The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-05-07
BEDS OF THE OCEANS
FORMED NOT OF SAND, BUT OF OOzE
OF VARIOUS CoLORS.
There Are Very Many Features of
Resemblance Between the Earth
Above and That Below the surgins
Bosom OF the Vastly Deep.


Above and That Below the sursins
Bosom OF the Vastly Deep.
The superficial area of the sea is two
and half times larger than that Of the
earth, while its mass, or volume, is
enormous. Surprising that the basin
holding the seas had been emptied
when the Christian era began and as
Stunning that some enormous river had
been allowed to run into it at the rate
of 1858 cubic yards per minute, the
basin would still be empty, as it would
require a total period of 600 years more
before the seas would attain their pres
ent level AS may well be conceived,
such body of water must conceal
many extraordinary things, but this is
a possibility which has attracted at
tention only within comparatively re-
cent times. The study of the earth IT.
self has been attended with lesser diff
culties, but we are now so familiar
with our globe that it's continents and
islands are beginning to pail upon the
curious mind, so that more attention is
being given gradually to the ocean.
There are very many features Of re-
semblance between the earth above
and that below the bosom Of the vastly
deep. In fact, one is practically a rep
lica of the other, both possessing hills,
plains, mountain peaks, valleys, ra-
| vines ETC. The Atlantic ocean, for in
stance, covers two vast valleys One
of these passes between the Cape Verde
| islands and the Azores and is of great
IL 70, ND
comes to an end close to the British
! isles, where q 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
supermarine continuation. This strip
does not exceed n depth Of $3.50 feet,
while it's height amounts to 6,560 feet.
The first valley, like it's confrere, is
also very deep, its bottom being stu
ated at depth Of nearly four miles be-
low the surface. Passing along South
America and leaving the Bermudas to
the left it passes along Newfoundland
and Labrador, finally ending just south
of Greenland. The sub-Atlantic land
scape thus consists of two vast parallel
valleys, separated from each other by
a range of mountains. Farther north
the land lies higher, and the sea is, rel
atively speaking, shallow. Between
Greenland and the continent close to
Iceland and the Channel islands, there
is huge plain free from any depres-
sions worthy of mention. 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 veritabIe abysses to be met with
on the other side of the globe. Close to
New Zealand the water attains a depth
Of FIVE and a half miles in the Kerma-
dec and Tonga ravines, which in them
selves attain height of 29,53O feet
while they are separated from each
other by a chain of mountains $3.50
! feet high. There is also the Aleutian
ravine, which reaches depth Of $4,000
feet. Mostly subaqueous scenery is
monotonous There are no abrupt de
clivties or precipices excepting in the
! vicinity of the coasts or near Islands
| of volcanic formation, everything be
ing rounded off and smoothed down by
the action Of the water. Close to the
| land there is somewhat more variety.
The European plateau, for instance
slopes gradually away down into the
| depths and a fair view can be obtain.
ed there, provided a maximum depth
of 1900 feet be not exceeded. At first
! abundant vegetation and animal life
| were met with, but below the depth
| mentioned the scene changes. First
the light grows DINNER and DINNER
and 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
Atlantic, by means of special bottles
Il invented by Dr. Richard, one Of tbs
Prince of Monacos collaborators, tbs
/ temperature of the water was takeI
| for depth of 1866 feet. The sur
face temperature of 6s degrees fell IL
80 degrees at a depth of 6.562 feet
"After 1000 meters" (6.562 feet, says
/ C. Sauerwein, another Of the prince:
collaborators, ''the temperature fall:
/ but slowly as greater depths are at
tanned, the cold being practically uni
form and not subject to any change!
of season"
Cold darkness and monotony. suel