Temperature of the Terrestrial Globe. 15 
by the difference of specific gravity, produced by the difference of 
temperature of the superposed strata. ‘The experiments of Count 
Rumford induced this excellent experimenter to conclude that all 
fluids are perfect non-conductors of heat. Mine have proved that 
air and water transmit heat, but with extreme slowness, analogous to 
that with which chemical substances spontaneously mingle with each 
other, by their physical attractions. This principle of cooling must 
then be considered as of very small efficiency, even when the tem- 
perature of the warm medium is continually renewed 5 and the nu- 
merical law of heat at different distances from the surface of this me- 
dium, would become near this surface a very divergent progression, 
whose difference at some distances would amount to nothing. Now 
maritime experiments present a series absolutely opposed to this. 
This element of the diminution of temperature, therefore does not 
explain the phenomenon of the diminution observed in the contrary 
direction. 
This marine phenomenon, must then, according to the hypothesis, 
be attributed to the second principle of refrigeration, and Mr. Four- 
ier admits it as such, attributing toit even the vast and rapid currents 
which pervade the whole mass of ocean. But these currents are 
observed only at the surface of deep seas, and not at great depths. 
The experiments of M. Lenz indicate no current from the depth of 
a few hundred to one thousand fathoms. His colossal pendulum, it 
is true did not always maintain a perpendicular direction. But as 
M. Lenz had only a few hours of calm,. the surface of the sea had 
not yet come toa state of perfect repose, and the vessel moved 
more or less rapidly in the direction of the waves. ‘Thus the chord 
of his bathometer was rarely found in a vertical position; but as this 
angle was always found in a plane with the vessel’s line of progress, 
and as the mean of all these observations (very much diversified by 
her rolling and pitching,) was only 9 degrees, there is no reason for 
admitting that these angles with the vertical were the product of cur- 
rents in the interior of the sea. 
In theory we must admit that at the bottom of the Ocean the up- 
per surface of the earth, and the inferior surface of the envelope of 
water with which it is covered are of the same temperature, that the 
temperature of the earth (in the hypothesis which we are examining), 
goes on increasing towards the interior and as this has been the case 
for ages, or thousands of ages, the temperature of these contiguous 
surfaces, as well as that of dry continents, may be regarded as ab- 
