Nature seems to have just the right adjustment in all its affairs,
whether in coloring of flowers, season for growth, flavoring of fruits,
supplies for animal and vegetable life, and instincts for everything
created, to adapt them to living purposes.
So in the Earth’s diurnal revolution of 24 hours, supposing it was
slowed to 25 hours, we should have less wind and tides, less warmth and
more land free from the encroachment of the sea.
Increase the speed to 23 hours would give us more warmth by greater
friction, increase the flow of our springs, give higher tides, and make
most of the present commercial seaports of the world take seats farther
back, as millions of acres of land now available would be flooded every
tide.
The moon, we are told, has little or no atmosphere. It is pronounced
cold and uninhabitable. This all looks reasonable. Being only a little
over 2,000 miles in diameter and a revolution about like the Earth
through a thin atmosphere, it is easy to see the lack of friction to
produce warmth, and therewith the proper constituents to sustain life.
This is an easy one and readily disposed of.
VI.
EARTHQUAKES.
It is doubtful if the Earth’s crust exceeds, or equals 1,000 miles in
thickness. The outside is held from flying to pieces by the atmosphere,
which is a sort of tire to the earth, while the inside is constantly
pressing from effect of centrifugal force. These two factors must meet
somewhere.
On the outside, near the ice belt, the water pressure gets the best of
the inner forces and drives the waters into Symmes’s Hole. In the Earth
the centrifugal force has advantage until reaching the surface; but if
a big hole could be cut at the Equator through to the center, no doubt
a man could jump into it in safety and cease to fall as he cushioned
against centrifugal influence in his descent. Earthquakes are only the
effects of internal pressure of water to get to the surface, at times
bursting large reservoirs, producing tremblings, and at others with
great force throwing up hills and mountains from the tops of which the
fountains of water burst forth. At other times they are produced by
the contact of water with heated elements in volcanoes, creating the
commotion leading to the volcanic eruption, the latter of which can
only be produced by contact of fire and water.
It is believed that this is the complete and brief explanation of
earthquake causes.
VII.
VOLCANOES.
The volcano is nothing more than a local fire, as much in connection
with the Earth’s surface as the furnace fire built in a man’s basement
to warm his house, or in his stove to cook his breakfast. When the fuel
that is used in either one is consumed, the fire goes out, which is a
common result in both cases. Of all the volcanoes known to have existed
as evidenced by their craters, fully three-fourths have become extinct.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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