The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1854-03-30
Telexrapa Across he Atlantic

Lieut.. Meury has PUBLISHED letter In
the Washington papers, throwing More
light npon the possibility "a the construction
Of telegraph Lac across the Atlantic.
The L. S brig Dolphin was employed las;
summer In Observing the winds and currents
in that part OF the ocean traversed by ships
crossing between Europe and the United
States. The commander aVailed himself oi
this opportunity TO carry along a line Of
deep soundings between New Founliand and
Ireland. The results thus stated BY Lieut..
Maury
From newfoundland to Ireland the dis
lance between the nearest points Is 600
miles; aud the bottom Of the sea between
the two places il q laiat.au, which seems tn
have been placed there especially tor the
purpose Of holding the wires OF d submarine
telegraph, and Of keeping them out Of harm' :
way. Il neither too deep nortoo shallow
yet it is 80 deep that the wires once landed,
viii remain forever beyond the reach Of yes
sells, anchors, icebergs and drift Of any
kind; and 50 shallow that the wire
may be readily logged upon the box
ton.
The depth Of this p'otsqu is quite regular,
gradually increasing from the shores of New
f9und!and irom the depth Of from 500 to
1900 iathoms IS you approach the other
side. Tie distance between ireland and
Cape Charles, or Cane ST. Lewis in Lahra-
der, Straits 81 Belle Isle,) is syucH hat less
than the distance from any part Of Ire
land TO the nearest point Of Ncwlouud-
land
But whether il will be better 10 lead the
wires from Newfoundland OF Labrador IS not
now he question, nor do pretend to con-
slider the question as 10 the possibility ot
finding time calm enough, the sea smooth
enough, and a ship big enough to convey
and lay coil Of wires 1900 miles IN length,
though | have no fears but that the enter
prise and ingenuity of the age when called
ID with these problems will be ready with
satisfactory aud practicable solution o!
them.
The inference that there we're no cur
rents to disturb Wire once laid il drawn
from this Specimens Of the bot
tom were drawn up, and found TO consist Of
microscopic shells, &c from sand or gravel.
On this. Mr., Maury says:
These little shells, therefore. suggest the
fact that there are TO currents AT the bottom.
Of the sea hence they cane; that Brooke s
lead found them where they were deposited
in their burial place, after having lived and
died on the surface, and By gradually sinking,
had lodged on the bottom
Had there been currents at the bottom,
these would have swept, abraded and ming
led Up with these microscopic remains, the
debris OF the bottom Of the sea; such hs oo2e.
sand, gravel and other matter. Bat not u
particle Of sand Or gravel was found among
them; hence the inference that these depths
OF tie sea there, are not disturbed either by
winds or currents
g Consequently talegra phic wire onrc
lodged there, there il would remain az com
pleteIg beyond the reach Of the accidents II
DRIFT il would II buried in tight cases.
Therefore 50 far as the bottom Of the
deep sea betw cen Newfoundland or the cape
On the north side of the straits # Belle Isle,
10 Ireland, is concerned, the practicahility
Of a submarine telegraph across the Allan
tic IL proved