Doubts Relative to the Epochal and 



rocky precipitate, and what lime at that time was not a 

 component part of granite, etc., was a component part of 

 the oceanic waters. Again, taking the wide expanse of the 

 ocean as it now exists, and from its intensely salt flavour 

 towards the Equator, and its slightly salt flavour in the 

 Northern Ocean, especially in the Arctic regions, the waters 

 between the Mediterranean and the British Channel may be 

 considered as a fair average. If, then, the two analyses be 

 taken, the one by Dr. Schweitzer for the British Channel, 

 and the other by M. Laurens for the Mediterranean, the 

 following results are obtained : 



TABLE III.* 



With the results set forth in Table III., let it be granted 

 that if all the lime could, at one given instant, be precipitated 

 from the ocean, even then, the deposit would not form a 

 seam or stratum of two yards in perpendicular depth ; which 

 would be a mere fraction compared with the actual amount 

 of lime present in the successive sedimentary rocks. Its 

 very sparing solubility, compared with soda and potash, 

 except as a chloride of calcium, excludes the supposition of its 

 having entered largely into the composition of sea water. 

 And if it had been contained as a chloride, sulphuric acid is 

 the only acid found in sea water capable of precipitating it, 



* Graham's " Elements of Chemistry," ist edit., p. 266. 



