Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-04-02
lin Place of Coal.

WHO could have believed, a hum
w dred years ago. that by study
ing the sun we should be able 10
learn something of the condition OF
things in the earth deep under our
feet Yet every advance in our
knowledge Of the sun teaches US
something about our own planet Tor
all the bodies forming the solar sys-
tenn are evidently made up OF the
same materials. and differ only in
their present condition. and IN the
comparative abundance and arrange
ment of the materials OF which they
consist
Iron. for instance. exists both III
the earth and the sun, but on Tn"
earth iron is hard, tough SUD
stance, while in the sun it is glow
ing vapor forming incandescent
clouds. This contrast OF conoition
arises from the immense dinerence
In temperature between the earth and
the sun.
Yet with all this dinfference there
are some resemblances. The sun and
the earth are both spherical in shape
and the earth is evidently only
ANAL. cooled off or frozen SUM- the
sun has a shell of glowing. metalllc
clouds; the earth has shell OF solio'
OPAQUE rocks and metals
In the case of the sun, we see, WIN
the aid of the spectroscope, In ABOUT
what order some of the constituents
of it's shell are placed; but we can
only scratch the surface of the earth,
and we know by direct Observation
far less of the order in which the
deeper parts of its crust are ialo
down. Here. however,, the study OF
the sun comes in to help US in the
study of the earth.
On the sun metallic elements abound
| underneath the lighter substances
forming the upper or outer portions
| Of its incandescent shell. There is
reason TO think that similar OF
der prevails in the crust of the earth'
and that deep down beneath the sur
face, if we could penetrate there, we
should find a much larger proportion
! Of the heavier metals than we nho
near the surface.
This probability really forms the
practicaI basis of one OF the boldest
and most interesting speculations in
science. Some authorities believe
that petroleum is constantly being
formed deep in the earth through the
action at water leaking down from
above upon the highly heated car
bides of metals existing there.
II this be so, the fact is OF the
utmost importance to man, because
petroleum is beginning to be used. in
some quarters, in place of coal. Some
of the stores of coal in the earth
are evidently approaching exhaustion.
and il the supply of petroleum is also
limited, then its substitution for coal
can only mean an eking out Of the
store of mechanical energy that ma
ture has provided for us.
On the other hand, If other authori-
ties are right, and petroleum is con-
stantly forming. it will only be neces-
sary to penetrate deep enough into
the earth to reach the deposits of
petroleum actually coming into exist
I ence there, in order to have at COM
| mand an unlimited supply of fuel
for all the engines of the world.
Already men Of practical experiences
in engineering operations are be-
ginning to discuss the possibility OF
| making borings into the earth far
deeper than any that have yet been
| undertaken for the purpose Of reach
! ing the petroleum supplies. which, ac-
cording to the theory mentioned.
| exist there.
: Suppose the time shall come when
| we do thus obtain petroleum to use
| in place of coal; it may then be said
| that just as the sun. through its ac-
| ton upon the plants of the carbon
| ferrous age. laid up store of coal
] for us in the globe, SO now the sun.
| through the knowledge which its own
composition has furnished OF the
| composition OF the earth. has pointed
| out to US another and still greater
| supply of fuel to enable man to work
| out his destiny upon the earth.