Year: 1868

The ocean ana Some or lLS Tr0IucIS.


The ocean bed is supposed to be as


diversified as the solid earth, and maps


have been prepared exhibiting the


character Of the submerged land at diff


ferent localities. The most thorough


soundings have been those made in the


Atlantic ocean, which show it to be a


long trough or cash extending probably


from pole to pole. The division com


monty made between the different


oceans is a purely imaginary one. as


they are in fact one large body of water,
different portions of which are known


by different names. The regular swell
ling and sinking of this vast fluid mass,
called the tide, is caused by the com
bined influence Of the sun and moon,


and is supposed to originate in the
southern polar seas, and thence to roll
around the globe. The attraction OF the
moon is threefold that of the sun, owing
to its greater proximity to the earth /;
and the ocean is so constantly and
strongly drawn to the point over which
that satellite stands as to rise toward it,
forming an accumulation of water,
while, at the same time, sort of Sec
ondary swelling takes place on the op


posite side of the globe. The intcrme-
date points are left at different stages
of low tide, according to their distance
from the watery elevation. Although
the sun exercises an influence far less
potent than that Of the moon, it still
produces visible effect upon the
waters aud modi6es their movement
When the sun and moon stand directly
in line, the combined attraction Of the
two raises the tidal wave to the greatest
possible height, and causes the spring
tide, which occurs every full and new


moon; while when they stand at right
angles to each other, the effect is parti-
ally couateracted, and the result is a
low tide. As the moon passes On, the
tidal wave follows her, always about
three hours in the rear, flooding the
different shores as it rolls by, and rising
to greater or less height according to
the varying character of the coasts and
other controlling circumstances. In the
South Sea islands the tides scarcely
reach the height of twenty inches, while
the highest tide known, which occurs in
the Bay of Fundy, attains forty, fifty,
and even sixty feet. The ocean covers
more than seven-tenths of the surface
of the globe, and contains much larger
number of living creatures than can be
found on dry land. The minute beings,
visible only with the microscope, which
exist in its waters are alone sufficient
to form the subject of separate science.
Lowest in the rank of animal life stands
the sponge, creature which has been
known from antiquity, and whose ma
ture has always been subject of dis
pute. For some time it was classed by
naturalists among vegetable produc-
tions, and only recently has it been as
signed place in the animal kingdom.
1t is undecided even yet whether each
sponge is a single individual, or con-
gregation of minute creatures living to-
gether in community like that of the
coral polypi The most important
sponge fisheries are those in the Grecian
Archipelago and on the shores of Syria,
although the commodity is also OBJ
tanned from the Red Sea, the Gulf oi
Mexico, and to some extent along the
whole Mediterranean coast. The sponge
has become so valuable as an article of
commerce, that the fisheries have been
nearly exhausted in order to supply the
demand and unless artificial cultiva-
tion is resorted to, it is probable that the
sponge will soon entirely disappear The
poorer qualities are found in shallow
water and torn from the rocks by means
Of three-forked harpoons; but the finer
kinds, which grow at depth of from
twelve to twenty fathoms, and brought
up by the divers, and have to be care
fully detached from the rock by means
of knife. Closely allied to the sponges
are the corals, whose rank in the order
of creation was for long time equally
undetermined. The plant-like appear


ance of the majority of corals caused
them to be classed among vegetables


and Peyssonnel, the first to discover
their animal nature, was met with such
indifference and irony, that he became
discouraged and retired to the Antilles


where he spent the remainder of his
life as naval surgeon. Subsequently
the naturalists who had opposed hi
theory became convinced of its truth


and introduced it into established sci


ence. Coral was found to be stony
structure composed of the calcareou!
cells of innqmerable little creatures