The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-04-20
THE TELEGRAPH PLATEAU OF THE
ATLANTIC.

We have spoken Of the sue
cess which has thus far at
tendet7 this great enterprise,
but there Is ono remarkable
fact connected with II which Is
deserving OF particular atien.
uon.f When the Subject was
first proposed It was feared >.
that the inequalities which were
supposed TO exist in the bed o.
the ocean, between Ireland and
Newfoundland, would present
an lnsurmountable barrier 10
the successful completion IL
the project; hut II has been
proved by Lieut.. Maury that
there are no such inequalities
In thls,part Of the Atlantic. In
the 'eummcr Of 1853, aud In
the fan oil 1856, Lieut. Berry.
man Was employed in making
deep sea soundings along tie
proposed route. These sound
ings proved the existence q
this plateau, which appears 70
have been placed there e.
peoially for the purpose OF
holding a submarine telegraph.
From the subjoincd engraving
II will be seen that the greatest
depth does not exceed two
thousand and eighty fathoms-
A cable laid across from Now
ioundland 10 Ireland would
pass 10 the north of the Grand
Banks, and rest on the plateau,
and at a depth where the
waters Of the sea, Judging from
the nature OF the bottom whom
brought b. the surface, are
as quiet and ss completely o,
rest as the bottom Of a mill I
pond. There seems 10 be no {
pcrccpthlo currents and no
abrading agent at work on The
surface Of tho plateau Lieut. .
bergman brough, Wy with the +
sounding apparatus specimens ,
a the bottom, which, when ex- r
amincd with the microscope, :
were found 10 consist Of shells <
30 minute a. not 10 be Jeroep-
thlc N the eye. These littlo y
shells at once suggested the Z,
fact that there arcno currents e
ai the bottom Of the sca from =
which they are taken; That the g
sJ.i where theywerc found wa =
their burial place, and thss
after having lived and died 60
the surface they had sunk
gradually 10 The bottom, where
they had lain undisturbod BY
eurrcrts; Cor if the plateau
we're swept by currents thy
would, doubtless, have bces
ahradcd and mingled with he
other microscopic remains
which he at The bottom Of tbe
ocean, such az sand, grsve
and c,ber matter; but no, a
particle 81 sand or gravel was
found among them.
In the prohle Of the sound.
Ing taken along the platosn
every apparent depth IL exag-
geraled ten fold, In order b.
enable the ego % Judge a
The effect The undularng
line represents the surface ID
TIE Ilhl'aAf tft NtN'ffui 0tINsR
being marked by fathoms,
which are represented BY the
figures between the lsvel OF the
Atlantic and tho bed of The
plateau. The soundings, Lieut.
herryman says IN hts report 20
ex Secretary Dohbin were made
OF intervals OF thirty, forty.
sixty and one hundred mllcs.
oil attended with comple1 ruc-
ress. but frequently involving
many hours, both night and
day. of great suspense and
hard work, losing sometimes
Two ~ three thousand faihoms
Of line, sounding apparatus and
all. There were no currents
near the bottom n afet ule
sonndlngs. and frequently The
slack line would be coiled o.
klnked uTnn y showing p.aluy
that u reached the bottom
wi'hc., ti1 assistance OF tis
lee. determining the important
TACT that a cable or wire OF the !.
lighissr Kind would r.ach t.p
ball Of ule ocean.