9 



The existence of some of the lower forms of life through- 

 out almost the entire growth of the solid crust, since the 

 formation of the lowest fosiliferous strata, proves that the 

 general condition of the ocean waters have not materially 

 or radically changed. The temperature of water has very 

 little effect upon its power of dissolving chloride of sodium, 

 hoiling water taking up very little more than cold — pure 

 water or oxygen and hydrogen only being used in large 

 quantities in the vital processes — the solid saline matter in 

 the earth's crust becomes a sort of measure of the amount 

 of pure water that has been used up, or such an amount as 

 would be necessary to restore these saline and accompanying 

 deposits to the general condition of the present ocean waters. 



The analysis of the Dead Sea water has rather led to 

 the conclusion that there is little probability that this sea 

 once formed part of the general oceanic surface, and at 

 the time of its separation was of the same general consti- 

 tution — or that the other saline continental* regions origi- 

 nated in a general extension, and subsequent contraction 

 of oceanic waters. A careful comparison, however, of 

 Dead Sea water — which may be considered a representative 

 of this class of formations, although apparently very dif-^ 

 ferent — including the contiguous Dead Sea solid formations — 

 and ocean water — will prove that this sea probably once 

 formed part oi;* the ocean, or at a later period, of the 

 Mediterranean Sea. 



The specific gravity of Dead Sea water is 1227. In 100 

 parts of Dead Sea water there are 26.416, of solid matter — 

 while in ocean water, 3.505. Its solid ingredients, com- 

 pared with those of ocean water, are thus given by careful 

 analysis : 



DEAD SEA. OCEAN WATER. 



Chloride of Magnesium 14.589 360 



" Sodium 7.855 2.700 



'' Calcium 3,107 



" Potassium 658 070 



Bromide " 137 235 



{Sulphate Lime 070 , 140 



2 



