New-York daily tribune., 1858-09-01
HONOR TO WHOM HONOR IS DUE.

To tie Editor Of Tie " i. Tribune
SIR The successful issue Of the last attempt to lay
the Atlantic cable has so crowded your Columns with
communications in which the writer's claim for their
several friends greater or lets degree OF merit tor
their agercy in the enterprise that should hesitate to
treapass upon your time and spsce were not firmly
Convinced that there is person who, although his
claims have, with one two eight exceptions, been
entirely overlooked is deserving of ss great applause
and reward ss any one whose name has been men
toned in come cton with the sutlsct, aud without
whose lsbors the Atlantic Telegraph, or any other,
would probably never have been laid in the deep ses
l sllude to Lent. John M. Brooke, L. s. N, the In.
ventor CT the lead known as "Brookes deep sea
sounding apparatus. -
and nature cf "the Atartic Telegraph Plateau
were suggested to the fertile mind OF Lieut..
Msury from examination of the specimens brought
up by it, aud the souudings mads by ",
On a survey maGe By Lieut.. Berymsu, was invented
by Lept. Brooke, while stationed at the National
Observatory 81 Washington, several years sloce see
"Maurys Physical Gecgrsphy Of the Sea, psges 2ot,
2t7, and Haiper's Telegraph Supplement- OF Sep
tember T. 1851.
Previous to this invention it had been impossible to
obtain accurately ever the mere depths OF the deep
sea, ard it had been for many years subject OF
patient and laboIous Investigation by scientific naval
men, both in this country and in the European nave.,
to invent some contrivaDce which would obtain such
depths; but with little or no success.
Fortunately az American IRreHtion not only sur.
mounted this difficulty, but TO the great joy and won-
der Of the scientific world succeeded IN bringing up
srd placing under he microscope actusl specimens OF
the bottCm Of tbs deepest ocean. (Sse Maury Phys
icsl Geography of the Sea- Professor Baeys remarks,
psge no. IL was naturally asked at that tirne by
msIy, OF wba. value bsndful Of mud from the bot
tom CT the ocean could be ? But such questions are
never ssked by the true students Of natural phenom-
eus 10 when il is sufficient TO know that they have
corquertd portion however small, of Natures tn
known territories and the sequel showed that
this conquest Of positive and incalcuiabe
value to the whole world.
The specinisrs were submitted to the microscope
and found to ccnsist, rot Of mud, OF sand nor
gravel bat of Infusoris, and shells minute, fra
ee sud delicate Of texture, that they could slmoe be
dissipsted into nothirg by breath. From this fact
Lieut. Mauiy Immediately concluded that the bottom
Of the Ocesp, from whence these specimens came,
must he undsturted by currents or they would have
been sbrsdsd AMI ground 10 dust, and that as The
Gulf Stream ran scross the Atlantic in q direction
little ao nth of ard parallel to this line Of soundlngs,
the current must have hesped up bank upon its
northern eide from which these souncings came.
Thus Brookes lead revealed and verified the fact OF
the existence Of this ridge and that was covered,
probably 10 q depth Of any feet, with cusnioc es
soft Az WELDING as elder down IN which wire might
repose with perfect safety, and TINS was the famous
" 1elt graph Plateau. A..
Hv,u be remembered, too, ths. it was up,n the
lire of soundngs made by Brooke lead that the Cor
pop ard the Vslorous guided their nobie consors 70
Vs.entia and 10 Trinity Bay.
No intelligent mar can consider tese iscN wunout
a occe percsiving that Brooke lead pe.fcrmec most
importaut and indispensable part IN TINS great eotef
p,ise ard that its usefulness has Iuss ee@@saes0'