THE FUNCTION OF SALT IN SEA WATER. 329 



Mr. Ledyard's sample yielded to my analysis : — 



Crystallized biborate of soda 99 70 



Chloride of sodium 0"30 



An analysis of the crude borax gave me the following results : — 



Sodium biborate 39 "23 , 



Sodium sulphate 8-46 



Sodium carbonate 2'77 



Sodium chloride 14"23 



Calcium carbonate 357 



Alumina and ferric oxide 33 



Silica and sand 23 "34 



Water 807 



100 00 



AN ADDITIONAL NOTE ON THE FUNCTION OF 

 SALT IN SEA WATER. 



BY E. J. CHAPMAN, Ph.D., 



Professor of Mineralogy and Geology in University College, Toronto. 



More than twenty years ago, the author submitted to the Cana- 

 dian Institute an original view respecting the function of the salitie 

 components of the sea. This view was to the effect that the essential 

 function of the salinity of the sea is to regulate evapoi-ation. Fresh 

 water, it was shewn, evaporates far more rapidly than salt water ; 

 and, as regards the latter, the stronger the salinity the slower the 

 evaporation — other conditions, of course, being equal. 



In the natui'al evaporation of the waters of the sea, two antago- 

 nistic forces are at work: the absorbing power of the air, and the 

 resisting power of the sea. If one of these powers increase or diminish 

 in intensity, the intensity of the other increases or diminishes also. 



