Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1906-06-22
IDS OF THE OCEANS
cRNS0 NOT or SAro. sUr OF oozE
oF ssRIoUs eoLoRs.
rs-T- 49, N~rs wssy Feature. OF
s~-~~. sis 49, n-t~~~s the Earth
Asss~ -sd Is.t Bstss the ssr.t.s
a"..ss sf sh~ Nsssy De~s

enormous supposing that the basin
irol'hHG the seas had becn emptied
Nheu the Christian ETA b,Tgin sud 49,
Stunning that sutne enormous river had
been allowed % run into a az the rate
% i.wU culac yaris per minute. the
basin Woutd SIN be empty. a.. Il would
require total period ~ az years more
before che sens would attain their pres
ent level A may we'll be conceived
such body OF water must couceal
many extraordinary things but this IL
possibility which has attracted at
tention only within comparatively re-
cent times The study OF the earth a.
self has becn attended with lesser dlfh
culties. but We are now 80 familiar
with our globe that Us continents aud
islands are beginning To pail upon the
curious mind. 80 that more attention IL
being given gradually Co the ocean
There are very many features OF ~
semhlance between the earth above
aud that lelow the bosom OF the Vastly
deep. IN fact one rs practically rep
lea of the other, both possessing hills.
plains, mountain peaks, valleys. ga
vines etc. The Atlantic ocean. for ln
stance covers two vast valleys Que
u these passes between the cape Verde
islands aud the Azores aud IL OF great
depth. lt runs close up To Europe aud
comes Ia an end close TO the Britirh
Isles. where ridge or crest Of laud
separates u frcm the basin Of the
North Sea The other valley runs iu
the main parallel TO the first. from
which u IL separated 10y an elongated
strip ~ land VI which the Azores fOru
. Eupermarlne cOutinus tion. This strip
does not exceed n depth OF $3.50 feet.
while It's height amounts to G.J,p feet
The first valley. Hike Hs confrrre. Ia
also very deep It's bottom being stu
ated at depth of nearly four miles Ice
low the surface Passing along South
America aud eaving the Berunudas 60
the left Il passes along Newfoundland
and Labrador. finally ending just south
OF Grcenlaud The sub-Atlsutic land
scape thus consists OF two vast parallel
valleys. separated from each other 10y
range or mountains Farther north
the land lies higher aud the sea is. rel
atively speaking. shallow Between
Greenland aud the continent close 20
Iceland and the Channel islands there
II a huge plain free from any depres-
sions worthy Of mention. IL IN quite
clear that at one time England was
connected Ia the continent
The greatest ocean depths. however.
are not found In the Atlantic. as there
are veritable abysses 10 be met with
on the other side Of the globe close 10
New Zealand the water attains a depth
OF five and half miles I'm tile kerma-
dec and Tonga ravines. which la them.
selves attain height OF 2g.J3O feet,
while they are separated from each
other 10y "a chain OF mountains $50
feet high There is also the Aleutian
ravine. which Reaches depth OF % 40
feet Mostly subaqueOus scenery Is
mOnOtonOus. There Hre uO abrupt de-.
cliyities or precipices excepting in the
vicinity or the coasts OF near islands
OF volcanic formation. everything be
Ing rounded on and smoOthed down by
the action Of the wateF. Close 10 the
land there ls-somevhat more variety.
The European plateau for instance.
slopes gradually away down into the
depths aud fair view eau be obtain.
ell there provided maximum depth
or I 300 Feet be mt exceeded At 6rst
abundant vegetation aud animal NE
were met with. but below The depth
mentioned the = 'ene change. First.
the light grows DINNER aud DINNER.
and the deeper we descend the lower
does the thermometer fan. except Ina
the case VI the Mediterranean. where
the temperature w. relatively speaking
blgh as this ~ea Is contained in what
r. practically closed basin. ~, the
Atlantic. by means Of special bottles
invented by Dr Richard. one of the
Prince 81 MOnac0's ollabOratOrs. lhs
temperature OF The water was taken
for q depth ~ 1886 feet The sur.
face temperature OF * degrees feli 10
80 degrees ~ depth % GbG2 feet
AFTER 20D6 meters CG5G2 fee,i. says
q. ssuerwein another 81 the princes
collaborators. "the temperature falls
but slowly ~ greater depths are ai.
tanned, the cold being practically mi.
form and not subject 20 any changes
Of season"
Cold. darkness and mOuOtOny. such
are the Characteristic features % the
ocean bed. The composition o. TIE
floor itself IL the only thing jhat
changes though this 10 only the case
close 90 the const. - 30 alteration Cor
very littlel seems 20 occur at great
depths Invesfiga lions made with
drags. dr"dgers. sounding apparatus
and the like have shown tnat &c .s 90
error TO assume tbst the bed ~ the
ocean IL covered with sand ns This laf
ter r. essentially y coast formation
only found ice comparatively shallow
water close 20 the shore. Mud begins
30 take ne place the farther we gp
afield- mud. or rather ooHe tis origin
varies considerably. a part consists Of
the BIluvidl deposits brought down BY
rivers The oOzc is % various kinds
Blue core IL found close 20 scmstous
coasts. and IT, hue IL impa rted 60 it by
organic substances aud iron pyrites
IL covers the floor Of the Mediterra
mean and Of the Arctic ocean Red
core is merely The blue variety chang
ed in color by the peroN idHtiou ~ 'he
iron u Is aizo formed of The allu,aI
deposits broug1t down Boy rivers flow
ing through land rich lu iron such Tor
instance. as tHe KoueO and some rly.
ers In Brazil Grecn oUzc finally owes
its color 70 glaucOuito' ~ Is found
along rocky s'Oasts Nlrre there are 20
A.