The North-Carolinian. [volume] (Fayetteville [N.C.]) 1839-1861, 1860-12-15
WHOLE NUMBER 1899
DEPTH OFTHE SEA:

As to the bottom of the basin of the sea, il seems
to have inequalities similar to those which the sur
face of cont nents exhibit II Il were dricd up, II
would present mountains. valleys and plains. 1t !"
inhabited almost throughout its whole extent by an
immense quantity of testaceous animals, or covered
with sand and gravel 1t was thus that Donasi
found the bottom Of the Adriatic Sea the bed et-
tcstaceous animals there, according to him, -
hundred fce' in thickness The celebr ated
diver Pesecola whom the Emperor Frederick IL en-
ploycd to descend tho STRAIT OF MesSina, saw there,
with horror, polyp attached to the rocks,
the arms of which, being several yurds long, were
more than sufficient to strangle man. In great
many places the madrepores form kind Of petrifed
forest fixed at the bottom of the sea, and Ire.
quenty too, this bottom plainly presents different
layers of rocks and earth.
The granite rises up in Sharr-pointcd masses
Near Marscillcs marble is dug up from II submarine
quarry. There ais" b.tuminous springs, and
springs Of fresh water, that spout up from tho
great spout fountain fresh water is seen to rise
like u liquid hill. similar springs furnish the in
iabtants of the town of Aradus with their ordlary
beverage.
On the Southern coast Of Cuba, in the bay of
Xagua, two three miles from the land springs OF
fresh water g1sh up with such force in the midst Of
the SALT that small boats can not approach them
with safety the deeper you draw the water the
fresher YOU find it. /, has been observed that III tho
ncighborhood of steep coasts the bottom OF the sea
also sinks down suddenly to a considerable depth;
while low coast and one OF gentle declivlty,
it is only gradually that the sea dcepens. There
some places in the sc where no bottom has yet
been found But we must conclude that the
sea is really bottomless; an idea which. II not
absurd, is at least by no means comfortable to the
anaogics of natu al science. The mountains OF con-
tnents to correspond with what are called the
aby sses of the but now the highest mountains
do rise to 90 600 feet 1t Ia true that they have
wasted down and essened by the action OF the sic
ments it may therefore be reasonably conclude&
that tie is beyond SO. OuO feet IN depth but
it is impossible find the bottom evan at one-thrd
of this depth with little instruments. One OF
the most singular attempts to ascertain the dePtn
was made in the northern ocean by Lord MulSra~s1
he hcaved II very heavy soundng-lead and gave ou'
with cable rope to the length Of $50 feet with
out finding bottom.
THE SUGAR CnoP.-Thc terrible storm of yester-
day and the night before is another and the crc"n-
ing disaster which the staple pre- ductions of lower
Louisiana has sustained this season. Starting wlth
almost entirely destroyed stubblc by the bad
winter crop next encountered an extraord-
mary drought, which had DIV arfed and enfecbled
the plant cane te degree that few weeks ago pro
duced general dependency among the planters
In the upper regions of the sugar district and on the
highlands generally thera has been little more cane
produced than will be sufficient for planting next
year. Many large planters will not shirt their mills
this season. bnt will pruden.ly save their cane for
the next years planting. Previous to the stosm OF
yesterday every sagacuus dulvatOrs estimated tho
probable total crop at l5n,OuO h"gshends against
22l 900 of last year, which short season.
Even this estimate will be subject to luree reduo
ton by the geat STERN, provided 1t has extended
| through the cane district. We can hardly remem-
b.r so severe and so long continued a hurricane in
this State. The effects on the cane which had at
tained 9s maturity will be exceedingly disastrous
especially 1T hould be followed hy warm weather.
Having always aimed at and generally succeeded.
in irving our readers reliable intelligence in regard
to sugar prospects, we feel quite safe in present
estimate Of the crop of this season at no more than
$50, 900 lIoe,slcads.-Nstr Orleans Delta.