South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-07-05
Mi0u

On Boston common, that interest
ing relic OF the Puritan community
Of land ownership, a "Zetetic as
tronomer" has lately been mounting
the busting 10 preach the doctrine
of the hatness of the earth, and &C
cording 10 letter from a gentle
man of Brookline, who has not only
heard him but wrestled with him
in argument, this lay preacher OF
scientific heresy has been able TO
muddle the heads of very intelligent
listeners TO such a degree that, al
though their belief remains un-
shaken in the rotundity of the
earth. they find themselves unable
To parry the blows that are dealt
TO orthodox science. and so they are
looking for an ally.
The persistence of the earth
hatteners," who have been well
known to all readers of the htera-
ture of scientific paradox since the
English mathematician, Augustus
De Morgan. pilloried them some %
wears ago. is very remarka Die
psvchologicaI phenomenon. They
have all the warmth and zeal or
religious fanatics. and one won
ders what can be the source OF their
sustaining enthusiasm, or why they
are so determined TO have this poor
old globe of ours fiat. even If they
have TO knock it fiat.
As know by experience, some
OF them write letters that are ike
bombs. though filled only with
wind. For example. take those who
aver that the Panama canal is a
practical demonstration Of the Hat
ness or the earth because. for
sooth. the engineers worked 10 a
base level" In trying TO maintain
this proposition they make state
ments that a high school boy would
! laugh at.
So far from being an object les
son TO prove the fiatness of the
earth. the Panama canal is an OBJ
4 iect lesson of an exactly opposite
| kind. This is shown by the simple
I terms of a definition OF leveilins
given by a great practical engi-
neer. which anybody may read with
/ illumination.
"TeveIling is the art OF deter
/ mining the relative heights OF
points on the surface of the ground
as referred 10 hypothetical sur
/ face which cuts the direction OF
gravity" q. E. the plumbline)
everywhere at right angles. Wher
I a line of instrumental levels is be-
| gun AT sea level" Cthe case al
/ Panama.. "a series Of heights is
/ determined corresponding TO what
would he found by perpendicular
/ measurements upward from the
surface o. water communicating
I freely with the sea in underground
/ channels. Thus the line traced in
dicates a Hypothetical prOlongatior
Of the surface Of the sea inland
| which is everywhere comformablC
\ to the earth's curvature
! It is because the surface OF the
canal corresponds in curvature with
the surface Of the globe I'm thai
/ part OF the earth where it lies thai
/ its waters remain at rest, or are
i what is popularity called level by
referring the observation TO fixed
| celestial objects il can be proved
that the plumoline at each end OF
| the canal inclines toward that a.
/ the other end at just such an angle
as would correspond with the in.
4 clination 70 one another Of the two
radii OF a globe 5000 miles In dis.
/ meter, If those radii cut the globe.
surface at a distance apart equa
10 the straight length OF the ca
nal
Since here is an opportunity To-
1 pettifoggins il may be we'll TO SAY
BY way Of precsution, that the pre-
| else direction OF the plum bline il
different places differs slightly from
it's direction. as calculated on tn,
/ hypothesis of a perfectly sperica
and homogeneous earth. but al
I these things are known 10 science
and were discovered by science. and
| science. in dealing With them. md,
additional evidence OF the correct
ness OF its conclusions concernins
| the hEure Of the earth.
The Boston common man. 4