Evening star., 1924-09-22

the seconds by 4.400-or whatever
accurate speed is taken, since it is
modified by the temperature and
sa!lnlty of the water. The two sta
tions giving different periods (ac-
cording to the distance), and the two
lengths marked by arcs on the chart
with their centers at the known
stations), indicate, at the crossing
of the lines, the exact location of
the ship where the tonic depth was
taken.
At conference of scientists and
officials interested in the proposed
inventory of the ocean, DR.. Barrows
said:
I'VE are interested in the sea be-
cause of the rich fertility of the sea
There are what may be called, per-
haps, muds of the sea, in much the
same way as the mudS of the land
The basic matter of these muds is
not, of course, herbage, but huge
swarms of microscopic organisms,
plants and animals dwelling in the
upper levels of the sea Among these
huge swarms of microscopic organ
isms is, perhaps, the fundamental
organic principle of the life of the
sea: and upon that material based
step by step, rest the larger and
other organisms, until the fish you
all like to eat really owe their ex-
istence to the muds Of the sea"
Dr. Bowie of the National Acade-
my of Sciences and National Re-
search Council said:
1T seems to me, following out that
idea of taking an inventory of the
world, that this has a bearing upon
the peace of the world. The nations
are not altogether fighting because
they hate other nations, because they
are afraid Of other nations. The ma
tions do not know where their food
supply and raw materials for in
dustries are coming from in the next
generations. They see their resources
used up. and decide, therefore, that
they will grab this or that piece of
land that is inhabited by a weaker
people. So it would seem that it
would add to the peace of the world
II we could take an inventory of this
country and other countries"
DR.. SloSsen. secretary of the Ma
tional Academy of Sciences, said:
IF we can contribute to educating
the public mind through the press,
the motion pictures or pamphlets, we
shall be very glad, indeed, because
we all realize that the ignorance of
the public on the subject of the
oceans is vastly greater than on mat
ters pertaining to terra firma, and
in the future the importance of
knowing more about the food ca
pacity of the ocean and the subaque-
Gus structure of this world of ours
will be greater than it is at the
present time.
There is a possibility of carry
ing on in the oceans something that
might be called cubical Agriculture
or farming in three dimensions
Whereas on the land, farming is
limited to one single surface, YOU
have in the ocean. farms piled on
farms. 500 feet of them, as the diff
ferent stories in Sky-scraper are
placed, one above another"
When c. Francis Jenkins, in
ventor of the moving picture and of
the transmission of pictures by radio,
| heard of the project of the Navy, he
enthusiastically proposed to supply a
camera with a powerful arc light by
which the ocean depths might be
photographed with distinctness.
What deep-sea monsters would be
attracted to that mysterious light
What marvellous "landscapes'-great
| valleys, plains and staggering peaks,
| rivers and cataracts, caves and preci.
pices-would be disclosed! There is
far more variety of scenery" in the
| ocean than there is upon land, for
| the loftiest mountain, Mt. Everest, is
only 29,141 feet, while the greatest
depth of the ocean is 31,614 feet-in
| the Pacific, near the Island of Guam.
Movie films of the depths Of the
ocean may disclose greater mysteries
than IL Mars had opened a line of
communications equal to the mind of
| the most imaginative astronomer.
Copyright, 1924, by Paul V. ColIins.)