CHAPTEE II. 



CHEMISTEY OF THE OCEAN. 



THE waters of the ocean have been re- 

 peatedly analysed; and, though some differ- 

 ences of result have arisen, they have been 

 principally of a trifling kind, and unimportant 

 amount. Sea-water consists essentially of 

 pure water, with the addition of various saline 

 and earthy ingredients. The analysis of sea- 

 water presented none of the difficulties at- 

 tending that of the atmosphere; for it was 

 comparatively easy, on evaporating down a suf- 

 ficient quantity, to obtain its constituents in so 

 concentrated a form as to arrive at their number 

 and nature, and to estimate their proportion. 

 The result of analysis has been to show that 

 upwards of three per cent, of saline matter 

 exists in sea- water; and that common salt, or 

 chloride of sodium, as it is chemically entitled, 

 constitutes a large proportion of the whole saline 

 matter present. As to its specific gravity, 

 if pure water is represented as 1000, sea- water 

 is from 1026 to 1030. The subjoined table pre- 



