MOUNT EVEREST

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11955, 27 May 1933, Page 9

MOUNT EVEREST

INTERESTING COMP A RJSONS

It is not generally realised that the irregularities of the earth's surface are infinitesimal compared with the size of the gl°b f '.

Tlic 'populmr impression that the earth’s crust is very .rugged lias bean "heightened,” so as to speak, ov the success of British airmen in flying, for the first ■ time, over Alounb Eldest—the' world’s highest peak. ■ M uch has been heard 'also in recent weeks of The ocean deeps in. relation'to the Pacific earthquake zflaQ. H it were possible to stand ofi iffi space, and literally "view tho world in proper perspective,” our globe, would appear almost perfectly smooth.

Mount Everest is 29,000 odd feet in height. The greatest ocean depth —the Tongan. Deep, off the . Island of Tonga——is about 31,000 ft.

This gives- us- a distance of 00,000 feet, roughly twelve miles iieiween the two extremes, or about one three hundred and'-thirtieth, of tho. earth s radius (.the'diameter of the earth being about' 8,000 miles). \owj if you had a globe 330 ft in diameter, . representing the earth, the distance between tlio top °f Mount Evej-est and the deepest- known ocean could be shown by a cut of onlv six inelon. tlio* .vnrtncc tlio sphere.

Let us put it'another way. On. a sphere the .height of a man of ?ay about six feet—a scratch merely onetenth .of an inch deep would suffice to represent-, to scale .tlio maximum amount of. irregularity on The earth s crust. •• -

Bo far -we have boon talking 011 K of the -difference, between extremes of maximum -height and depth.Jf we take - the average elevation of the ea ft It’s surface above sea level. which is 12.500 ft.. we have a total of 14.800 ft.. roughly three miles, or about- one thirteen-hundred-th of the earth's radius.

To realise how ve.ryl smooth The earth’s surface is it is only necessary to be told by geologists that it would not be- possible, to represent the average undulation on an ordinary rrlobe. :k used ior demon>tiation purposes in the schools. Tt would not be more than a coating of v a,vnisli 'em such a. globe!