The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1882-06-17
Saltness of the Sea.

The sadness of the sea is one of those
wonderful facts which we are apt to take
for granted, without irquiring as to the
cause of which it is the effect. That the
sea is salt everybody knows; but why salt?
Why are not the rivers salt also? The
degree to which saltness pervades sea-wa-
ter varies. Some parts of the ocean are
saturated with saline matter, others are
almost brackish. The water of the Carib-
bean sea is dense compared with that of
the Baltic in the proportion of O'l2 to Ol9.
The kind Of salt, however, TO be found in
sea-water is universally the same, what
ever the density of the water may he. Lo-
cal causes may effect water TO q certain
extent, but experience shows that the salts
extracted from sea water, in whatever part
of the world, are substantially the same in
kind, the only difference beingin quantity,
The salts contained are: Chloride of sodi-
UNI Common salt, chloride of potassium,
chloride Of calcium, chloride of magnesium,
bromide of magnesium, sulphate of lime
common chalk, sulphate of magnesia, car
Donate of magncsia. }
The actual contents are set out in full
because there is n common belief, founded
on a confusion ofterms, that common table
salt is the only ingredient in sea water. AS
regards the aggregate quantity of salts con-
SAllth, SOllC lut-l may VI lOIDlCu u IL ny
stating that if all the salt contained in the
water annually evaporated from the north
east trade wind region of the Atlantic
could be heaped into one place, it would
cover an area equal to the British stands
to the depth of fourteen feet.
A moments reflection will serve 10 show
that in. attitudes where there is a great
cooperating power, and but slight diluting,
influence, the sea water must necessarially
be rich in salts; and that in ATTITUDES where
the contrary conditions exist, the water
must be poor. That such is the case has
been proved, and it is attested among other
signs, by the color of the water, which in
Siny, sunless districts, is of a light green;
in ~rainless, sunny places ola deep bluesvit-
riol blue The compensatory alance be-
tween briny water and brackish is kept up
by a system of currents, which pervades
the whole ocean. These currents, running
from north TO south, and from the south to
the north, are the means of equaliizng, to
some extent, the charge of saline proper
ties which the waters respectively hold in
solution, the water of the cold climates be-
ing strengthened by the heavily-laded
salt streams from the south, the southern
waters being refreshed, as it were, with a
drink from the comparatively fresh waters
of the north. But after all has been done,
lile tlulltOIltl Stsi5 lEt SlIl so llCll III SullS
that they have a super-abundance, ana are
glad to be rid of their burden to anything
hat requires it. An abundant demand is
kept up by the myriads of coral creatures
which live and move and have their being
in the tropical seas, and require for the
purposes of their work an amount OF cal
careous and saline matter, prOportienate
to that which the over-burdened waters
have to spare. The excess is drawn by
them on demand, and appropriated to those
manufactures which these small workers
undertake to the glory of their Maker.
The source of salts Is found in the wash
ing of the coast and in the contributions
which rivers bring Rivers, in their way
to the sea, gather from brooks, springs,
surface drainage, and other such sources
a great quantity of soluble matter they
wash down, also. a considerable amount
Of earth which the sen water can, though
they cannot, dissolve. into the great res
ervoir of the ocean they fling tEeir stilty
cargo, which is absorbed m the pores of the
water, and is then distributed by means of
the oceans cir iiatOry system already adj
verted to.
The sea is salt by reason of the earth
washings poured into it; it has different
densities because of the influence OF rain
falls. rivers and evaporation it is prevent
ed from stagnating by n universal system
of ocean-currents and it yields ont OF its
abundance materials for the building up
of continents yet to he. Such are the
facts and conclusions involved in the con-
sidcration of the saltness OF the sea.