The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1869-08-07
Pfcsatsous Pinnacles.

The correspondent of the London Times on
board the Great Eastern contradicts some com
monty received conclusions, thus:
1.-THE lice Of The French cable first starts in
very shallow water from Hinion Bay, but in fouz
O. i've miles it deepens from II to 20 fathoms.
and then gradually shelves from 80 to W and ~
hthoms; depth which is pretty equally main
tanned over the whole bed of the English Chan
mel. At this level. but on the whole gradully
deepening, it continues till in line with the
westernmost part of the Irish coast, where, TAX
ing northern course, it passes down gentle
slope of sand, that continues descending till the
depth increases from 200 to $40 and 800 fathoms
and then, in Q short distance, to LOO fathoms.
Over all the rest of the course to Taid.ocean the
bottom is mud, shells, and sand, and with uni.
form depth of about 1900 and 1900 fathoms.
This course would have brought the Great East
ern close to the northward of the gaunt spires
known as the Three Chimney and which as
laid down in the admiralty chart, were conf
IDENTIFY believed to exist. When this was men
toned some months ago in the Times, contro.
versy ct once arose in these columns, some naval
men merely denying the existence of these rocks;
while tho other side rendered the evidence Of
eye witnesses, who averred that they had actual
" seen them. The matter is now set at rest, and
If ever the Three Chimneys had an existence
they have none now. The Atlantic cannot afford
to lose the small amount Of interest which at
tached to the supposed presence Of these solitary
peaks, but facts are stubborn things" and it
has now been placed beyond doubt that they
are not to be found, at least in the latitude and
longitude in which they appear on the charts.
Lieut.. tombstone, in the course Of his soundings,
went over the exact spot where they are indicated
in the chart and found over 900 fathoms of water
with deep sea all around, and not the slightest
kvoc ~ oh IN no
sooner, therefore, they come out OF the admiralty
map the better, and 1t would be curious to know
how they ever got there at all
"From the locality of these fictitious pinnacles
the cable course is kept in q pretty regular
depth of from 1900 to 1000 fathoms, and through:
out over a soft bed of mud mixed with myriads
of the most minute shells. These shells comprise
various forms of diat0nadci0 which, though per-
feet in their organization, are 90 exquisitely
small as only to be visible under the most pow.
erful microscopes. They are really as fine as -four,
and the greater part of the bed Of the Atlantic is
covered with the debris of these minute animal
cule, the existence Of which proves conclusively,
which was long denied, that ct these great depths
there is an absolute cessation of all motion. Over
such bottom the line is taken in an arc of a
large circle the most southerly point of the cable
being in AZ degrees north latitude, and the most
northerly 48 degrees. Along the southern end
of the Newfoundland bank it is sunk in about
$50 to 200 fathoms, the water on the bank itself
vary from 80 to 90 fAthoms Thus it is complete.
y sheltered from ice, which, if the icebergs pass
the bank at all, must clear the cable, which lies
under its lee by some hundred fathoms or more.
From this point it is taken up due north in the
channel between the Green bank and the ST.
Pierre bank in an almost unvarying depth Of
500 fathoms. From this point out the course is
over very regular shoal water, 80 to speak, being
at no part less than 100 fathems, and generally
over $50 tn near Boston"