Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1914-12-07

wolves that Of the birth OF the earth
According 10 the generally accepted
hypothesis the earth was once mass
Of heated gases. which included. in one
form or an other every chemical element
that we know. Among these gases were
oxygen and hydrogen. the two elements
By whose combination water is formed.
But there was no water then because the
heat was too great to permit of the COM
bination Of oxygen and hydrogen. The
elements OF water were present. but not
water itself.
As the gaseous mass continued 10 cool a
temperature was reached at which COM
bination could begin 70 take place. and
then water appeared in the form. not OF
liquid. but OF an invisible vapor, which
we call watery vapor. Although oxygen
and hydrogen had combined IN this vapor.
the heat was stili too great for II 70 con-
dense into liquid state. with further
cooling. however. II did undergo a par
tial condensation into that form OF water
which We know as steam. Al that time
the globe was probably a great white
hot ball. enveloped. az vast height
above its surface. with kissing shell, or
envelope, OF steam. In this immense
steamy shell was contained in the
vaporous form, all the water that tho
future earth was to possess. The oceans
were there, afloat as scalding clouds.
The central mass continued TO cool and
condensed. and at last. when the tempera-
ture OF the rock crust that had begun
70 form about II had descended 70 about
SO degree. Centigrade. the first true
water. that Is liquid water. appeared on
the earth. 1t fell In no. drops from the
vaporous envelope. and at first no
doubt. was instantly reconverted into
steam by contact with the heated crust.
After a while the crust became so cool
thai the descending water could remain
upon II IN liquid state. Then the mighty
rains fell thicker ana faster from the
condensing envelope until the accumul-
ated water formed great oceans, or per-
haps. at the beginning. ono universal
ocean. surrounding the cutlro earth. That
would depend upon the form OF the sur
face OF the crust al the time when the
descent OF the waters occurred. The
origin Of the present ocean basins goes
back 20 the very beginning OF geoioEicai
history. and antedates every period that
can be fixed with reasonable certainty.
These facts explain why the earth has
20 great quantity OF water. and where
that water came from. But there are still
many mysterious. or unexplained cir
cumstances in this tremendous history
OF a earth's birth. BY no means all Of
the oxygen and hydrogen contained In the
original nebulous mass which eventually
became the earth. was employed TO make
water. In fact. tho quantity OF those
elements that combined into the form
OF water was almost insignificant m COM
parison with the duaintity. particularly
OF Oxygen, which entered into different
combinations with other elements. to
form the rocks and other solid materials
OF the globe. The oceans. sitter all. con-
stltute comparatively speaking. the merest
films on the surface OF the great earth.
The greatest ocean depth Is only about
six miles. while the diameter OF the globe
Ia nearly 5000 miles
II IL believed that the oceans cannot
continue 10 exist for all timo as we see
them today. The minerals constituting
the solid crust OF the earth are contin-
uafly absorbing water II has been cal
culated that granite contains two gallons
OF absorbed water In every cubic yard.
The condition OF the moon, az revealed
by telescopes and by photography. shows
that a globe may. al far at least as its
surface IL concerned, become absolutely
arid. no water whatever remaining upon
IT. although in ages past It may have
been covered with oceans.
Many explorers have thought that they
had discovered evidence OF drying up
OF the earth within historic times. For
mer lakes and small seas seem to have
disappeared The process however. must
be . slow one. and no considerable guam
tity Of the oceanic waters can be alb
sorbed into the eaFth's interior until the
core OF the globe has become relatively
cool. At present the internal heat IL so
great that water cannot penetrate to a
depth OF more. say. than twenty miles at
the most II IL only a. the rocks cool
that they begin 10 take up water IN COM
blnation.
When liquid water filters down through
the crust and comes into c6ntact with
intensely heated rocks II Is instantly con-
verted into steam. and the explosive force
thus developed Is one OF the causes, ana
perhaps the main cause. OF volcanic 1erup-
fions
In q word. the liquid that we cali water
n only one particular state OF a com
NluAAtpu u Inc HAHNltNlN NANEUn and N.Y.
drogen. and that combination may appear
IN several otheS states according 70 the
temperature 70 which It Il exposed. II
We heat water to the boiling point we
turn Il into steam. II We heat the steam
stIn further Il becomes an invisible vapor
which may be made 80 hot that Il viii
char . piece Of paper like flame On
the other hand. n We cool water 20 tha
froezlns point It turns into brittle solid
Ice.
80. n We had happened to be born In
fiery hot world We should only have
known water as q soaring vapor. capable
OF devouFing metals like a strong acid;
ana on the contrary. n our lot had been
cast "a an intensely cold world our only
knowledge o. water a. a natural product.
would have been IN the shape OF a solid.
harder than most rocks