The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-08-06
THE TEIEGRAPHIC PLATEAU OF THE
ATLANTIC.


the souudings taken by Lieut..
Bergman IN the United States
surveying vessel Arctic, and
by Captain DApman in Her Ma
jesty's ship Cyclops, showed
that the bottom Of the ocean
possessed me most favorable
coalitions for the succsssful
laying and working of a tele-
graphic cable
When the subjsct was first
proposed it sSs feared that the
inequalities which were sup
pased 10 exist In Inc bed OF tue
ocean, betSs sen Ireland and
Newfoundland, would present
Al insurmountable barrier 10
the successful completion Of
the project; but it has been
proved by Lieut.. Msury ths.
there are 10 such inequalities
In this part OF the Atlantic. In
the summer OF 1853 and in the
fall Of 1856 Lieut.. Bergman
was employed in making deep
sea soundinGs along the pro.
posed route. These soundings
proved the existence Of this
plateau, which appears 10 have
been placed there espe ;iaIly
for the purpose or holding .
submarine telegraph. From
the accompanying engraving 1t
will be seen that the greatest
depth does not exceed tyo
thousand and eighty fGhoms.
The cable PAGES 70 the north
Of the Grand Banks, and rests
on the plateau, and al depth
where the waters Of the sea,
Judging from the nature Of the
bottom when brought 10 fhe
surface, are as quiet and as
completely at rest Is the boz
tom OF u mill pond. There
seems to be no perceptible
currents aud no abrading
agents at work on the surface
Of the plateau. Lieut.. Berry
man brough, mp with the
sounding apparatus specimens
OF the bottom, which, whom OK
amined With the microscope,
we're found 70 consist OF shells
30 minute rs not to be perce2.
tible to the eye. these little
snells ct once suggested the
iact that there are no ourreniz
at the bottom o. the sea from
which they are taken; that the
spot where they were found
was their burial place, AMI
tha, after having lived aud died
On the surface, they had sunk
gradually TO the bottom, where
they hsa lain undisturoed by
currents; tor II the plateau
were ssep, by currents they
would, doubtless, have been
abraded and mingled with the
other microscopic remains
which lie ~ the bottom OF the
ooeaa, such ~ sand, gravel
and other matter; but not .
particle Of sand or gravel was
found among them.
In the profle OF the sound
iugs taken along the plateau
every apparent depth is exag
gerAted nnfold, In order 10
enable the eye " judge OF the
effect. The undu aIine hue
represents the surface Of tue
plateau, the different depths
being marked by fathons,
which are represented by the
figures be; xeen the Level Of
the Atlantic and the be OF the
plateau. The soundiugs, Lieut..
Berrymsn says Ia hs report
10 ex.Secretsry D,bbin, were
mate AZ intervals OF thirty,
forty, sixty and one hundred
miles, all attended with CON.
plete success, but frequently
involving many hours, b,tn
nigh: and day, OF grca. sus.
pense and hard work, losing
sometimes two or three thou.
sand fsihoms OF line, sounding
apparatus and all. There were
no currents near the bottom 70
affect the soundings, and fire..
qDently the slack hoe would be
coiled or kinked upon IL, show.
Ing PLAINLY thai II reached the
bottom without the assistance
OF the lead, determining the
important fact that q caple or
wire OF the hghtest kind would
reach the bed Of the ocean.