The Sun.
London, England, 1853-09-15 00:00:00

DEEP OCEAN SOUNDING.

As this subject now engrosses the attention of many
scientific men of the present age, it may not be uninte-
resting to know the results of a discovery which has
been introduced by our neighbours on the other side of
the Atlantic, for the purpose of testing the existence of
a foundation to the ocean, and also to know of what it
is composed. There has, for several days past, been
lying in the Southampton Waters an American Govern-
ment surveying brig, named the Dolphin. This brig—
which is empowered, under an Act of Congress, in con-
nection with the scientific researches of Lieut. Maury, of
the National Observatory at Washington, for the purpose
of entering into a series of meteorological observations
and discoveries—left Chesapeake Bay on the 31st May,
and has completed a perfect line of soundings across the
Atlantic to Rockule, off the west coast of Scotland.
The distances between each place of sounding averaged
about 100 miles. A line was then run to the Azores, to
the north of which, about a parallel of 45 in a south-west
direction, an elevation was discovered on the bottom of the
ocean of about 6,000 feet, the soil indicating a fine yellow
chalky substance mixed with a small portion of the finest
sand. After leaving the Azores, the Dolphin took a
westerly direction, still succeeded in discovering bottom.
Steering north, she made a direct line to the "three
chimnies," where, at a depth of 1,900 fathoms, bottom
was also discovered. At this point Lieut. Berryman,
in charge of the ship, finding the position of the weather
unfavourable to a continuation of their research, made
sail, and came into Southampton. The greatest depth
at which bottom was reached was 3,130 fathoms, in lat.
from 41 to 43, long. 51 to 56. The explorers have brought
home with them specimens of the soil which has been
discovered at their various places of sounding, and
which will be laid before a committee of scientific men
at Washington, for the purpose of analysation. The
temperature of the water was also tested at various
depths, specimens of which have also been preserved.
During the whole of the observations, particular atten-
tion was paid to the width, depth, and force of the
currents in different parts of the ocean, all of which
have been carefully noted, for the purpose of being
fully discussed and explained. The Dolphin intends
returning at the latter end of the week, and should
the weather permit, will take a line of soundings to
the eastern edge of the Azores, that being a por-
tion of the Atlantic which has at present remained
unexamined. Of course, a further explanation of the
results of this expedition will not at present be given, as
the whole of the matter collected is being carefully pre-
served for the uses and explanation of the gentlemen at
Washington. There is one interesting matter in connec-
tion with this subject, and the non-existence of which
has been the great drawback to all previous results be-
ing satisfactory, and which is, the very simple method
by which the sounding apparatus is rendered entirely
perfect and useful. In all previous attempts the great
puzzle has been how to get back the weight when it has
once reached the bottom, and it is a well known fact,
especially amongst seamen, that in deep-sea sounding,
however carefully or strongly a line may be made, it
has never, after being once sunk, been recovered. In
this respect, however, Brother Jonathan deserves much
praise, for he has invented a plan by which the weight
upon its reaching the bottom, becomes immediately
detached, and the line, therefore, drawn in with per-
fect ease. The plan is this :—A hole is drilled through
a 641 b. or heavier shot, sufficiently large to admit a
rod i`of about three-quarters of an :inch in diameter.
This rod is about 12 or 14 inches in length, and with
the exception of about 11 inch at the bottom, perfectly
solid. At the top of the rod are two arms extending
one from each side. These arms being upon easily-
acting hinges, are capable of being raised or lowered
with very little power. A small branch extends from
the outside of each of them, which is for the purpose of
holding by means of rings a piece of wire by which the
ball is swung to the rod. A piece of rope is then at-
tached to each end of the arms, to which again is joined
the sounding line. The ball is then lowered into the
water, and upon reaching the bottom the strain upon
the line ceases, and the arms fall down, allowing the
ball to detach itself entirely from the rod, which is then
easily drawn in, the drilled portion of which is disco-
vered to be filled with a specimen of that which it has
come in contact with at the bottom. There are other
advantages also in connection with the invention, which
are of great utility in the carrying on of the discoveries,
and which no doubt will so materially assist the scien-
tific researches of the world, that the subject of whether
there is or is not a bottom to the sea will no longer re- I
main a difficulty to answer.