The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-07-01
Marine Affairs.

DrrY SEA souNprNcs We have the pleasure Of laying
before readers the following interesting letter fo2
Captain Barron to Commodore Warrington giving line
Of deep soundings the Atlantic These
physical problems Of high import which have
eminent philosophers In the discussion Of these
problems involved the and its depths BY vr
Of Congress authorizing the sells Of the
navy operate with Lieut. Maury in procuring mate
ria his Investigations into the phenome Of the great
tsry ofhe Navy been issued by the Chief Of the Bureau
Of % dpance and Hydrography requiring the snders
Of public cruisers to get deep sounding when
Is cslm, in whatever part of the 1t Is
narkate that this problem Of deep soundings which,
above all others has most perplexed and bothered nav
gators should taken up by the officers of
ravy become in their hands of the simple aud
easy of execution The difficulty heretofore get
tirg a line long enough and in knowing when the plum
met had reached the bottom. Recourse had been had
by other 10 wire OF great length and tenuity aud
the greatest depth known TO have been reached be-
fore the subject taken up here, the sounding by
officer Of the English navy. In Zoo fahoms which
by means satisfactory Lieutenant Walsh in the
United states schooner fancy has reported sounding
without bottom more than mile deeper than TINS
Instead II the clumsy and costly implements used for
sounding the d, pths of the ocean vessels simply
supplied with twine to which they attach weight and
when the weight to sink they know it is the
botm ano thus the depths Of the ocean in the deep
est parts may. without trouble or Inconvenience b.
cerainsd in every calm Of few minutes scquaint
With this simple continuance, the Albany Captain Patt
has line Of deep soundngs the Gulf II
Mexico, from Tsmpco to the straits Of Florida The
basin which holds the of this Gulf has thus been
ascertsiued TO be- about mile deep and the Gulf Il re I'm
in the Florida Pass about 1000 feet deep. In like
the John Adams, Cspsin Barron has made step ia
giving the shape Of the great Atlantic basin between
the Capes Of Virginia and the Island Of Madeira. show
rg IL to be Mt least five miles ard half deep. Men of
science will recognise in these results Of the
interesting aud valuable phyical discoveries Of the day
They fleet the highest credit upon our navy aud those
who planned and ret fool these simple and beautiful
arrangement which have cleared away the difficulties
with which all have found themselves beset who hereto
fore have undertaken to thom the at great depths
L. s. Sur jour ADAMS I
MADEIRA, May %, 1851 !
a.
MAY s-Latitude $50 90 north. longituds So 81
west temperature Of the air 6i water 65' had fair
up aud down sound with (26o0) twentysix hundred
fsthoms Of line Time Of running out hour 20 minutes,
| 10 ,econds-one 32-pound shot on the line.
MAY VLati ude 32 OU longitude AZ ~ west; tent
peiature Of the air CO., water Cs'. Got bottom with
Is 500 five thoussnd five hundred f,tht of line out
fine Of running out hours. ~ minutes % seconds.
Diift q ship miles. Lost two 81 pound shot, and $500
| fsiboms Of line.
LATITUDE 81 OF north longitude ~ 81 vest
temperature Of the air Gs water 6s'. Dot bottom with
(2:U0 twenty three huudr fathoms Of ue out. Time
drumming out hour. OF minutes. 30 seconds.
NAY 11-rtak If Rico bearing north ls' east distant
tweuty miles found bottom with (6iO) six hundred
and seventy fsthcms CT line. Time Of running out, IL
MAY 2i-Iatudc So o. north longitude 25' ~ west;
temperature Ct the air 65 water GU. Qoi0) one thou
and and forty f,thUuis found bottom Time OF running
cat. 10 minutes. 5S seconds
We have made frequent other casts but in consequences
Il The swell aud and large drift Of the ship with
cut any satisfactory resusI have the honor to be- SIR
(sigpedj $ BARRON. Commander.
Commcdt Lewis Warrington. Chief Of Bur. Of Ord
nance and Ilydrography, Washing ton, d. G.
--Uashing'en R9ubie.
Tur STEAMSHIP AEcrrc.-The United States mail
steamship Arctic Captain Luce sailed from this port for
New loIk On "wednesday morning. at twenty minutes
pact nine o'clock She took out with her ninety sx fret
oas. and Eve second class gers AMI one of the
In get ephts before carried hy steamer 10 the
Uucd States. consisting principally Of French goo Dis
/ hfe Hfth manufactures. Her passenger fares
realize the 81 1850 which includes provisions for
the voyage Li,oJooi Mail June IL.
Larsen The fne ship Astrea about 500 tens owned
In Boston will be launched from the yard osgood
Mcknap. New buryport on Tuesday July lst.