Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1889-03-30


RroG Cievoland abb Disoourse6 - Ihi1
Interesting sabieae
An article In the Forum is upon The
Jubiect Of the much-tallked-oi change IN
bur climate. The writer, Prof Clevs
land Able. says that the notion TINT h
Is possible for 8 climate TO change Is .
modern one. Our ancestors lived in .
region subject to but slight cIimatic
changes. and on this account perhaps
pre- nmed that climate was absolutely
Interchangeable. In 1872 Cuvier pub
lished his discourse on the Revolu-
tions Of the Surface Of the Globe and
Changes Thereby Produced in the AnI-
NAL Kingdom" This was at that day
considered as Oontradicting ancient trar
ditious and the evidences of the senses
Cuvier had in mind slow changes which
were in progress through long ages and
resulting from geological alterations
But after the publication Of Cuviers
discourse people got used to the idea
that climatic changes were possible
Many writer's have aimee endeavored 10
demonstrate that climatic changes have
taken place within historical times
Nowadays It is indeed common TO meet
with persons who believe that climatic
changes may occur within generation
The distinction between climate and
weather is that weather is tbs ccndi-
ton Of the atmosphere at any one time.
while climate is the general condition
Of the important features OF the
weather during q cons derable time.
Every body knows that the averages
and extremes Of temperature, rainfall
and other atmospheric phenomena
differ from year to year. One or two
abnormal years may greatly affect the
average Of any short terms in which
they occur.
II the observation OF temperature af-
ford little hope Of demonstrating per
manent change OF climate the observe
tions Of rainfall afford no better.
The dificu ty is that there are nc
ancient records with which to compare
our modern observations We know
nothing Of the temperature and rain
fall of distant epOchs, of the dates oi
cary and late frosts. the freezing ol
rivers. cold winters and hot summers,
shes opening Of navigation, and the
temperature OF the earth. In our per
plexity to know what ancient climates
we're, recourse has been had to the
periodic phenomena Of animal and
vegetable life. the fight Of birds,
and the ripening Of plants- But thers
is no evidence Of any sensible change
in the climate at any point of tbs
earth surface during the last 2.0OC
years. The fact that ChAldea, Egypt
an Arizona contain deserts, WHERE
there was formerly cultivation. ls nc
evidence OF a change OF climate. Ths
ancient fertility OF these countries MAJ
have been due to skillful irrigation
rather than to more abundant rains
The fault. it seems, lies with the me
teorologist Of ancient times. who neg
lee cd to make, or at any rate TO pre-
serve, his records. There is one natu
raj phenomenon which was observed n
carefully in ancient as in modern times
This was the rise and fall Of the Nile
II we should at any time discover upol
Egyptian monuments any records o
these observations we shall have SOM
data upon which to compare the ancien
and the modern climate OF the Mil
Valley. The upshot Of the writer
conclusions is that not only is it impOa
sible for us to know whether an
change is taking place in our climate
but that IL will require some hundred
Of years Of observation before we CO
know what our climate Is.