456 THE CHEMISTRY OF CREATION. 



upper branch of the equatorial curreiit runs 

 strongly, a boat may be anchored without the 

 anchor touching the ground, and kept stationary 

 Avhile the waters on which it floats are sweeping 

 rapidly along. This is effected by lowering an 

 anchor or some similar heavy body down to 

 some depth ; it there appears to be impelled or 

 dragged by a current exactly opposite to that 

 on the surface, with sufficient force to neutral- 

 ize the drifting power of the upper current. 

 Although the particles of Avater move much less 

 freely over one another than those of air, it is 

 quite conceivable that extensive submarine cur- 

 rents pass in various directions in the abysses of 

 the ocean, as the lower currents of air over one 

 another and over the surface of the land. 



With all these movements of the waters, with 

 the tide, the wave, the ripple, and the current, 

 the chemistry of the ocean is connected in a 

 simple but important manner. It is to be 

 regretted that the subject has hitherto received 

 so little attention from chemists, and that so 

 much is consequently left to mere conjecture. 

 In proportion as the chemistry of the ocean 

 receives that study by philosophers which has 

 been bestowed upon the phenomena of the 

 earth and air, will it assuredly be found 

 prolific in facts of value and interest in the 

 history of science. The chemistry of the tide, 



