Having advanced direct and special evidence that the surface of the earth is not convex, but, on the contrary, a vast and irregular plane, it now becomes important that the leading phenomena upon which the doctrine of rotundity has been founded should be carefully examined. First, it is contended that because the hull of an outward-bound vessel disappears before the mast head, the water is convex, and therefore the Earth is a globe. In this conclusion, however, there is an assumption involved, viz., that such a phenomenon _can only_ result from a convex surface. Inquiry will show that this is erroneous. If we select for observation a few miles of straight and level railway, we shall find that the rails, which are parallel, appear in the distance to approach each other. But the two rails which are nearest together do so more rapidly than those which are farthest asunder, as shown in the following diagram, Figure 12. [Illustration: FIG. 12.] Let the observer stand at the point A, looking in the direction of the arrows; and the rails 1.2.3.4. will appear to join at the point B, but the rail 5.6 will appear to have converged only as far as C towards B. Again, let a train be watched from the point A in Figure 13. [Illustration: FIG. 13.] The observer looking from A, with his eye midway between the bottom of the carriage and the rail, will see the diameter of the wheels gradually diminish as they recede. The lines 1.2 and 1.4 will appear to approach each other until at the point B they will come together, and the space, including the wheels, between the bottom of the carriage and the rail will there disappear. The floor of the carriage will seem to be sliding without wheels upon the rail 1.2; but the lines 5.6 and 7.8 will yet have converged only to C and D. The same phenomenon may be observed with a long row of lamps, where the ground is a straight line throughout its entire length as represented in Figure 14. [Illustration: FIG. 14.] The lines 1.2 and A D will converge at the point D and the pedestal of the lamp at D will seem to have disappeared, but the line 3.4, which represents the true altitude of the lamps, will only have converged to the point C. A narrow bank running along the side of a straight portion of railway, upon which poles are placed for supporting the wires of the electric telegraph will produce the same appearance, as shown in Figure 15. [Illustration: FIG. 15.] The bank having the altitude 1.3 and 2.4 will, in the distance of two or three miles (according to its depth) disappear to the eye of an observer placed at Figure 1; and the telegraph pole at Figure 2 will seem not to stand upon a bank at all, but upon the actual railway. The line 3.4 will merge into the line 1.2 at the point B, while the line 5.6 will only have descended to the position C. [Illustration: FIG. 16.]