The Irish standard., 1892-02-20
THEIRIsH STANDARD: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20
MlLpER WINTERS.
a Gradual Modification OF Cold for the
Next Nine Hundred Years.

Every now and then some weather
sage predicts extremely cold winters,
and another ventures to say that the
sun is gradually losing heat and in time
arctic cold will prevail over the globe.
Whatever may have been the changes
during the vast cycles of time prior to the
advent of man, or whatever may be the
changes in the time to come, one thing
is quite certain, says Joseph Wallace in
Popular Science News, that our climate
has been much modified within the last
two thousand or three thousand years.
''There have been fifteen climatic
changes since the beginning of the gla-
clal age, each change lasting ten thou
sand five hundred years, and each
change reversing the seasons in the two
hemispheres, the pole which had en-
joyed perpetual summer being doomed
to undergo perpetual winter for ten
thousand five hundred years, and then
passing to it's former state for an equal
term. The physical changes upon the
earth's surface during the last eighty
thousand years modified the changes of
climate even in the arctic regions, SO
that the intense cold of the former
epochs was much modified during the
latter epochs.''
Reckoning these climatic changes in
their order, we had entered the epoch
of a more genial temperature about
fifteen hundred years ago; and if no
disturbing change takes place during
the present epoch, we may reasonably
expect gradual modification of our
winters for nine thousand years to
come. The change to intense cold from
perpetual summer during the greater
part of the glacial period is supposed
to have been caused by the high tenn
perature of the north pole as compared
to that of the south pole, owing to the
distribution of land around the two,
the south having almost none. DR..
CroH thinks it was caused by the vary
ing inclination of the earth's axis,
which produced the relative position of
the two poles toward the sun to be
periodically reversed at distant periods.
DR.. James Geil1ie agrees with Cron on
the reverse of seasons every fifteen
hundred years during certain periods
of high ellipticity of earth's orbit. But
it may be asked: elbow could the
fauna and flora propagate themselves
under such conditions?" The fora
itself at the quaternary age was of ex-
IRENE vigor. We know this from the
little which is left us, but more especially
~ from the presence Of a large number
of herbivorous animals-stags, horses,
elephants, rhinoceri, etc.-which ami
mated the plains and valleys of Europe
and America at that time. Evidently
they could not have lived and propa-
gated themselves without abundant
vegetation for nourishment and devel-
opment.
That which has deceived the ad-
herents of the glacial theory, as under
stood in it's absolute sense, is, they have
generally placed too high estimate on
its extent and intensity. It needs but
little effort Of the reasoning powers to I!
had cooled to the degree that all animal
and vegetable life should exist upon it,
and that a portion of the earth's sur
face permanently covered with snow
and ice was absolutely Indispensable to
the existence, perpetuity and well-be-
ing of animal and vegetable life. There |
is every thing to show a modification Of |
climate in our own days. If this goes |
On in the future as in the past there |
will be a marked difference in the tenn
perature two hundred or three hundred |
years from now. Even a degree in one
thousand years would effect great
change in the course of time. The low
ering of four degrees established the
ancient extension of glaciers, though it
did not Interrupt animal or vegetable
life. Fifty-four of the 6fty-seven species
IF mollusca have outlived the glacial
age, and all our savage animals-even
! certain number which have disap-
equally from the quater-
aary. and were contemporary with the
great extension of the glaciers.
Struck Whale.
A novel and exciting incident oc-
'urred on the recent voyage of the
teamer Titus from Melbourne to New
;astle through that vessel striking and
PASSING over a large whale. It was {
bout ten o'clock in the morning when
he steamer suddenly bumped and
anted seward. The chief officer and
ngineer were sent sprawling on the
eek. The men below rushed upon the
eek to ascertain the cause of the COM
action. On looking astern Chief Officer
'icholson noticed the sea was crimson
nth blood, and it then dawned upon
aem that the vessel had hit a sea
lonster. CHANGING forther seward an
nusual sight met their gaze. A large
'hale was flashing the waves in it's
cath struggle. It was plainly seen to
zap three times out of the water. With
ne aid of powerful glasses the finish
,g moments of the monster were visi-
lie. The whale appeared to have been
truck just above its pectoral fin. 1t :
'hirled and dashed the sea at first with
rapidity. Slowly it's efforts
rev feebler. There was brief re-
wal OF the death stroke, and the crea- (
are then disappeared.
Well-Pald Begsars.