INFIDELS urge against the truthfulness of the Bible that Noah's Ark was not large enough to contain all the animals that are said to have been in it, therefore they say that the Bible is not true. Bishop Horne gives a most satisfactory answer to this petty objection; and for the satisfaction of the readers of the Review, I will give it in his own language:
“On accurate computation, the contrary has been proved; so that what was thought an objection becomes even an evidence for the truth of the Mosaic record. The dimensions of the ark were three hundred cubits in length, fifty in breadth, and thirty in height; and it consisted of three stories of floors.
Reckoning the cubit at eighteen inches, Dr. Hales shows it to have been of the burthen of 42,413 tons. A first-rate man of war, is between 2200 and 2300 tons; and consequently the ark had the capacity or storage of eighteen of such ships, the largest in present use, and might carry 20,000 men with provisions for six months besides the weight of 1800 cannons and of all military stores. Can we doubt of its being sufficient to contain eight persons and about two hundred or two hundred and fifty pair of four-footed animals; a number to which according to M. Buffon, all the various distinct species may be reduced, together with all the subsistence necessary for a twelve month? To these are to be added all the fowls of the air and such reptiles and insects as cannot live under water.
Other calculations have been made to show that the ark was of sufficient capacity for all the purposes for which it was designed, but as they are longer than that above given, they are here designedly omitted.”