Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-05-24
World Wonders.
ELEVEN THOUSAND YEARS OF WINTER AND AN

"
EQUALLY LONG SUMNER
Mr.. G. Hilton ScIibner, ex secretary OF state
I E New York, has been giving to the Troy
changes through which the earth has passed.
and Is still passing. Mr.. Scribner fiads ready
solution OF many Of the difficulties which per-
The globe has passed are due largely, il not
wholly, he believes, to the fact that the earth's
axis describes circle In the northern heavens,
AID that the effect Of this is to cause the earth
to pass through long winters and summers of
II eco years each. s'During its winter" saws
Mi; scribner, leach hemisphere Is submerged
coal beds; its whole surface covered with marine
deposits and sediment transported and scattered
Dy ocean currents; and tubs enriched, it rises
again after long winter of II 900 years to be
renewed in life, Clothed with vegetation ana
beauty, to become again the theater of activity
through vast summer as long as its season OF
repose. Sixty-hve coal beds in horizontal lay
els, one above another, have been opened ia
me BRUSH Islands, which makes 1t probable
mat at least sixty five OF these long years have
passed since Vegetation grew upon the earth.'
inns wonderful change Ia the oceans level is
Drought about, Mr.. Scribner argues, by the
change In the earth's center OF gravity, and
TINS again Is caused by the vast accumulation OF
ice around the pole Of the hemisphere which is
passing through the long winter. ave have
supposed this center OF gravity Of the EARTH" he
says, 10 De shifted southwark. by the causes
enumerated. about two miles, Or 10000 feet
rms would increase the depth OF water
IN tne southern oceans 10 600 feet, and would
uCCIcttSe Tic UepJu OF water In the Northern
oceans 10000 feet, In order to keep their sur
faces eQu1dtstant from the earths center of
gravity. or upon water level; but to increase
tae depth OF the ocean in the Southern hern,s-
pnere Dy an additional 10000 feet would be to
suDmerge nearly all the lands In the Southern
hemisphere, and to increase the depth OF the
ocean by 5000 feet north OF the equator would
result In draining Off vast continents in the
southern hemisphere. This is the exact condi-
lion OF things which the earth to-day presents
Mr. Scrtbner cites various facts which he be.
ueves to be c0nfirmatory of these views, aud
nnally sums up as follows:-"First, the Nortn
POLE Is toward the sun while the earth passes
SLOWLY around the longer portion OF lt3 ORBIT.
second, the South Pole Is toward the sun white
the earth moves more rapidly around the shorter
portion OF its orbit. Third, this gives to the
Northern hemisphere about four d AVS more OF
warm and four days less Of cold weather than
Inc southern hemisphere receives In each
Fourth, this keeps the ice thinner and Withi1
narrower limits at the North Pole. and produces
vast Accommodations of ice about the South Pole
Fifth, this Changes the center of gravity OF The
earth TO the southwark Of its center of bulk Sixth
this causes the ocean to flow from the north.
draining Off vast continents to the South, ri
hemisphere, and there submerying others of
equal extent; and, lastly, extending the limit or
the banana the Vine, Of grain and of wool i've
hundred miles further north than the sauna
varieties are found south OF the equator All
CT which. IL not scientifically accurate, l. az
least an interesting contribution on most fast
mating subject.