Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-26
THE EARTH's coNcAvITY.

state OF mental Obfuscation that Woulo
seem to be indicated by his remarks IN
much sympathy for him, nevertheless
am constrained to say that he has
himself to blame for his unhappy con-
dition. He says in his lettt. OF Marcn
Is, referri X to my letter of March
IA: II saw at q glance that 1t was true,
because I had read most Of 1t long ago
in The Cellular Cosmogony' was
therefore much surprised that he
should have been SO befuddled by my
Extended explanation" and that he
should have INDUCED In so many rash
statements in objection thereto. II he
had been familiar with the arguments
contained in the Cellular Cosmog-
ony," he certainly would have been
able to see the logic OF my position.
presume that he looked the book over
rather hurriedly probably with the
brother scientists" that it was too
ridiculous to be considered seriously
am glad to note that he has sent for it
again, and hope that he will read it
more carefully this time. 1t Is work
that cannot be read after the fashion
or the book reviewer galloping through
the latest effusion in the wav Of senti-
mental fiction.
Let us now proceed to assemble q
few Of the proofs Of the earth's con-
cavity that we may extricate him from
that Involve and labyrinthiate tam
gle" into which he has trustingly wan
tieation has determined definitely that
all life develops within the cell. Logic
compels the conclusion that universal
life develops within the universal cell.
Consider the phrase mother EARTH
Did Senex ever hear of a "cosmopol1-
tan city, one whose inhabitants hail
from all parts Of the cosmos? Did he
ever hear of some custom or trait OF
man being universally prevalent
Does he realize the significance of the
first two letters in the phrase "inhabi-
tants of the earth?" Has he not read
the scriptural declaration that the Al
mighty holds the nations in the hol-
low Of his hand?" Has he not often
heard the expression everywhere un-
der the sum- Is he familiar with the
poetic sentiment every cloud has a
silver lining?" Analogy and the laws
Of language demonstrate the truth OF
the cellular cosmogony.
Senex speaks Of extended measure
ments of the earth's surface. beside
which the Koreshan survey was, q
mere point" 1t is not the extent OF
things, but their character, that counts
Senex might sit Tor an indefinite time
in his easy chair, without any apprec-
liable Insurance of the status quo; but
II he sits upon the business end Of a
pin, there is apt to be something do
ever secured any DIRECT evidence re-
garding the direction of the earth's
curvature. They have, however, de-
termined that the terrestrial surface Is
practically spherical. 1t is known that
the geometrical relations obtaining IN
that surface are such as would mt on!y
a spherical surface Of about $4,000
pertain Just as much to a concave as
to a convex surface; 80 that If observ-
ed facts arise in relation to the surface
upon which we dwell that are abso-
lutely Incompatible with its convexity.
the inevitable conclusion must be that
IL is concave. On the outside of a
sphere 5000 miles in diameter, the
rate Of departure Of the arc from the
tangent line is about inches to the
mile, increasing as the square Of the
distance. The extended tangent would
be above the arc inches at the end Of
the first mile, 80 inches at the end OF
the second mile, and y inches tire
third mile. etc. An observer with the
eve feet above sea level would see
the horizon miles away. From the
he rizon the arc would drop doWnWards
tangent line, touching The arc at the
horszon) at tl,e rate Of 8 inches to the
mile e. ship distant fr.hn the observer
10 miles would, therefore have 7x7xS
inches or SO feet Of it's vertical dfmen-
sion occulted, or hidden from view by
the intervening convexity. 1t is OBJ
vious that no artificial aid to vision
would ever enable the observer to see
any more Of the vessel than he could
GO fA1nScOnA
matter how powerful would merely en-
large in his view that portion which
was not hidden from the unaided eye.
Senex will agree that this Is true
statement OF conditions. He saw 1t pic
tured out in his geography when ne
went to school. His children, II ne has
any, see 1t in their biographies today:
P.olemy How the world does cling to
It's decisions! But the telescope is no
respecter of prejudices. Senex an
nounces that he Is con the fence re-
gar1ing astronomy. Very we'll. II
high power telescope viii not enable us
to see any of the occulted portion OF Il
vessel that has partially or wholly dis
appeared behind the eonvexity. ne
may pursue in peace his Investigations
into the probability of the Copernican
hypothesis. But, on the other hand: II
the. telescope restores to view that
which was hidden, he must consign
that hypothesis to the limbs Of dis
cardel fallacies. and turn his face to
the light. In hundreds Of instances,
ships and other objects, at distances
that would place them far down beh N
the supposed convexity, have been re-
stored to view with the telescope. Prof
Morrow. alone made over SEQ such OBJ
servations. Targets placed at the wa
ter's. surface have been obverved at a
distance of over 5 miles, through q
telescope placed 3 inches from the WI
ter level. In numerous instances the
actual concavity of the waters surface
has been clearly seen. Electric lights
on the Eiffel tower at Paris have been
seen 100 miles away. At that distance
the difference between the line Of sigst
and the oh ,ect ',,ud lie uvc' nile
light houses or. the cnas. fi,v'. been
observed from vessels 30 miles ol:t Of
sea. In the fall Of 1900. the Chicago
Record flashed the rews of Mckinley :
election by means Of y s, -: search
/ tight placed on top of Masonic Temple
The light was plainly V sthle a nl'lee
| away. The top Of Masonic Temple
would be over 5000 feet below the line
of vision Of an observer at that dis
lance. Many other instances could be
mentioned. These, conditions could not
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