CHAIRMANSHIP OF L.C.C. 



305 



High Elms, Farnborough, R.S.O., 

 Kent, 31 Oct. 1890. 



My dear Bates — I have, as you know, long had an 

 idea that the preponderance of peninsulas pointing 

 southwards, for which no explanation has yet I think 

 been offered, may perhaps be due to the preponderance 

 of water on the Southern Hemisphere. 



If we suppose, for instance, a tract of land running 

 north and south with a central mountain chain sloping 

 off on both sides, we might have an oblong tract of land 



N 



as above. Now suppose the S end sunk, or the water 

 raised, it would assume a pear shape with the point 

 towards the S. 



N 



This seems to me to be the present state of our globe. 

 If the water had accumulated to the N end, the point 

 would have been to the N. 



I write therefore to ask whether you could get for me 

 a map constructed (of the Northern Hemisphere first) 

 very roughly, assuming say an additional depth of water 

 of— 



At the equator . . . 500 



20 c 

 40 c 

 60 c 

 70 c 



N. 



1800 

 2500 

 3500 

 4000 



VOL.1 



