Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-02-23
OCEANOGRAPHY
DISCOVERIES
THE LATEST FACTS IN RELATION
TO THIS INTERESTING SUB.
JECT.

The superficial area of the sea is two
and half times larger than that of
the earth, while its mass or volume
is enormous. Supposing that the ba-
sin holding the seas had been emptied
at the time when Jesus Christ was
born. and assuming that some enor-
nous river had been allowed to run
into it at the rate of 1903 cubic yards
per minute, the basin would still be
empty. as it would require a total per-
iod of 600 years more before the seas
would attain their present level. AS
may well be conceived, such a body of
water must conceal many extraordi-
nary things-but this is a possibility
which has attracted attention only
within comparatively recent times.
The study of the earth itself has been
attended with lesser difficulties, but
We are now so familiar with our globe
that its continents and islands are be.
ginning to pail upon the curious mind,
so that more attention is being given
gradually to the ocean.
Two of the most prominent ocean
ographers of modern times are the
Prince of Monaco and M. j. Thoulet.
In 1899, the Geographical Congress,
which met at Berlin, appointed com.
mittee to prepare and publish bathy-
metric map. AS the necessary funds
were not available the Prince of Mon
AGO generously came forward and Of
fered to take all the expense upon
himself, and the map was duly pre-
pared in this way. under the auspices
of Messrs. Sauerwein and Tollemer.
This valuable map has just been
published and copy was presented
quite recently to the Academic des
Sciences. It clearly shows the actual
state of our knowledge regarding &C.
can depths, and the outline or profile
OF submarine lands, all the data being
based upon the soundings SO far taxi
en- by photographers and oceanograph-
ers of all nations. Moreover, it also
indicates the composition of submarine
soils.
The map prepared and issued by M.
ThOulet is one of the French coast
the submarine portions, of course),
up to distance of six miles from the
shore; it shows the depths and-what
is an entirely new feature-the litho.
logic composition of the whole zone in
question, and indicates whether the
ocean bed consists of mud, sand,
stone. SHE'LL rock, or algae, etc. De-
voted as it is merely to a fraction of
the ocean, this map is much more de-
tailed, while that of the Prince of
Monaco is more a general bird's-eye
view of the whole.
So far, but little is known about the
bed of the ocean, but a few broad
features may easily be picked up very
soon. so that after study of the
Princes map it is not difficult to trans
late the different shadings of color in
to differences of altitude, etc.; the
student will then promptly discover
that there are very many features of
resemblance between the earth above
and that below the bosom of the vastly
deep. In fact, one is practically a
replica of the other, both possessing
hills. plains, mountain, peaks, valleys
ravines, etc. The Atlantic ocean, for
instance, covers two vast valleys; one
of these passes between the Cape
| Verde islands and the Azores, and is
OF great depth. 1t runs close up to
! Europe and comes to an end close
to the British islands, where a ridge
or crest of land separates it from the
basin of the North Sea. The other
| valley runs in the main parallel to
the first, from which it is separated by
an elongated strip of land of which
the Azores form super-marine con-
tinuation. This strip does not exceed
depth of $3.50 feet, while it's height
amounts to $3.50 feet. The first val
ley, like it's confrere. is also very deep
its bottom being situated at a depth
of nearly four miles below the surface
Passing along South America, and
leaving the Burmudas to the left, it
passes along Newfoundland and La
brador, finally ending just south OF
Greenland. The sub-Atlantic land
scape thus consists of two vast par.
allel valleys, separated from each
other by range of mountains. Fur
Their north the land lies higher and
the sea is, relatively speaking, shall
low. Between Greenland and the con
tinent, close to Iceland and the Chan.
mel islands. there is a huge plain free
from any depressions worthy of men.
ton. 1t is quite clear that at one
time England was connected to the
continent.
The greatest ocean depths, however
are not found in the Atlantic. as there
are veritable abysses to be met with
on the other side of the globe. Close
| to New Zealand the water attains a
! depth of five and half miles in the
Kermadec and Tonga ravines, which
in themselves attain height of 20,
$500 feet. while they are separated
from each other by a chain of noun
tains of $3.50 feet height. There is
also the Aleutian ravine, which reach
es depth of $4,000 feet. Mostly
sub-aqueous scenery is monotonous
there are no abrupt declivities or pre-
cipices, excepting in the vicinity OF
the coasts or near ISLANDS of volcanic
formation, everything being rounded
off and smoothed down by the action
of the water. Close to the land there
is somewhat more variety. The Eu
rOpean plateau, for instance, Stops
gradually away down into the depths
and fair view can be obtained there
provided a maximum depth of 1906
feet be not exceeded. At first, abun
dant vegetation and animal life are
met with, but below the depth men
toned the scene changes; first, the
light grows DINNER and DINNER, anG
the deeper we descend the lower does
the thermometer fall, except in the
case of the Mediterranean. where the
temperature is, relatively speaking
high. as this sea is contained in what
is practically a closed basin. In the
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