Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1882-05-11
Is IT Possible ?
WHAT NAY RESULT FROM THE FLOOD.
ING OF THE DEsERT OF SAHARA,
From the Baltimore Sun,

ING OF THE DESERT OF SAHARA.
From the Baltimore Sun,
The proposition of NJ. de Lesseps
to inundate Sahara from tho Med
itsrranean,, which has been accept
cd, has been c1aborately discussed
in it's several economic and climatic
bearings by unscientific persons
who have evidently been too deep
ly interested in the.commercial con-
siderations OF the subject TO look at
it in the light Of cosmogony. 1t is
an indispntable fact that the earth
is at present in state of perfect
equilibrium, and that it did not at
tain this equilibrium until after
cons of unrest, during which volca-
mic fires ripped up its continents,
use vulgar but expressive phrase,
without any erder or regularity.
In fact, the moon, which is now so
quiet and mellifluent in its way,
WAS once volcanic formation in
cerPorated IN the earth's physical
structure, and 1t is only within tho
brief period of some fvo hundred
thonsard millions Of years that it
blew itself up into it's present orbit
apd cooled off. M. do Lesseps
proposes now to do something
which, according to the profound
and well-ssttied principles laid
down by all the astronomers, from
Sir William Herschel to Pref.
Proctor, may at once destroy the
equilibrium of the earth, if not ct
the solar system, and perhaps the
uniyerse. That water will run
down hill, unless it is damned up,
is proposition which hydraulic
engineers will take pleasure in de-
monstrating in the most elaborate
uanner to any gentleman who may
entertain doubt upon the subject.
1t the Desert of Sahara is, as some
believe, $50 feet below the plane
of mean tide in the Mediterranean
on the coast ct Algicrs, canal one
hundred feet wide and fifteen feet
deep through the Atlas mountains
would in two months fourteen days
and four and half hours, under
sufficient head and without obstruc>
ton, exhaust into the Sahara de-
preston the entire present water
supply of the Mediterranean and
begin TO draw upon the resource:
of the Atlantic ocean. The de-
preston in which lies the desert
which is one Thousand by three
thousand miles in extent, or more
than the whole area of the Medi-
terranean, is not bounded by tn.
desert itself, but extends over al
aggregate area Of 100000 squar.
miles. Tho weight Of ~ cubic foo
of water being estimated at 81 Is
pounds, the total weight of tl,'
new Sahara ocean, therefore, ac-
cording to the formula adopted a
Oxford and John Hopkins uni.
versities IN estimating the weigh
Of the star indicating the first poin
iE Aries. would be 3,945, 400, 900,
900, 100000 pounds, which is 1917,
27O,O 100000 tons. The i'm
mensity of this weight will be NOR
readily conceived if reduced t
ounces by the usual formula EN-
, ployed in primary school No. 1
will at once be seen that with tn
prodigious aqueous volume sudden
ly injected into equatorial Afric
the centre of gravity would be
: come demoralized, the velocity
the earth's rotation increased, Al
the ocean of Sahara, instead of be
s ing a placid inland sea upon viii;
the fleets of Senator Gorlnan mig
. . ride in safety while carrying CHE,
- coal TO the grateful inhabitants
. the terrid zone, would bulge o
- like vast amount Of azuro liqui
. r, to employ more beautitl
i Though less magnificent similc,
+ would, to man in the moon, sec
: to hang like big drop of wat
20 upon the under surface of an a
h. normally large soap bubble. !
Of the earth continued 20 revolvc IL
r. der these circumstances, but O
IN result would ensue. Within two
ne ty-faur hours the ocean of M.
in Lesseps would rice into the air a
It's assume the shape of a ring arou
tho earth, like the interior ring
is Saturn, and our orb would beco
a the second wonder of the plane
be while M. de Lesseps would h.
unexpectedly reached the sunni
of bis ambition in the contemp
ng tlen OF u superterrestrlal canal, .
tin tending, like the girdle of Pu
ter around the world. Should
act earth cease to revolve, however,
* is impossible, in the present cr
sls state OF scientific research, to
~ whether It would fall into the
n.r or become comet, or what VIC
arm become of III. de Le.seps.