Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-10-12
MEASURING LAND TIDES
WILL CLEAR UP PROBLEMS
Interesting Scientific Experiment
Proposed by Committee Of Inter-
national Gcophysical Union.
WANT NINE STATIONS BUILT
Expected to Result in Entirely Novel
Additions to Human knowledge.
Would Show How Fast Earth Is
Losing It's Energy.
ny GARRETT p. sEnv1ss.

Hero Is an example or scientific
work which ought TO make any
superior beings who may be watch
ing us, as we sometimes watch the
doings Of ants. or cats. or dogs, say
TO one another well, these two
legged insects who inhabit the earth
have certainly got a near imitation
OF intelligent curiosity"
committee Of the American sec
tion OF the International Geophysical
Union has just made Il report recon-
mendins that. as soon an possible,
nine stations be established. one at
PASADENA. Cal. one near Hudson's Bay;
one on some island in the central
Pacihc. one In the interior OF Arsen-
Una. one In England. one in the in
terror OF Africa. one in the interior
Japan-at which simultaneous obser-
Tations shall be made TO determine
Pound oM Sehy ana IN ~n nd % ~anet 'ne
ours is distorted By the inccssant pull
ing upon 1t OF the moon and the sun.
In other words. the purpose Is TO
people may never have heard or
dreamed Of, viz: Those which occur
tides as distinguished from the
familiar tides Of the ocean.
Cheap Mt Price Estimated.
II is estimated that this undertaking
Will cost, all told, about $4,000. which
is certainly cheap. considering that
among It's results are expected to be
entirely novel additions to human
kn9wiedge such as reliable intor-
known properties OF the earth" light
! on the effect of enormous prcssures
on the properties OF matter" infor-
nation that will enable scientists TO
determine accurately the present rate
OF tidal revolution q. e.. how fast
The earth anan is losing enersy2: informa,
the earth. and light on the question
OF us origin. together with data which
will tend TO simplify and make more
accurate the explanation and predic-
non OF the ocean tides themselves
only nifty odd thousand dollars for
all that. Surely scientific knowledge
Is the least costly article in the
worlds table today. though the rich
est In nutrient value.
in the proof which they afford OF the
undytng amb!tlo OF man 10 learn all
that he possibly can abou, the rotating
star depths. whether his brief stay
upon II sums UP his whole history. or
IS only preliminary step 70 higher
For my part. think that there is the
essence OF i true religion in this kind
OF devoaion Our, and that ;neh,mn
OF devotion 10 the study OF the mate
rial works and laws of God. The earth
Is His handiwork. and the law of gray
itation is one OF HIS DEGREES on which
He has founded the universe.
Use for Our Intelligence.
because We understand the moral
te!liEeHce 10 master physical laws. is
no reason for remaining in Ignorance
Of inc ,il Keiisious esee,i;s some,
be ashamed OF the physical creation
and DESTROYS 10 forget 1t. and offended
On the contrary. the scientist who
digs AZ deep as he can into the secrets
OF the physical! universe !s perform!ng
an important part OF what is prescribed
in the Schiptur!a parable Of the talents.
He has been cast upon isolated
home in space: he has received the
great gift. the talent" OF an observ-
Ing and reasoning mind; n he runs his
brIef career on this little earth with
out using that talent. shutting his eyes
and his mind TO the things around him
and simply .broodinS ne treats his gift
and It's given with contempt, and can
expect no reward when the time comes
10 surrender IL and make an account
ing. But he wIo. having yet no
heavenly kingdom, labors with all his
has, Will at least not meet the rebuke
that overwhelmed the man who buried
his talent in the ground and never
used it because he was afraid OF II and
It's Give-.
Earth SuTerr Strains.
Take school globe, stick dot OF
white paper on each spot where a sta
ton is TO be fixed. set the globe revolv-
inr' and then conside. what these geo
physicists are trying to do. They are
not concerned primarily with geo
Eraphy, commere, politics. war or
peace. but only with the strains that
their huge world suffers from the now
accordant and now discordant but
ever-varyinE attractions eXertcd upon
II by two bodies. one Hundreds of
thousands and the other many mil
lions of miles distant.
The little beings who propose to do
this arc so minute as they stand on the
earth that If they were reproduced in
proportionatc size on the school globe