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Such is a brief sketch of the history of astronomical theories, which, while their originators and their followers occupied influencial positions in society, required to be received and respected to ensure a passport for advancement. The world often shuts the door against the propagation of truths, by placing those who may suggest imperfect theories in high and influential positions, from which they can resist all correction. It will be observed from the above, that our observatory and nautical almanack are of very recent date; therefore this fact, coupled with defective theories, cannot aid us in the question at issue.

Humboldt has very justly remarked, that so imperfect our astronomical observations have been, that the positions of our observatories were not correct within 20′ and upwards in the last century. We need not therefore be surprised that the spiral superficial movement of the earth has not yet been detected, when we find that we have not had an observation sufficiently accurate, for fifty years even, to compare the latitude of a place at two different periods within a few minutes of a degree. The movement or the change in latitude in fifty years is only about 16' 30". It is much to be regretted we have not an observatory on the equator. Such a point, in such an atmosphere would be invaluable to science. I shall in the next chapter show the consequence of this spiral movement on the surface of our earth.

CHAPTER III.

THE CHANGES PRODUCED IN THE POSITIONS OF THE DRY LAND, BY THE SPIRAL MOVEMENT OF THE TERRESTRIAL FILM OF OUR GLOBE, SINCE THE DAYS OF THE CREATION.

We shall now endeavour to trace the position of places, with reference to the position of the stars and the equatorial plane during past history, by means of the data founded on the precession of the equinoxes; viz., a movement corresponding to the plane of the ecliptic, at the rate of 50"-10 per annum in longitude, making a change in the latitude with reference to the equator of 20-25 in the same time, in all the positions of terrestrial objects. This movement takes place, as already stated, from the south-east towards the north-west; and the amount for the last 2,000 years has been 30° in longitude and about 11° in latitude. Let us take, as an example, the spot on which Greenwich Observatory now stands, say in latitude 51° 28′ 38′′, and compute its position at the time of Flamstead, when the observatory was first established, say 150 years ago. It was in latitude 50° 39′ 8′′, and with reference to the stars 2° 5′ 15′′ further east. Where was it 2,000 years ago? Accord

ing to the same computation, which is founded on the most unquestionable data, it was in latitude 40° 28′ 38", and with reference to our meridian zero, in longitude east 27° 50′. As the entire crystalline film of the globe moves en masse, the continents and islands retain their relative positions with each other during all these changes.

Where was the same spot 4,000 years ago? It was, -if the movement has invariably been at the same rate as during the last 2,000 years,-in north latitude 29° 28′ 38′′, and longitude east 55° 40′ 22′′.

Where was it 6,000 years ago? It was in north latitude 18° 28′ 38′′, and longitude east 83° 30', if the globe were then created. During the rapid action which must have been going on during the days of the creation, the spot might have been brought in that week from the southern hemisphere to the tropics; but as we have no data on that primeval action we must be content with the position in which we find it after the creation, which was, as above stated, within the tropics, in latitude 18° 28′ 38′′.*

If, then, the spot on which Greenwich now stands, or say the London basin, has been at, or near the equator, and has, for the last 6,000 years, been travelling therefrom to its present position, it ought to show some changes of the various climates to which it

A considerable movement doubtless occurred during the intense action of the flood; hence, the spot might have been further south by many degrees than the above computation.

has been exposed from time to time. Surely it ought to contain some organic productions of the different zones; first of the southern seas, then of the tropics, and finally of the north temperate zone. We must not infer that all the lands should always be receiving deposits, any more than that they should have been always of the same configurations as they now are; on the contrary, some of them have been frequently below the level of the sea, continually undulating, whilst many other spots, such as Arabia and the higher lands of Egypt, may have continued above the ocean since their first emersion from the deep; however this undulating or non-undulating movement of the dry lands does not affect the general argument. If the relics of the different zones cannot be found in one place, they may be found in another; that is enough to prove the past conditions of our earth.

Let us now compute where was Alexandria, which is now in north latitude, 31° 11' at the time of Hipparchus, when he made the first catalogue of the stars? It was in north latitude, 20° 11'.

Where was it 4,000 years ago?

latitude, 9° 11'.

Where was it 6,000 years ago? latitude, 1° 49'-if then in existence.

It was in north

It was in south

The ancient philosophers-Herodotus, Hipparchus, Aristotle, Ptolemy, and other writers, indicate such changes. The sun, at former periods, was seen to

the north of Egypt-but these collateral testimonies of terrestrial changes, are scarcely necessary to prove the fact.

Both England and Siberia were but very few degrees from the tropic of Cancer at the period of the flood; they were, consequently, inhabited by such animals as we now find in the north of Africa, and at, or near, Delhi, in India; therefore we need not be surprised to find these countries strewed over with the bones of elephants, rhinoceri, &c.

Tobolsk, in Siberia, which is now in latitude 58° 2′ north, was at the time of the deluge in the parallel of about 30°, which is a little to the north of Delhi, where elephants are common.

Where was the land of Canaan at the time of Abraham? It was only 4° north of the equatorwith productions, doubtless, similar to those now seen in Ceylon.

We find, also, that both the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans move, in a spiral direction, in the great open seas, from the south towards the north. The Pacific stream leaves the coast of South America precisely in the same manner as the Atlantic does the African coast, flowing towards the north-west. The south polar basin appears to be the great fountain of the deep whence the ocean is replenished, and the north polar basin, the receptacle. "Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou

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