The Mighty Deep 



t( silver streak," though sufficient for purposes 

 of defence, is comparatively shallow. All West 

 Europe, indeed, rises from a plateau, reaching 

 from Norway into the Atlantic, on no part of 

 which is the water more than six hundred feet 

 in depth. The " transitional area" in this case 

 makes a true stepping-stone or ledge between 

 dry land and ocean's abyss. 



But another great plateau in the Atlantic, 

 which may be called the "backbone" of that 

 Ocean, is far from land, running roughly from 

 north to south. It follows the outlines of the 

 eastern and western shores, and rises often to 

 within a mile and a half of the surface. On 

 either side of the "backbone," which seems to 

 be largely volcanic, is a deep trough, lying north 

 and south, and varying in depth from two to four 

 miles. This plateau unites Europe with Iceland ; 

 and it forms a bond between the Islands of 

 the Azores, Ascension, and Tristan D'Acunha. 



If by any means the whole ocean-surface could 

 be lowered six hundred feet, remarkable results 

 would be seen. 



At once the British Isles would cease to be 

 Islands. They would become a part of the 

 Continent of Europe, joined thereto by dry land. 

 The Hebrides, the Orkneys, the Shetlands, 



24 



