The Savannah morning news., 1900-09-11

the solid earth OF which Asia. Australia.
Africa and America are che cropping. out
ridges visible above che surface OF the
ocean.
Following thas idea we may regard tie
solid part Of the globe as a triangular
pyramid OF which the summit touches
the south Pole and whose base forms the
glacial sea OF the North Pole. Tho sides
OF the pyramid are more or less depressed
10 form the basins OF the ocenns. on che
other hand the mass OF the waters. -
which the surface IL that OF a spherofd. 80
browns this solid earth that nothing APP
pears above the surface save che three
continental ridges and the antartic point.
/ This conception OF the general con-
nguration of the earth and OF the waters
thereof Is 60 be credited 20 an English
man. Mr.. Lowthian Green. who advanced
u In 1875 and has iabored ever since to
Justify Il, and with certain success
II - known under the name Of the tetra-
hedron. But what Is Hypothetical Of the
solid earth to a tetrahedron as the cx-
PLANTATION of the means by which the orie-
inaliy spherical crust Of our globe took
on this singular form. II IS the progress
sive cooling Of the globe which brought
about this metamorphosis. BY reason II
the construction OF the shell. as a result,
OF mis- cooling. the crust. which Is rela-
uNei} thin, being no longer supported
gave way and bent IL acted then. ne
cording TO the familiar and very appIica-
bic comparison Of Mr.. Lallnmand. like the
rubber membrane OF balloon. whose
s"eillngs aud depressions. when Il ~
carefully disinfated, do as a matter OF
fact sensibly reproduce the figure OF n
tetrahedron. This deformatlon Of the
terrestrial crust II accompanied nv frac-
lures OF the surface cavlnEe IN and diver.
"ceidents following always the line or
l.ast resistance. Such IL the theory Of
the eartn's formation which up to the
present day still reiEns in science.
me supposition that south polar con
'ineh' exists Is. then. q consequence OF
the tetrahedron theory Of the earth's for
nation. IL Is a conseaaence also ~
very general law which seems to dorni-
nate the history OF the formation OF our
Eiope and that is that wherever there A. a
prominence on the surface there Is a COR
responding depression on the side dlarnaf-
really opposite. This law OF the recipro-
cal opposition Of elevations and depres-
sions at the extremity of the same diam
eter has very few exceptions and where
there are such exceptions they are explle-
able by intervening disturbances. II Is
right in line with this law that we should
md a south polar continent above the sea
as complement TO the depression which
makes the basin OF the glacial sea at the
north polar end OF the earth's axis.
The observations made by the Belgian
expedition are favorable TO Mr.. Green's
tetrahedron theory. but these are obvious
w not sufficient TO put the accuracy OF
that theory beyond discussion. Il viii
require numerous and fortunate observa-
tions 10 decide II definitely. Under this
reserve. Il is permissible 20 say with VI.
Arctowski, one OF the two geologlsta and
meteoroiogists who accompanied the ex-
petition. that In the region through which
the Belgica passed everything tended to
confirm belief in the existence OF a CONT
mental mass 20 the SOUTH"
or one thing the Belgica explorers are
sure. and that Is that II there Is a great
Antarcuc continent IL IS covered with n
thick covering OF snow and ice The best
weather they got during their long impris-
onment was when the wind blew from the
south. because Il was a dry wind and a.
brought clear skies. But Il was bitterly
cold. as II IL had swept hundreds OF
leagues OF bleak icehelds. whereas the
north wind. blowing OF thousands OF miles
| OF water. raised the temperature several
degrees. although IL brought with IL such
penetrating icy fogs that the men OF the
| Belgica welcomed the return OF the colder
but clearing winds