The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-22
EARTH Is DRYING UP,
BRITISH SAYANT SAYS
Important Climatic Changes In
Late Geologic Times Cited
% Evidence.
ARIDITY SPREADING FAST
Desert in Central Asia Widen.
ing and Rainfall Decrease
ing, Scientist Asserts.
AR1DITY SPREADING FAST
ssecssi csvv,s,srIe.cs to TEE SON

Special C0&vsSpoWoeNcS 20 TIE SON
LONDON, March is.--Prof T. w. Greg
dealing with the question whether tho
earth 10 drying up. His conclusions ere
hero reproduced:
owing to the varied nature OF the
evidence to be considered. the extensive
and scattered literature whence much
Of that evidence has to Be cleaned and
the contradictory opinions expressed by
high authorities. the problem whether the
earth II drying up In hedged about with
difficulties. But one fact does seem to
me to result clearly from the evidence /:
there have been many widespread eli.
Siatio changes in late geologic timeA
while IN historic times there has been
no worldwide change OF climate
"If we consider particular Countries
such rs Egypt and Palestine. the balance
OF expert opinion h strongly In favor Of
the view that there has beeu no climatic
change In either since the earliest sx-
lsrfng records. Tho belief In q lesser
rainfall iu Palestine has been fostercd by
the Oft repeated comparison Of the He
brews between the stony wilderness Of
Sinai and the matured fertility Of Ca.
naan. But Il may 10 concluded from
the most precise tests now available,
from the range Of the date palm and the
vine. and from the facts recorded by
Old Testament WRITER'S that the climate
Of Palestine IL the same to-day ~ in the
time OF Moses.
change Evident In Central Asia.
Returning to the wider question
geological evidence shows how the pas
sage from the climate OF the, glacial Pc
riod 10 that OF our own day hsh proceeded
on two main lines. In some countries
there has been gradual rise In tempera-
ture since the disappearance Of tho leo,
-isA~ 49,, n
crease in humidity. In other countries
the glacial conditions were succeeded by
a warm. dry period. followed again by
wetter conditions.
This Increased humidity character
ICES the present climates OF Scandinavia.
Germany. Hungary. Rumania. the eastern
and southern parts Of North America,
Colony. and there 10 some evidence Of the
same change following dry post-siacial
period In England. A. an Increased rain.
fall has been demonstrated for 20 many
parts Of the world. Il u only natural to
expect . compensating decrease In othsr
districts: and there y accordingly . pre-
disposition TO accept the claim that CEN
yet II 10 wen to remember that the er.
tent Of such change may BE- easily sxag.
gerated by attributinG to recent climati
changes the effects Of prehistoric varia-
tons. For archaeological and historical
evidence shows that central Asia and even
the coasts Of Persia and Beluchistan had
n very arid climate IN the earliest times
of which We have human records. that the
Caspian Sea WAS At least as small and
| as low In the NTH century a. II is now and
that the African and Asiatic deserts are
in places again passing under cultivation.
Csnaieting Views Expressed.
Though Il must be admitted that while
| there Is a strong balance OF opinion in
favor of the view that the aridity In Asia
is being stiii Increased. there are weishty
| authorities on the other side.
THE explanation OF the confiictins
views may be that In central Asia the
desert In widening In some places and con.
fall In central Asia has diminished IT,
however. probable as an accompan iment
| to it's increase In parts OF Europe Vari-
ations In the distribution Of rainfall must
result from any considerable alteration
in the level OF the land the uplift OF a
! continent must cause tho rainfall to be-
come heavier on the margins and lighter
In the interior.
THE increase Of rain on the coast
lands would. however. hasten their lower.
Ing by denudation, and again the rain
would sweep over the interior hence the
marvellous geographical equilibrium
which has rendered possible the unbroken
course OF evolution. would In time. unless
checked by renewed uplifts of the coast.
lands restore the more even distribution
of the rain and revive the desolate regions
In the heart OF . continent"