314 PHENOMBNA OF THE OCt\lS. . 
it were true that a greater quantity of salt 
introduced into the sea under the line, 
poles, from the constant agitation occasionwi 
and tide, the salt must have soon .'pervaded 
_ ilL lliUsL nave ouwii . j/w-i » « t\Qii ^ *p 
mass of water. Neither is Uiis greater proP°^ jj is 
ness owing to a superior degree of heat, sf''* ' 
tablished principle in chemistry, that cold 
■water dissolve nearly the same proportion of sad- tli‘ , 
The saltness of tlie sea has also been ascribe 
.lition of subterraneous mines of salt, which . JfcS- / 
abound in the bottom of tlie sea, and along its 
«ouuuu lu , -yo A 
friis hypothesis fannot be supported. It tlie ^ , 
stantly dissolving salt, it -would soon beconi 
for it cannot be said tliat it is . 
its salt by evaporation, since rain 
I soon necou*'' ^ 
deprived of anf r 
ain water is 
sea were to become saturated, neither fishes n s^j 
sea were lo uecuaic 
could live in it. It may hence be mfeiTcd j^rr ] 
coulu live 111 ... T ; . „ronda'' 
of the sea cannot be accounted for by { 
and that it has been salt since the beginning ol j 
indeed, impossible to suppose that the -«'ate » 
were at any time fresh since the formation 
sea-plants ;* for, as these will not live in 
■with salt, neither will they live in water 
of 
It may hence be concluded that the saltness 
with some few exceptions, perhaps, arising i *y 
rock-salt dispersed near its shores, been J 
all ages. This hypothesis, which is the sin r 
involved in the fewest difficulties, best f. 
phenomena dependent on the saltness of the (],« J 
Although this saline property may be one / 
by which the waters of the sea are ^acipjts 7 
ditv. still it cannot be considered as the P‘ . jeh 'a\ 
4ity, still it cannot be considered as the P^^ ^ch 'iir 
The ocean has, like rivers, its cunents, bV 
tents are circulated round the globe ; and t , 
■lO be the great agents which keep it sw^t 
A very enlightened navigator. Sir Johri Ha ^ 
ened navigator, air Jonri ri" s" I'Tf 
:h the sea, having continueU rf/ 
n, assumed a very formidable r 
a calm in which 
without motion, assumed a very lornuuo...- . ^ . 
Jtnot," he observes, “for the moving oi ^ 
the world, The experiment ot tins i 
" lying with a fleet about the islands of ^ 
J1 UUV> **'*' .%yw, -.IfO 
•' force of winds, tides, and currents, it v 
the world, The experiment of this I sa'V ‘ 
