SECTION I

Of the General Relations of the Sea and the Land to each other.

Our earth may be considered to be composed of various solid, liquid, and gaseous materials; the absolute proportions of which to each other, we cannot even conjecture. Of the mean density of the whole, however, we can form some estimate; and philosophers have shown, that this density lies between five, and five and a half, the density of water being supposed to be one. We can also form a tolerably precise notion, of the relative proportions of the surface, occupied by the solid, and the liquid materials; and of the pressure and height of the atmosphere, by which these solid and liquid materials are surrounded.

With the general geographical distribution of land and ocean, we take it for granted, that all are more or less acquainted. We shall, therefore, confine our remarks chiefly, to their relative proportions; which are such, that nearly three-fourths of the earth's surface may be said to be covered with water; while barely one-fourth, of course, must be occupied by dry land. Of this dry land, as is well known, by far the greater part is confined to the northern hemisphere; while in the southern hemisphere, the Pacific ocean exhibits a nearly continuous surface of water, greater than that of the whole dry land of the globe put together.