The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-11-10
SunRen Continent
Atlantis
By GARRETT P. sERvIss.
THE missing continent of Atlantis
i whose extraordinary story as tolc

TINE missing continent OF Atlantls,
l. whose extraordinary story as told
by the Greek philosopher, Plato,
is at once fascinating romance and the
greatest Of geographical mysteries, has
again become the subject Of learned
discussion.
Was there OF was there not formerly
q continent in the midst of the Atlantic
ocean2 If il sank suddenly under the
waves, with all its splendid cities, as
the traditions gathered by Plato de-
ciared, are any traces Of it now to be
found on the bottom of the seat In
the light of modern science is it pos
sible to admit that a catastrophe Of
such unexampled magnitude as the swal-
lowing up OF a whole continent could
occur1
These are some Of the questions re-
awakened by the investigation of the
subject which NJ. L. Germain has re-
Gently published in the "Anuales de
| Geographic.
The clew TO the mystery that NJ Ger
main follows is that which is furnished
by the existence Of the island groups of
the Canaries, the Madeiras, Cape de
Verde and the Azores. These islands lie
in deep water near the place where
Plato said Atlantis existed. Although
they are widely separated, they pos
sess plants and animals Of the same
species. and these species are similar
TO those found in southwestern Europe
| aud northern Africa, but entirely diff
| ferent from those of equatorial Africa.
This fact is regarded as indicating
| that the islands in question once formed
| part OF a continuous continent, which
was either directly connected with
southern Europe and northern Africa by
bridge Of land. or lay so close 70 them
that animals and plants could easily
cross over the intervening strip of sea.
Moreover. there are living in these
| islands species Of plants and animals
which once existed, but now exist no
| longer. in Europe. where their remains
are 20 be found in deposits of the Ter
tiarv age. The explanation would seem
20 be that these plants and animals
] lived contemporaneouslv in Europe
and the continent of Atlantis during
| Tertiary times. but have since become
extinct in Europe, although they con.
tinue 70 exist on the islands which
are the only visible remains of Atlantis.
/ But there is another curious fact 10
/ be considered. The living species in
habitinp these mysterious islands not
only resemble those OF southern Europe
/ and northern Africa. but also those Of
I the West India islands and Central
I America. This suggests that the CONT
uent Of Atlantis extended completely
across the ocegu and was connected
with America on the west
/ Atlantis. then. was as closely associat-
/ Cd with the new world "a with the old
and formed a means Of communication
/ between them. Here. perhaps. is the
! exclamation of the singular resemb-
! Iauces Of the arts and ideas OF the van
| ishei people who built the ruined cities
! of Central America and those Of the
ancient Inhabitants around the shores OF
/ the Mediterranean sea and in the land
/ or the Nile. Atlantis was kind OF
! common ground. or meeting place, for
I the predecessors OF these various peo.
/ pies
The science of geology does not for
bid. rs to think that continent might
| sink
The ups and downs Of the earth :
/ crust have been manv IN the course Of
\ the GEOLOGICAL ages. and one Of the
I "reatrst authorities of the present dav.
I 'hc German professor Suess. has DO.
/ clarcd in advance that he sees no reason