FIG. 8.
The surface of the earth C D appears to rise to the line-of-sight from the balloon, and “seems to close with the sky” at the points H H in the same manner that the ceiling and the floor of a long room, or the top and bottom of a tunnel appear to approach each other, and from the same cause, viz.: that they are parallel to the line-of-sight, and therefore horizontal.
If the Earth’s surface were convex the observer, looking from a balloon, instead of seeing it gradually ascend to the level of the eye, would have to look downwards to the horizon H H, as represented in [figure 9], and the amount of dip in the line-of-sight C H would be the greatest at the highest elevation.
FIG. 9.
Many more experiments have been made than are here described, but the selection now given is amply sufficient to prove that the surface of water is horizontal, and that the Earth, taken as a whole, its land and water together, is not a globe, has really no degree of sphericity; but is “to all intents and purposes” A PLANE!
If we now consider the fact that when we travel by land or sea, and from any part of the known world, in a direction towards the North polar star, we shall arrive at one and the same point, we are forced to the conclusion that what has hitherto been called the North Polar region, is really the Centre of the Earth. That from this northern centre the land diverges and stretches out, of necessity, towards a circumference, which must now be called the Southern Region: which is a vast circle, and not a pole or centre. That there is One Centre—the North, and One Circumference—the South. This language will be better understood by reference to the diagram [Figure 10].
FIG. 10.
N represents the northern centre; and S S S the southern circumference—both icy or frozen regions. That the south is an immense ring, or glacial boundary, is evident from the fact, that within the antarctic circle the most experienced, scientific, and daring navigators have failed in their attempts to sail, in a direct manner, completely round it. Lieut. Wilkes, of the American Navy, after great and prolonged efforts, and much confusion in his reckoning, and seeing no prospect of success, was obliged to give up his attempt and return to the north. This he acknowledged in a letter to Captain Sir James Clarke Ross, with whose intention to explore the south seas he had become acquainted, in which the following words occur: “I hope you intend to circumnavigate the antarctic circle. I made 70 degrees of it.” Captain Ross, however, was himself greatly confused in his attempts to navigate the southern region. In his account of the voyage he says, at page 96—“We found ourselves every day from 12 to 16 miles by observation in advance of our reckoning.” “By our observations we found ourselves 58 miles to the eastward of our reckoning in two days.” And in this and other ways all the great navigators have been frustrated in their efforts, and have been more or less confounded in their attempts to sail round the Earth upon or beyond the antarctic circle. But if the southern region is a pole or centre, like the north, there would be little difficulty in circumnavigating it, for the distance round would be comparatively small. When it is seen that the Earth is not a sphere, but a plane, having only one centre, the north; and that the south is the vast icy boundary of the world, the difficulties experienced by circumnavigators can be easily understood.