The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-01 00:00:00

THE NORTH

(Fr on: the Mechanics' Magazine.)
TVA surveying expedition to the North Atlantic, which
has just bee,, completed in H. M. steam frigate Bulldog,
under the Cr mmand of Captain Sir F. Leopold M'Clintock,
although itt has been carried out during the severest and
most temp estuous season known in the north for 30 years
;past, leas accomplished the objects with which it was wisely
deep atched by the Admiralty in June last. It is well
known to our readers that the expedition was undertaken
in consequence of representations made and requests pre,.
ferred, by the promoters of a proposed North Atlantic
"Telegraph, which was to be—or is to be—extended from
Great Britain to America, in several sections, viz., from
Scotland to the Faroe Islands, thence to Iceland, thence
to Greenland, and afterwards to Labrador. From Labrador
the line is to be carried overland to either the river or the
Grklf of St. Lawrence, and then cross to Canada and the
United States. But, although the proposed telegraph was
the occasion of the survey, the expedition was of a purely
official and hydrographic character. It was sent simply to
sound the contemplated route, and survey certain places,
and not to pronounce a decision upon the nature offra tele -
graphic project. It is necessary, we find, to remind our
readers of this:fact, as some persons have felt surprised
that the return of the Bulldog has not been followed by a
public and dogmatic'announcement of the practicability or
impracticability of laying and maintaining a cable by the
northern route. We propose here to state briefly the prin-
cipal facts which the expedition has developed, and for the
development of which alone it was undertaken.
The command of the Bulldog was entrusted, as we have
said, to Captain Sir F. Leopold M'Clintock, of whose un-
rivalled fitness to conduct a scientific expedition to the
north there can be no doubt. The surveying officer ap-
pointed to assist Captain M'Clintock, in taking the deep-
sea soundings, and to make charts of the coast of Green-
land and Labrador wherever surveying operations were
practicable, was Mr. J. W. Reed, Master R.N., who had
shortly Wore returned from six years of continuous ser-
vice of &similar kind in the China and India seas. Dr. G.
C. Wfallich, F.S. L., also took part in the expedition as na-
tu.ralast.

The Bulldog steamed from Spithead on the 24th of June,
having been previously equipped with all such machinery
and instruments as were thought to be necessary for the
service upon which she was entering. She arrived at Stor-
noway on the 28th, from which pert (after taking in coal)
she started for the Faroe Islands on the 2d of July. The
town of Thorshaven-the principal town in the Faroe group
of islands-was reached at noon on the 4th, and Et local
pilot was there received on board to take the ship round to
Westmanshaven harbour, where she anchored for a couple
of days. On the 6th of July, the passage across to Iceland
-during which the first set of soundings was to be made-
was undertaken. This passage occupied four days, being
completed on the 10th, its duration being, of course, greatly
lengthened by the stoppages that took place when the
soundings were performed. It is unnecessary to give the
details of these soundings at length ; the following account
o f them will be sufficient. Between the Faroe Islands and
-.lceland 24 soundings were taken, at intervals averaging
about four hours. These sounding ranged successively as
follows, viz.-63, 254, 260, 43, 56, 53, 85, 184, 277, 267,
264, 269, 253, 252, 244, 250, 350, 682, 127, (368), 64,
100, 56, 49, 42, 640, 445 fathoms. All these depths,
it will be seen, are very moderate, and on the
whole pretty regular, indicating, of course, corre-
sponding regularity in the ocean bed. In one instance,
however, it will be observed that a sudden decrease of
depth from 682 to 127 fathoms took place. In order to
ascertain
.the probable nature of the sudden acclivity
thus indicated, Captain M'Clintock ran the ship back to
about midway between the stations at which these two
depths were obtained, and there found the depth which
we have placed in brackets (368 fathoms). A sudden in-
crease of depth from 42 to 640 fathoms will also be ob-
served in the figures as the coast of Iceland was approached.
This is, no more than might be expected in the immediate
neighbourhood of a country like Iceland ; it shows, however,
that the sea bed rises very precipitously at the spot where
the sounding was taken; although, on the other hand, when
the bottotn near the coast is more minutely explored it may
be found that the general surface is pretty level, and that
the Bulldog happened to hit upon an exceptional depression.
The bottom brought up throughout the passage was chiefly
mend or mud, or both; between the deepest sounding and
Iceland, however, shells and fragments of shells were fre-
quently found; while at the last two soundings tenacious
black mud only was obtained. The temperature of the sea
water at 100 fathoms down varied between 44/ deg. and 48
deg. Fahrenheit; at the surface between 48 deg. and 50 deg.
After lying at Reikiavik for three days, the Bulldog
started on the passage across to Greenland on the 14th of
July. After a run of five days, during which frequent
soundings were duly taken, numerous large icebergs were
encountered, and in the afternoon of the 19th land was
sighted. As the coast was approached large quantities of
drift ice had to be passed through, and soon the impenetrable
packed ice was seen ahead, rendering nearer approach im-
possible. Nothing could be done thereforebut to run south-
ward to Cape Farewell, of whioh the ship was kept for four
or five days. On the 24th an attempt was made to get into
Frederickshaab, and large quantities of drift ice were again
passed through, but it was found impossible to get within
less than 14 or 15 miles of the land, the ice being closely
packed as far as the eye could see. From this date up to
the 7th of August--a period of no less than 14 days-the
vessel was kept knocking about off the coast of Greenland
in weather of a very tempestuous character. On the last
mentioned day the captain centrived to get the ship into
the port of Godhaab. In the passage from Iceland to
Greenland thirty soundings were taken, and the depths
obtained were-22, 60, 69, 80, 203, 166, 153, 117, 292,
610, 819, 853, 1,086, 1,235, 1,377, 1,572, 1,550, 1,527,
1,473, 1,234, 1,285, 945, 947, 227, 806, 228, 260, 121. These
figures show that the maximum depth found between Ice-
land and Greenland was 1,572 fathoms, which is by no
means a difficult depth to deal with, especially as it is very
gradually and slowly attained. Near the coasts there are
frequent changes of depths-one to the extent of nearly 600
fathoms in so short a distance as 3-'4 miles. But these may
probably be avoided if a further exploration is made, and at
any rate they are not after all very serious interferences
',ith the deposit of a cable. It is very easy to provide for
them, by running out a little extra " slack." Moreover it
happened that the sudden changes on the Greenland side
(from 947 to 227, and from 227 to 806 fathoms) were ob-
tained in the vicinity of such a lofty and impracticable
coast that no one would contemplate laying a telegraphic
cable there. Near Iceland the bottom brought up by the
instruments consisted chiefly of gravel, sand, and shells ;
then mud was several times found; then followed light-
coloured sand, small stones, fine white sand, dark clay, light
clay, light yellow ooze, fine yellow sand ; and then, as the
coast of Greenland was neared, mud and rock were brought
up. The temperature at 100 fathoms down frequently fell
to 40 deg 4., and once to 34 ; at the surface it varied consi-
derably, falling below 37 degs. near the Greenland shore
in the vicinity of the ice.

