260 THE EVOLUTION OF CONTINENTS. 
of the basin. But, if in some way the power of the cur- 
rent was then enough greater to do the work, we are 
met with the question: How was the débris disposed of ? 
There would need to be removed a mass exceeding in 
bulk North and South America and Europe combined. 
What became of it? No satisfactory answer has been 
given. For this, among other reasons, this theory has. 
not been adopted by scientists. 
The fact was long ago pointed out that the great 
trend lines of the land are approximately tangent to 
the arctic circle, and hence it has been thought that in 
some occult way the direction of the coast lines was con- 
nected with the obliquity of the earth’s axis. Itis very 
difficult to see what the connection can be, and until 
some one shows what itis, I think we must be content to 
regard the tangency as an accidental coincidence. 
In the Popular Science Monthly, of a few months 
ago, are two articles by Prof. Dawson on the geology of 
the ocean. His paper however, begins at a time long 
subsequent to the development of the continental forms, 
and whatever light it may cast upon changes that have 
occurred since the waters descended and filled the ocean. 
basins, it casts none upon all that went before. 
So far as I can see, we are left to our own unaided ef-- 
forts to solve these problems in world-building. 
The unknown always excites our interest and piques. 
our curiosity. Nor is it presumptious to try, where 
others have failed. Success will come only after many 
abortive efforts. In no other way can the secrets of na- 
ture be wrested from her. And so, without further 
apology, I will lay before you, what seems to me a. 
partial solution of the mystery of continental elevations 
and of the trend of the coast lines. 
In the study of these questions, I started with the as-. 
sumption that the laws which governed the formation 
of the continent are laws which are in force to-day. I. 
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