OF THE EARTH S AXIAL ROTATION. 9 



to much less than the perpendicular onset of the former 

 calculation; but, on the other hand, from the greatness 

 of the range within which it takes place, which exceeds 

 the formerly mentioned surface more than eight million 

 times, it must be made up for with an astonishing surplus. 



Accordingly, we shall not be able to doubt any longer 

 that the everlasting motion of the ocean from west to east, 1 

 being as it is a real and considerable force, always con- 

 tributes somewhat to the diminution of the axial rotation 

 of the earth, the result of which must become infallibly 

 perceptible through long periods. Now the evidence of 

 history might justly be adduced to give support to this 

 hypothesis; but I must confess that I can find no traces 

 of an occurrence which may be so probably conjectured; 

 and I therefore leave to others the merit of completing the 

 subject by supplying this want when possible. 



If the earth is approaching the cessation of its rotation 

 with constant steps, the period of this alteration will be 

 completed when its surface will be in relative rest as regards 

 the moon, i.e. when it will turn round its axis in the time 

 that the moon takes to revolve around it, and when it will 

 consequently always turn the same side to the moon. 

 This condition will be caused upon it by the motion of 

 the fluid matter which covers a part of its surface only to 

 a comparatively small depth. If it were fluid through and 

 through to its centre, the attraction of the moon would 

 bring its axial rotation in a very short time to this regulated 



1 There is here a manifest error in the text, which should read 

 ' from east to west,' but the error has escaped the notice of all the 

 editors Rosenkranz, Hartenstein, Von Kirchmann although the ex- 

 pression is given correctly by Kant twice in the preceding paragraphs. 

 Tr. 



