probably not more than
1900 feet. unless the original depths
are masked considerably by deposit
OF globigeTIna -ooZe.
! Thus deep sea exploration confirms
the report Of geology that Atlantis re-
ally existed: and pal4Ontology also
bears witness to the same great fact.
| Still more it testifies that the final dis
appearance of the buried ridge did not
occur until comparatively recent
times. The evidence on this point
was reviewed some eight years ago by
Professor UDger, who had been led to
believe that land connection must
have existed between Europe and
America. aslate as the tertiary period.
by comparison OF the recent and fog
sill fioras of the two continents. 9th
CT evidence Of like nature may be
found in Professor Gray's review Of
the history of the gigantic redwoods
(sogMoids) Of California, reprinted in
.sD2Twiniana-"
With such support the traditions
of the ancient world. on both sides Of
the Atlantic. begin to read like some
thing more than empty myths. The
Egyptian priests, it is more than like
/ ~. were Teciting yeritabIe history