74 Dr. Fothergill’s account of ice islands. 
regions ice may be deemed by the natives water in its natural state, 
and constituting a peculiar salt. 
For according to the new chemistry, what is water, but a compound 
of vital and inflammable gas ? Or, in other words, an oxyd of hydro- . 
gen? By the act of congelation it undergoes a decomposition fresh 
water losing its atmospheric and carbonic gas, and sea water its salt- 
ness. That a mixture of hot and cold water has a strong tendency to 
restore an equilibrium is readily allowed, because the colder particles 
naturally fall downwards, while the warmer mount upwards ; but the 
ocean, subjected to tides and currents, with conducting bodies inter- 
posed at different depths and distances, must still be liable to consid- 
erable variation in temperature, as has been fully ascertained ; a cir 
cumstance of no small « ‘consequence to navigation, as will probably ap- 
pear in the sequel. 
These enormous masses of ice, during their gradual liquefaction 
and evaporation,* powerfully absorb a large portion of caloric (the 
principle of heat), while the copious exhalation, which ensues, meét- 
ng. a frigid atmosphere, generates ibick. clouds and vapoum hence 
piety pen Hs thes ocean to a great Piers a ea over 
the banks of Newfoundland. 
Final cause of ice islands. 
Are these ‘mountains of ice then formed only to infest © the 
ocean, impede navigation, and produce melancholy disasters? Are — 
these stupendous operations of nature alone destitute of utility to ‘the 
* That ice evaporates in the low temperature of 31° even in the night with he 
N.E. wind to the amount of 110 grains in 9 hours appears from the experiments 
of Mr. I. Dalton. See Nicholson's philosophical journal, yol, vii. p. 15+ 