On the 14th August the Bulldog again put to sea, and
for several days Captain M'Clintock renewed his efforts to
reach the land at the south. But Cape Farewell, and all
,the adjacent coasts were so beset. with ice that this con-
tinued impossible, and consequently on the 18th a course
was shaped for the Labrador coast, and the last line of
soundings commenced. On the 23d the land was made a
few miles to the north of Hamilton's Inlet, the anticipated
southward current, which was allowed for in the vessel's
course, and which should have brought her direct to the
inlet itself; not having been experienced. The presence
of the ship to the north of the station was, however,
turned to good account, for it was found that deep
water was there met with much nearer to the shore
than it occurs near Hamilton's Inlet, which renders it
probable that a deep channel running inland may there be
found to receive the telegraph cable—such a channel as that
'which was thought by Col. Shaffner to exist at Hamilton's
Inlet, but which the captain of the Bulldog has carefully
searched for in vain. The value of such a channel would of
course consist in the protection from drifting icebergs which
Would
It culd afford to the cable. Sixteen soundings were taken
oat the,
series of across to Labrador, giving the following
ue pth s, viz., 1,177, 1,23,5, 1,680, 1,690, 1,919, 1 924
4,°32, 1,983, 1,915,11,919, 1,750, 1,535, 1,190;285,
nod 86 fatho
On this section of the line again we have
greater
andsu's.
epth than 2,032 fathoms, and this is very gra-
dually asily
tom brought colPupareached in both directions. The hot-
found difficult
to
lixiaiestted chiefly of light ooze, but it was
ottom in many instances, and seve-
ral new contrivances Were
devised on board the ship for the
purpose, a full account of
which we hope to give on a future
te
occasion. The sta of the weather,
which was very thick
to the difficulty of the des and stormy for the greater part ft
.sea
sounding operations.
added greatly
pg operations.
In addition to the soundings which
above, Sir L. M'Clintock obtainedrnanywoethhave describe
ers, both on thd
Labrador coast, and on his return passages. Thos above
e ,
gr? scheme
recorded are sufficient, however,
ocean bed is concerned the North Atlantic Teleph
is unquestionably practicable. From the statements which
we have made respecting the ice on the coast of Green-
land, it may at first sight be considered a very difneult
thing to land a cable there, in such a position as to be at
all times secure from those vast masses of iee which drift,
and surge, and grind, and crash upoii those frozen shores.
But this is not in fact the case. The natural fiords which

abound on each of the coasts on which the cable is to be
- -

carried—thoso of the Faroe islands, Iceland, Greenland,
and Labrador—are marvellously well adapted both for
the reception and secure protection of the telegra-
phic cable. The reports of Sir Leopold M'Clintock and
of Captain Allen Young, who has just returned from the
expedition to the North in the Fox, are in favour of
this view of the case. At the Faroe Islands Capt. Young
examined carefully the fiord and harbour of Haldervig,
b3tween Stromoe and Osteroe, and states that he found all

satisfactory, and thinks the place "well adapted for the
reception of the cable." Again, with reference to Iceland,
Capt. Young says, " I have examined Hoalfiord and Maria-
haven, and find them well adapted for landing the cable."
The water in the fiord averages in depth, he says, from 2.5
to 18 fathoms, with soft muddy bottom, and the end of the
cable can be taken on shore in Mariahaven, on to a sandy
beach, where it will lie in repose, and in a land-locked posi-
tion. With reference to the coast of Greenland, Sir Leo-
pold I.l‘Clintoek, in his report to the Admiralty, says :--