The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-05-12
THE GREAT GLOBE.
Proposition by the Distinguished
French Geographcr.
His Plan to Mako a Gigantic Fac
smile of tho Earth.

Will NJ OuceAffcst dttcutious
His plan is to construct globe, a fac
simile OF the earth, on scale that shall
be exactly one hundred thousandth part
OF the actual size. Stated boldly In this
way the project may not seem sem
sational. Figures do not lie, but they
| do not carry an immediate conviction OF
| their truth TO the mathematical
| mind which Is unaccustomed TO dealing
with them. You may think that globe
only one hundred thousandth part OF the
earth In size would be no stupendous
affair.
Let US therefore leave fractions OF this
sort (Which are confessedly vulgar
| things) and deal with the assured aris-
tocracy of round numbers.
The magnitude OF the WORK will be ap-
| preciated when II is stated that the struc-
ture will be AIS feet in diameter, so that
the Bartholdi statue, IL erected inside OF
IT, would not reach to its center, while
even the top OF the tower o. the MaDhat-
tan Life Insurance building would fail
short OF its north pole by seventy feet.
This enormous size is considered to be
necessary In order TO allow of The surface
being modelled with minute accuracy and
In true proportions, so as to show noun
tains and valleys, plateaus and lowlands,
In their actual relation to the earth's
| magnitude.
Even on this large scale the Himalayas
| would be only about three and q half
| inches high. Mont Blanc about two
| inches, the Gramplans half an inch, while
the Palisades of the Hudson, at their
highest points, would be about one-six-
| teenth Of an inch above the level of the
| river. II may be thought that these small
elevations would be quite imperceptible
on the vast extent of a globe which
| would be quarter OF a lille In circumfer-
ence; but the visibility OF inequalities
| of surface depends not on their actual
| magnitude so much as on their steepness
| or abruptness, and most hills and noun
| tains rise with considerable abrupiness
from nearly level plains. All irregulari-
| ties OF surface are appreciated by us ow-
| ing TO the effects OF light and shade pro-
duced by them, and by proper arrange
ment of the illumination the smallest
| deviations from plane can be easily
rendered visible Again, the slopes Of
mountains are always much broken up
| by deep valleys. narrow gorges, or ranges
| OF precipitous CLIFF, which give a dis
| tinct chracter to mountainous countries,
thus producing striking contrasts with
| lowlands and piateaus, which, when
frightened by appropriate colcring and
brought to view, by a suitable disposition
| OF the sources OF light, would give them
any desired amount of distinctness.
| LATEST KNOWLEDGE UTILIZED.
1t is proposed that the globe shall al
/
OF the day by adding fresh details from
the results OF new explorations In every
part of the world so that, by means of
photography, maps OF any country or
| district could be formed on any scale de-
sired, and for email fee the globe
might be available TO all mapmakers for
that purpose. Such maps would De more
| accurate than those drawn by any method
| of projection, while the facility OF their
construction would render them very
cheap and would thus be great boon TO
the public, especially whenever atten-
tion was directed TO any particular area.
The proposed globe is TO be SO mounted as
hest 10 preserve its general effect. it
| must not rest upon the ground-that
goes without saying. Ii must be support
ed on some kind of pedestal. And 1t
| must be so situated as to be visible, from
| q considerab bic distance in every direction
without any intervening distractions OF
| houses or trees.
But a single pedestal will not suffice.
The enormous surface offered TO winds
and storms will require substantial
basis to stand upon. 1t is, therefore.
| proposed to have four supports placed
| about l40 feet apart and built OF masonry
to the required heia ht Of GO feet.
| To preserve such delicate work as the
modelling and tinting OF The globe II will
be necessary 10 protect It with an outer
| covering. This also should he globuiar,
| order to form an effective picture at n con-
siderable distance, this outer surface
| should be boldly and permanently colored
to represent all the great geographical
features OF the earth.
PLATFORM FIVE MILES LONG.
Stairs and platforms will be necessary
| in side the outer globe TO provide for ac-
cess to every part OF the surface of the
| inerior one. Room must also be allowed
to afford means of Obtaining view OF n
| considerable extent OF 1t; hence there
| should be a space of 90 feet between the
| interior globe and the outer, covering,
| which would give the latter al inside
diameter OF about $50 feet. AS the ped
estial will be go feet high the total aIti-
tude OF the structure will not iall short
| of GOO feet.
further word about the accommo-
dations for spectators. In order to give
! them facilities of access TO every part Of
the surface of the globe Ii Is proposed to
construct in the space between the globe
and its covering, but much nearer to the
| former, broad platform, ascending
spirally from the south to the north pole
in "a spires, with a maximum rise of
! one in 20. The bastraGe on the inner side
of this ascending platform is TO be three
feet and three inches from the surface of
the globe. Ths greater part of his huge
spiral platform Is to be lifted up in order
| to allow of en- uninterrupted view OF any
| desired portion OF the earth's surface.
The total length OF the walk along IL
will te five miles.
But 1t will not be necessary to walk.
The breadth OF the platform will afford
ample room for any auto-motor Carriages
that may be deemed advisable. And,
finally, ii will not even be necessary to
ride or to perform any other net Of loco
motion. Mohammed, IL he so elect, may
go to the mountain eithet afoot or astride
a vehicle. but IL he prefers. the mountain
| will come TO him. The whole enormous
mass is TO be rendered ca able OF rotating
on IT'S Polar axis in exact imil alton of the
rotation OF the earth.
STAND STILL AND WAIT.
Thus, every part Of the surface would
be accs ssible by simply choosing the pro.
until the rotation brought the place
wanted opposite the observer.
1he scientific and educational value of