1825.] 
reference to the work requisite, in order 
to come at the precise merits of the 
question. The problem consists of two 
divisions :—First, to determine, whether 
a whale at the bottom of the ocean sus- 
tains any pressure ; and whether, if that 
be the case, it does, or does not experi- 
ence any exhausting or distressing sen- 
sations :—Second, if the whale sustains 
an immense pressure, and, yet, is uncon- 
scious of it, to account for the pheno- 
menon. 
First. To deny that a whale 800 fa- 
thoms under water has the pressure of 
a single ounce upon it, and to assert 
that the animal is, in the least degree, 
distressed by that pressure, appear to be 
both equally unphilosophical and. ab- 
surd. The former idea includes the 
denial of the specific gravity of bodies, 
or that substances have weight: for if 
they have, whatever is beneath them 
must sustain that weight, although it 
may not be the last of any series or 
continuity of substances: for supposing 
a whale ten fathoms under water, and 
another whale directly underneath, ten 
fathoms deeper, and a third ten fathoms 
deeper still, the first whale would ac- 
tually sustain a pressure of ten fathoms 
of water perpendicularly, although the 
vis ponderis would be communicated to 
the second, and the third whale. would 
sustain a pressure of thirty fathoms, 
although the vis ponderis again would be 
communicated to the ground, and car- 
ried forward, gradually diminishing, to 
the centre of the earth. And again, to 
suppose a whale in the least degree 
distressed, even by a weight equal to 
sixty men of war, is to hazard an opinion 
in direct opposition to common sense 
and reason, which proves, that Captain 
Scoresby is much better versed (as, 
indeed, is his indispensable duty) in the 
tactics of nayigation, than in the minu- 
tiz of natural philosophy. Perhaps it 
would be a better method of elucidating 
this point by a familiar example or two, 
than by a process of abstract and philo- 
sophic reasoning ; because its force will 
be more readily perceived. Imagine, 
then, a whale so far immersed in the 
water, as to sustain a pressure propor- 
tional to what a moderate-sized man 
sustains at the surface of the earth; 
now, would it not be absolutely certain, 
that if the whale was distressed, the 
man would be so too? for the distress, 
if such exists, can only be iereased, 
certainly not induced, by descending to 
the bottom of the ocean; and as air 
and water are both alike, though not in 
Aqueous and Atmospheric Pressure. 
327 
an equal. degree possessed of specific 
gravity, there can be no difference in 
that respect. Have men that have 
ascended the highest mountains, expe- 
rienced the gratification of having a 
part of the load they endured in the 
valley removed?* Have men that have 
descended the deepest mines, been 
necessitated speedily to return, on 
account of the insupportable pressure 
to which they had been subjected ? Yet, 
if Mr. Farey’s and Captain Scores- 
by’s philosophy be correct, these con- 
sequences are inevitable. 
Second. We come now to consider 
the only real difficulty in the case, 
which is to explain how the fluidical 
resistance in all bodies is equal to the 
pressure from without ; ov in other words, 
—why the whale, being exposed to such 
an immense pressure, “ perceives none.”’ 
The reason cannot be merely. because 
the animal is “ altogether surrounded 
by the same element,” as this would 
only increase the probability of the 
whale being crushed to atoms: for the 
top of the cylinder out of which the 
air has been pumped, is broken by the 
external air rushing into the cylinder to 
fill up the vacuum, although the tube is 
as equally surrounded by the same ele- 
ment when emptied, as when full of air. 
The resistance then which the fluid: 
inside a whale’s body offers to external 
pressure, 
* Certainly, theyhave. Itis a notorious 
fact, that the atmosphere is there ~ less 
dense; the respiration more free, and 
animal circulation’ more accelerated. We 
have ourselves felt something like intoxica- 
tion from this different state of the element 
we were breathing, upon the summits even 
of the Welch mountains. Those who have, 
ascended those highths to which these are 
but mole hills, haye described the effects 
more strikingly, and explained the causes.. 
This, however, makes nothing to the ques-. 
tion at issue. The water is not, in this 
respect, like the air, At least, it has not 
yet been shewn, that it is more dense 
fifty fathoms deep, than near the surface ; 
or if it be (for that may be a disputed point), 
the exhaustion, or sense of oppression, 
would be attributable to that density, and 
not necessarily to superincumbent weight, 
or perpendicular pressure. —EpIt. 
+ But the glass top of the cylinder is 
here supposed to be a flat surface : it is, 
therefore, not equally surrounded ; but has 
to sustain an incumbent pressure only, 
The experiment of the vacuum, therefore, 
to support, or refute the argument of our 
correspondent, should be made with a 
sphere, or hemisphere ; and the glass should 
be every where of equal thickness.—Eprr. 
