The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1870-04-21
interesting Deep Sea Discov-
H cries. u

ton made to the Royal Society by DIR.
Carpenter on the results of the deep-sea
explorations carried on the past Summer
and Autumn by himself, Professor Wy
vile Thompson, and Mr. Gwyn Jeffreys.
1t Will be remembered that on an applica-
| ton made by the Royal Society, the Ad-
miralty placed Her Majesty's ship Porcu
! pine, Captain Calver, at the disposal of
the explorers. In this vessel three expe-
ditions have been made, and the sea bed
explored from the northern extremity Of
the Bay of Biscay to the Farce Hands
Dredgings were obtained from a few
tathoms near the shore to $500 fathoms,
or nearly three miles, out at sea ; and the
mud brought up has been carefully exam
ined for whatever of animal life it might
contain.
DIFFERING for moment notice Of tn,
animal forms discovered, we turn to the
account Of the temperature of the sea at
different depths. These determinations
were made with the thermometer express
" devised for the purpose by DIR. Mil
Ter.
At the surface there is stratum OF
water, the temperature of which varies
with latitude and the season. When,
however, this temperature is high, it de-
cllnes rapidly, and is lost at about 100
fathoms From this, in deep water, ther,
IS rapid decline to about 1000 fathoms,
at which there is tolerably constant tenn
perature from 38 deg. Fab. to 36 deg.
Fab. Abrupt variations In the level OF
the bottom occasion considerable local
difference In temperature, by obstructing
| ha cfo Fr,< A
regions, but the result of the thermome
trio observations is to show the existenc
or astratum Of ice-cold water from SOC
fathoms, downward; a stratum OF warm
water from 100 fathoms upward, and a
stratum or intermixture between the two
should be mentioned that the loves
temperature found in these higher lati
ludes is above that OF the deep sea water
IN the equatorial regions, which is accoun
ted for by an uninterrupted flow OF cold
Water from those regions.
Turning from the temperature, we
come TO the extraordinary fact that in the
| dsa tesy abysses of The sea there is abanti-
ance OF animal life 1t was once suppos-
led that no animal could exist lower
than 800 fathoms but this question is
now set concluslvely at rest, for not only
nave the globigerina Comparatively low
forms of life,) but the echinderms, mol
luscs,and crustacea been brought up from
the profoundest depths of the ocean.
| What it will most in crest biologists
to learn, IS, that 157 species f molluces
We're found, none of which were previous
| ly known to exist in the British Seas, and
MANY OF which are altogether new to sci
ence. .Ofechinodcrms tile number known
70 exist is now nearly, doubled, while 50
many varieties Of arenaceous foraminifera
have been found hat it will be difficult
to find names for them. .# ri. i. f.
Many sponges altogether new have been
discovered, some fine specimens of which
were exhibited at the Royal Society, As
regards the source from which these ami
mails derive their food, DR.. Carpenter re-
marked that it resolves itself into the
single question of the maintenance of the
globegerina or chalk animalcules. ,tsO /
They, it would appear, can live by
themselves, and all the others can live
upon them. The food of these animals
is supposed to be the organic matter
(the mysterious bathy bus which is eve
rywhere difiused through deep sea water.
But, it may be asked, bathyblus whence /
There are some who believe thatinorgan-
ic matter may pass. by spontaneous
change into condition ready to become
organized. There are probably others
who will see in this deep sea organic mat
ter only the result of animal decomposi.
ton, OF which there. must surely be
enough in the ocean. .sd s,,, 81 ,,rIar,
To conclude, we may notice what is |
perhaps the most interesting OF all the
discoveries made, viz: That some of the
animals brought from depth of 1,270l
fathoms had perfect eyes, while the color
of their shells indicate light. Thus it |
would seem that the deepest abysses OF
the ocean are not absolutely dark. SirI
Charles Lyell suggested that the light III
these depths is phosphorescent. On this
matter we must wait for futher informa
ton, and Mr.. Gwyn Jeffery held out the |
hope that with the assistance of Sir G. |
Wheatstone, some steps might be taken
IN another pedition to ascertain the
character and the intensity Of the light
in the deep ocean. e.a.s sat Il
1t is gratifying to learn that the results |
O this expedition are incomparably more
Important than any before obtained. Iral |
ians, Danes, Norwegians, Sweeds and
Americans have also been busy sweeping
the ocean bottom; and Russia is now
preparing a dredging expedition. From
all this we may expect that in a few years
the world under water will be as well
known as that above it..
Among the packages bid off st an auc-