The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1868-12-25
Ths bssts~s sftAs 0ssss.
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In 1868 Lieutenant Brooke obtained mud
from the bottom OF the North Atlantic. be
tween Newfoundland and the Azores. NJ 4
depth OF moro than 10000 feet. or two
miles, by the help OF his sounding sppa-
ratus. The specimens were sent for ex.
animation to Ehrenberg, Of Berlin. and to
Bailey, of West Point, and those able MI
croscopists found that his deep sea-mud
was almost entirely composed Of the skcl-
etons Of living organlsm-the greater pro-
portions Of these being just like the Clio.
bigerino already known to occur IN tne
chalk.
Thus far wsrk had been carried on aim.
ply In the interests Of science, but Lieut.
Brooke's method OF sounding acquired
high commercial value when the enter
prise of laying down the telegraphlc ca:
bic between this country and the United
States was undertaken. For It became q
matter Of immense Importance 70 know,
not only the depth Of the ocean over the
whole line along which the cable was to
be laid, but the exact nature Of the bot.
tom, so as to guard against chances oi
cutting or faying the strands Of that cost.
ly rope. The Admiralty consequently or.
dered Capt. Dayman, an old friend and
shipmate Of mine, to ascertain the depth
of the whole line Of tile cable. and to
bring back specimens Of the bottom. In
former days such a command a. this might
have sounded very much like one Of the
impossible things which the young prince
Is ordered to do before he can obtain the
hand of the young princess. However,
In the months Of June and July, 1857, my
friend performed the task assigned to him
with great precision, without, 80 FAR Is !
know, having met with any reward Of
that kind. The specimens of Atlantic
mud which he sent to me to be examined
and reported upon.
The result Of all these operations Is,
that we know the contours aud nature oi
the surface-soll covered by the North At
lantic for distance of 1.700 miles from
east to west. as well as We know that oi
any part Of the dry land.
1t Is prodigious plain, one Of the Wild
est and even plains In the world. II the
sea were drained of, you might drive q
wagon all the way from Valentia, on the
west coast OF Ireland, to Trinity Bay, In
Newfoundland. And, except on one
sharp incline, about two hundred miles
from Valentia, am not quito sure that u
would even be necessary to put the skid
on, SO gentle are ascents and descents up
OH that long route. From Valentia the
road would lie down hill for about two
hundred miles to the point at which the
bottom Is now covered by LOO fathoms
of sea water. Then would come the cen.
tral plain, more than 1000 miles wide, tht
inequalities OF the surface Of which woult
be hardly pcrceptiblc, though the dept
of the water upon 1t varies from 10000 e
I5 900 feet; aud there are places In whlcf
Mount Blanc might be sunk without show
Ing It's peak above water. Beyond this,
tho ascent on the American side com
mences. and gradually leads for about
300 miles, to the Newfoundland shore.
Almost the whole Of the bottom Of this
central plain (Which extends for many
hundred miles In q north and south direc.
tion). Is covered by fine mud, which,
when brought to the surface, dries Into
o grayish-white friable substance. You
can write with this on blackboard, u
you are 80 inclined, and to the eye Il Il
quite like very soft grsyish chalk. Ex
amined chemically, 1t proved to DO com
posed almost wholly Of carbonate Of lint
and II you mako q section Of Il In th'
same way as that Of piece Of chalk wa
made. aud view It with the. microscope,
presents innumerable Globlgcrino embed
ded In the granular matrix.
Thus this deep sea mud Is substantially
chalk. say substantially, because there
are q good many minor differences; but O,
these have no bearing upon the question
Immediately before us-which Is the ma
ture Of the Globlgerine of the chalk-lt !,
unnecessary to speak OF them.