New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-06-12
Submarine Telegraph Across the Atlantic

Submarine Telegraph Across the Atlantic.
Lieut.. Maury, of the Navy, and superintend-
ent Of the National Observatory at Washington,
has addressed the following letter to the editor
of De Bows Review:
SfR The Q. S. brig Dolphin, Lieut.. Cong O.
II. Bergman, was employed last Summer upon
special service connected with the researches
that are carried on at this office concerning the
winds and currents of the sea.
Her observations were confined principally to
that part of the ocean which the merchantmen,
as they pass to and fro upon the business of
trade between Europe and the United States,
use as their great thoroughfare.
Lieut.. Bergman ayailed himself of this oppor-
tunity to carry along also line Of deep-sea
soundings from the shores of Newfoundland to
those of Ireland.
The result is highly interesting, in SO far as
the bottom of the sea is concerned, upon the
question of q submarine telegraph across the
Atlantic, and l therefore beg leave to make it
the subject Of special report.
This line of deep-sea soundings seems to be
decisive of the question as to the practicability
Of submarine telegraph between the two con-
tinents, in SO far as the bottom of the deep sea
is concerned.
From Newfoundland to Ireland the distance
between the nearest points is about 1900 miles
places is a plateau, which seems to have been
placed there especially for the purpose of hold
ing the wires of a submarine telegraph, and Of
keeping them out Of harms way 1t is neither
too deep nor too shallow; yet it is so deep that
the wires, but once landed, will remain for ever
beyond the reach of vessels anchors, icebergs
and drifts of any kind; and so shallow that the
wires may be readily lodged upon the bottom.
The depth of this plateau is quite regular,
nHyyo1 ~,
foundland to the depth of 1900 to 1000 fathoms.
as you approach the other side
The distance between Ireland and Cape st.
Charles, or Cape st. Louis, in Labrador, is
somewhat less than the distance from any point
of Ireland to the nearest point of Newfoundland
But whether it would be better to lead the
wires from Newfoundland or Labrador is not
now the question nor do pretend to consider
the question as to the possibility of finding a
time calm enough, the sea smooth enough, a
wire long enough, ship big enough, to lay a
coil OF wire 1000 miles in length; though have
no fear that the enterprise and ingenuity of the
age, whenever called on with these problems, will
be ready with satisfactory and practical solu-
tion of them.
/ simply address myself at this time to the
| question in so far as the bottom of the sea is
concerned, and as far as that the greatest prac-
teal difficulties WILL apprehend, be found after
lEs
not in the deep sea. .M.
| ] submit herewith a chart showing the depth
| Of the Atlantic according to the deep ea-sound
| lngs, made from time to time on board of vessel
CT the Navy, by authority of the Department
and according to instructions issued by tn
Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance and Hydro
| graphy. This chart is Plate XIV of the sixtI
edition of Maury's Sailing Directions
By an examination of it, it will be perceived
that we have acquired by these simple means
pretty good idea as to the depression below ths
sealeVel Of that portion of the solid crust of ou1
planet which underles the Atlantic Ocean, anc
constitutes the basin that holds its waters
wire laid across from either of the above
named places on this side will pass to the north
of the Grand Banks, and rest on that beautifu
| plateau to which | have alluded, and where tn,
water of the sea appears to be as quiet and al
completely at rest as it is at the bottom of
mill-pond. .-.
| 1t is proper that the reasons should be STATED
| for the inference that there are no perceptibl
currents, and no abrading agents at work a
the bottom of the sea upon this tslegraphi
plateau. @-
derive this inference from a study of ply
sical fact, which | little deemed, when sough
/ it. had any such bearings.
1t is unnecessary to speak on this occasion o
the germs which physical facts, even apparentl,
the most trifing, are often found to contain.
Lieut. Bergman brought up, with Brooks
deep-sea sounilng apparatus, specimens of tn
bottom from this plateau.
sent them to Professor Bailey, of West Point
| for examination under his microscope This h
| kindly gave, and that eminent microscopist wa
quite as much surprised to find, as l was t.
| learn, that all, these specimens of deep sci
soundings are filled with microscopic shells; t.
use his own words, ssnot particle of sand o.
| gravel exists in them"
/ These little shells, therefore, suggest the fac
| that there are no currents at the bottom of thu
sea whence they came; that Brooks lead fount
them where they were deposited in their buria
place, after having lived and died on the sur
] face, and by gradual sinking were lodged OIL
/ the bottom.
| Had there been currents at the bottom, thes
would have swept and abraded, and mingled u
] with these microscopic remains the debris of til
bottom Of the sea, such as oaze, sand, gravel
and other matter; but not a particle of sand o
| gravel was found among them. Hence, the in
ference that these depths of the sea are not dis
turbed either by waves or currents.
Consequently, telegraphio wire once lait
there, there it would remain, as completed,
beyond the reach of accident as it would be
| buried in air. tight cases. Therefore, so far a
! the bottom of the deep sea between Newfound
land, or the North Cape at the mouth of the st
Lawrence, and Ireland, is concerned, the prae
| ticability of q submarine telegraph across til
Atlantic is proved.
The present state of Europe invests the sub
ject of a line of telegraphie wires across the At
lantic with high degree of interest to the Gov
ernment and people Of the United States.
general European war seems now almost ineyit
able; the attitude which this Government wi
assume with regard to all the belligerent power
that may be involved in that war is that c
| strict imDartinl neutrality
The better TO enable this Government to main
tain that position, and the people of the Unite
States to avail themselves of all the advantage
of such Il position, line of daily telegraph
communication with Europe would be OF incal
culable service.
In this view of the subject, and for the pur
pose of fastening the completion Of such a line
| take the liberty of suggesting for your consid
GRAFTON the propriety of an offer from the prope
source of a prize to the company through who's
telegraphio wire the first message shall be passe
across the Atlantic.
| have the honor to be, respectfully, etc.,
M, /, MAuRY, Lieut.. U. S. Navy.
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The RAT AND THE WEAsEL.-Aly informar
states that farmer in the State of Maine of HI
acquaintance, has noticed at different times fC
the period of two weeks, combats between
a,,1 ;,,b ho,s