The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-07-26

rspid rotation Of the apparatus attributed to the
detection Of inclined surfaces.
In avoiding the legitimate deductions OF the anaIy-
ss. the Discussion il limited to such minor points
az are necessarily included in any analysis
such as were stated to be the least OF all the
sources of error therein enumerated, but which en-
ter as variable elements of error, preventing the
plicaton of numerical corrections for errors arising
from other sources. Thus, in saying
This rotary motion cannot be the result OF the swaed
sounding line this being obviated by swve' ABOVE 'nS
As if the rotation had been attributed to the spir
surface of the line. But quoted Lieutenant Berry
ing the line ut ALL for it evidently twists off, no mat
ter how slow we haul 1t In" not to illustrate tns
effect of spiral surface but to show that, in the ao
sence of swivel, an apparatus OF far less deheotag
The spiral surface of the line was alluded to simply
as variable element of error, as mentioned auovo;
for when the lead at great depths pulls hard upoa
the slowly yielding line, the swivel will not turn un
til the torsion becomes very great, and that instant
varies In every experiment
But we have the following admission
Some Of these imperfecuons really exist. All that y
now claimed H. that is by far the least imperfect method
known for obtaining deep soundngs that with errors
peculiar 70 ITSELF avoids the prodigous sources Of error
unavoidable In Maury's pet method, &C.
So that after all, the analysis has conveyed soue
instruction; in due time ii will be fully understood.
We shall not then have such statement a.
this
The rate of descent Of lead being in every instance {.
excess Of two miles hour the whole work OF sounding
and Keeling couple Of thousand fahoms Of line being
often completed In little that time.
BY which the reader Is lead to think of the ave-
rage rate of descent, instead of the low rates Of
descent at the depth of mile or so. The tables
quoted in the analysis furnish all the evidence re-
quired to prove that weight of 100 or l2O lbs.
would not drag down the large line used by Lieut..
Bergman with as great velocity as 81 Id. shot
would drag down the small lines of the tables which
compare in surface with Berryman's as IL 70 81. u
is therefore, for the purpose of absolute conviction
that we want the detail of the workrates of descent
at different depths Perhaps the simple assertion u
considered conclusive. " High authority" questions
that assertion.
Nor does the propeller shaped wheel make scores
of revolutions to one of the lead It constructed
as to turn once in six feet or thereabouts Nov, as
the apparatus of inclined DETECTING surfaces acquires
its rotation during the swifes portion of it's descent
it will rotate more rapidly in proportion to the dis
lance it passes through the water its velocity Of
descent becomes less-s0 that what would be Of little
importance in moderate depths, tells with terrible
pose, for instance, the line to be stopped the lead
would, without descending foot, continue, by the
inertiao 100 or 100 lbs to rotate; and the register
would record its revolutions as fathOms of descent.
We are informed that Lieut. Bergman escaped, By
his plan prodigiOus sources Of error, driage, cur
rents and counter currents. With what pr0prietT
is this assertion made when the reports are dscre
pant and Instruments were employed involving
errors without corresponding means Of connection
OF this the advocate seems to have been aware for
it appears that experiments were made to deter
mine the errors OF individual instruments. The
semblance being the casts on the banks disagreeng
with the recorded soundings Of the best charts By
twenty per cent.
Nor does the statement accord with the report Of
Lieut.. Bergman, whose lines sank to the bottom.
and by their own specific gravity buried (coi edD
themselves in the mud. Was not this urged as the
great proof of the practcabity of laying the tele
graph cable? Where, then, were the currents and
This antagonism, which always follows an erro.
neous hypothesis is even more prominent in the ar
gument of the advocate. He says, in comparing the
spherical with the elongated cylindrical forms OF
the true line of descent if the vessel is kept plumb
over the lead-as the steam power Of the Arctic
enabled her to do in every instance"
tending to defect would be to nearly double the err
ror due to DETECTION alone, for that portion Of the
line between the vessel and the lead would curve in
consequence of the resistance of the water to its
lateral passage.
But If the Arctic could in every instance be kept
directly over the lead, then, with spherical lead
could the vertical depth be measured.
the principle was admitted to be correct; no such
admission was made, for the sufficient reason that
the apparatus consists OF q combination of severM
on various principles
since the introduction Of Maury's method.
Incidental soundings have been made by unprac-
tised hands from cruising ships, but, with fey
exceptions these soundngs not considered 80 re
liable those of the two first expeditions of Lee and
Bergman. Lieut. Lee first sounded the Atlantic
systematically, and the published report of his work
contains the evidence Of its reliability. But II was
not until the return Of Lee that the detaching
apparatus was applied. With it, Lieutenant Berry.
man obtained specimens of the deep sea bottom and
much credit was thereby reflected on the country,
America being the first to bring to light character
istic specimen Of the deep sea bottom. No regular
series OF soundinRs with the advantages of steam,
had been made; 1t was therefore source of regret
when the opportunity did occur that the advantages
apparatus were limited by an injudicious arrange
ment, and since the proofs of accuracy are with
held, there Is want Of general confidence in the
reported depths; 80 that although we have speci-
mems of the bottom We can only infer that the depth
anywhere the plateau scarcely exceeds two miles.
This we may do as IL is well known to be impossible
to recover from greater depths such heavy weights
are exhibited In those parts Of the compound APP
paratus which are supposed 10 indicate the vertical
DEPTH and which do bring up specimens of the bot
| tom. Specimens obtained from depths between
three and four miles by the Behring's straits expe-
| dition were examined by Prof. Bailey the eminent
microscopic. Descriptions, with figures, will be
| found in the American Journal of Science and Arts
volume XXIl., second series, page !, July 1856 in
Guiding some twenty new species, and about forty in
| all.
The sheer at the detaching apparatus Of Lieut..
| Brooke, which, with his continuance for securing
the specimens, gave this compound apparatus lis
only value and It's only advantage over the old leads
which left us In ignorance of the character Of the
bottom and In doubt as TO the depth of the ocean
| until the middle Of the nineteenth century, will,
think, be duly appreciated by bis brother officers
| and his countrymen. JUSTICE
The "Boy" Henry Dixon Obssinasely Refuses
| His Freedom.
| From the Rochester Advertiser, July 20.1
will be remembered thai during the winter pub
ished several touching appeals 10 behalf Of free born
/ Of A theYu and thau hall