Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-12-21
WHEN OCEAN WAS IN SKY
Hy Garrett T.. Servis-.

Tho original ncbula, out or which the
solar systcm, including the earth as
enc OF its minor members was formed.
is believed to have consisted % highly
rarened gases. In the ncbulac now
visible in the sky We find ,nly three
gases, VIZ: hydrogen. hclium and =
mysterious third. called ncbulium,
which resembles nothing known to our
chemical analysis.
In the creation OF the earth this
unknown nebular gas may have been
the most important element Of all-the
germ. or parent, Of tho seventy or
eighty different chemical substances
which by numberlcss combinations.
make up the world around US. You
will observe, however. that hydrogen,
one Of the two clements OF which water
is composed. already exists in the
nebulae.
New Elements for New World.
Now, as "A mebua condenscs, ana par
ticularly when the later stages Of con
deusation arc reached. il must b. as
sumed that an evolution Of new. or
additional. clements takes place within
il. since the spcctroscopc shows only
ono unknown element in The uncon-
dcnsad ncbula il is reasonable 10 con-
cludc that that one. nebulium, gives
birth. in some manner, to large num-
bcr Of clements before the process
OF condensation into a world has been
completed.
Al last inc contracting !'bulouS
cloud coudcnSes 50 far that tiausfor-
nations among the elements them
selves begin to occur, chemical activity
increases. solids and liquids arc formed
By the combination Of Two or more
gases. and so the globe OF the earth
begins TO take shape, but ii is glowing
with intense heat because OF tho pres
sure of its PARTICLES as they come to-
gethcr.
After 4 long period its surface be
comes partially cooled by ladtation.
and Il rocky crust is formed. Above
this crust. which is still hot. floats
an atmosphere of gases. includin" oXy-
gcn~and hydrogen, the TWO constituents
Of water but tho heat is get roo great
to permit Of their permanent combine
ton. except in the form of steam.
Gradually the solid crust beneath gets
cooler. until Il time arrives when the
steam can condcnse upon II and re-
main there in the form OF water. Then
and in that way, tho ocean Is born.
There is some reason for thinking
that, in tho beginning, the whole sur
face of the globe may have been COW
cred with the ocean waters, and that
the great basins which now contain
the principal seas. and the elevated
platcaus which constitute the present
continents, we're formed later
1t is probable, too. that the guam
tity of water condensed upon the sur
face of the new born planet was
greater ttan that which exists to-day.
Water disappears by penetrating me-
chanically into the rocks OF the crust.
going deeper as the interior OF the
earth cools off. and il also disappears
by "a process Of oXidation. whereby il
enters into chemical combination with
the solid constituents Of the earth.
1t is quite probable that time will
come when the oceans may cease to
exist. by being withdrawn into the in
terror OF the globe and chemically
combined with it's frozen rocks. You
have only TO look up at the moon in
order TO soc Y little world which pre-
sents many evidences of having passed
through very similar experience.
Parts Like Beds OF Seas.
The darker parts Of the face OF the
moon are great level cXpanscs which
bear many outward rcScmblancrs to
the empty beds OF former seas. We
cannot be sure that they actually were
once lunar oceans, bat there is no
theoretical objection To that hypothc.
sis. while the appearances decidedly
favor 1t.
On Mars, again, which is q smaller
planet than the earth. although larger
than the moon, we find that no per-
manent oceans cXlst to-day, although
there are regions on It's surface which
strikingly suggest the former exis-