Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-10-30
The Cruise Of the Tusearora.

The Cruise Of the Tusearora.
TWELVE HUNDRED MILES OF THE ROUTE FOR
THk GREAT CABLE TO JAPAN ALREADY
| SOUNDED.
| Arrival at Victoria, rdnoourer's Island, and
Interchange u Narol Cosrfesiss I0iA ERgIish
| 81 sddron - The Island Of San Juan and ne
| Seenery Through ths Strdi6 Of SIa Jam dc
Faea-HdTs and Georgid-BTiIiidsf Display Of
Aarord Boreaiis-RHHning Out Of a CycIoas,
| DE, DC.
| EsQCINALr HARBoR,
Victoria, Vdncoursr's Island, Oct. II. 1879.
Dear Star: My last gave you an account Of
our trial trip to test deep-ses soundings appa-
| ratHs, Sc, and return 10 the Mare island navy
| yard. After making few repairs and coaling
We slipped our cable on the morning of August
3Oth, and after few hours stesming came 10
anchor of San Francisco. September 2d, took
our departure tor Victoria, sighted Cape Flat
| terry the afternoon OF the sth, and at q A. IN. OF
the 9th came to anchor at Port Angeles Bay.
Washington territory.
| EXAMINING FOX A TERMINUS FOR THE CABLE
Soon after breakfast boats were lowered and
preparat Ons made TO examine tue harbor-
Lieut.. Badly being detailed 10 examine lagoon;
Lieut. Norris and Pilot TO take soundings, and
MIR. Fisher, naturalist, and Bostswain Barker
to dTedge and collect specimens. All hands
were on board again by p. m, and shortly
afterwards we got under way for Port Town
send, W. T., arriving there about p. IN.
THE ISLAND OF SAN JUAN.
The scenery through the Straits of San Juan
de Fuca was very attractive, and as We passed
the Island Of San Juan all were eager TO see
that &. eat bore of contention, and the decision
Of the Emperor of Germany and the Alabama
claims were the theme OF many. Our pilot
Capt. Butler, an old pioneer in these parts, had
many amusing incidents TO tell of its history.
ARRIVAL AT NICToRIA-NAyAL CoURTKsIEs,
ETC.
We left Port Townsend on the 10th or Sep
TENDER, and arrived here about 10 d. m the
same evening, coming to anchor in tue Royal
Roads. The following morning we found
anchored near us in Esquimalt Hsrbor nearly
mand of Admiral Sir Arthur A. Cochrane, and
the usual naval sourtesies were exchanged We
left here on the 18th for Nanaimo, a small
turning on the 18th.
HAIRS AND GEORGIA STRAITS.
The scenery through these straits on our pas
sage TO Nanaimo was very picturesque, and the
snow clad summit of Mount Baker, one of the
highest peaks on this continent, was plainly
seen, which our pilot informed us was about
two hundred miles off. We left Victoria on the
10th, and abOut-6 p. m. the same evening came
TO anchor In Neeah bay, near Cape Flattery.
FINAL DEPARTURE AND FIRST CAST TAKEN.
On the morning Of the 18th OF September we
toOk our hnal departure from Cape Flattery.
steaming on great circle course to Japan. A.
a. IN. the engine was stopped, and the first
cast for the great cable that will complete the
electric belt around the world was made, Sir
WIN. Thomson's machine being used, and bot.
tom found at So fathOms.
THE NUMBER OF CASTS TAKEN AND RESULTS
list, 80 tathOms; differences IN miles between
each cast, 10 2, AZ fathoms, 10 miles: b AZ faith
oms, 20 miles; 4, IS fathoms, 20 miles s. s. tath-
oms, IL miles; 6, 292 fathOms, ~ miles; I, S93
tathoms, miles; 9, al fathoms, miles; g. 6fS
iathoms, miles; 10, 900 fathoms, miles, IL,
1878 fsthOms, So miles; II and 49, l,3l6 faith
oms, 1G miles; "A, 1907 fathoms, So miles: 10,
l,452 fathoms, ~ miles; 10, ,519 fathOms A.
miles; IL, ,6i2 fathoms, % miles IS, 1921 faith.
oms, 3 miles; 10. ,s2S fsthOms, A miles; %.
l,g.3 fathoms, Al miles; p, 1850 fathoms, IS
miles; % 2,O3l fathoms, 81 miles; %, 1895 faith
oms, AZ miles; "A, 2,032 fathOms, so miles; p,
2,O.4 fathoms, 40 miles; %, 2,ll7 fathOms, 80
miles; 2, lbs fsthoms, A miles %, 2,243 faith
oms, 90 miles; 20, 2 292 fathoms ii miles: 20
2.299 fathOms, a miles; 81, 33I fathoms 81
miles; -, 2,26I fathOms, 81 miles; 80, 1872 faith
oms, 40 miles; 81, ,534 fathoms, 60 miles.
SUBMARINE MOUNTAIN.
When at a distance of 20T miles from CAPE
Fla;tery the depth OF water suddenly decreased
from some 400 fathoms to less than ,O01 faith
oms, showing the existence of q sub marine
mountain over 2 400 feet in height. From this
mountain TO the position of our last cast. we
found TIE surface Of the ocean bed to increase
IN derth in ratio of one fathom to the mile
Inc last cast taken was in latitude $50 So n.
and longitude 1889 TO- w.
THE APPARATUS USED IN SOUNDING, ETC.
The Thomson machine was used in most all
the soundngs, with Gin. shot of 50 lbs. ami
Captain Belknap's modification of the Brooks
detaching apparatus and his cylinder, No. l.
little used.
At every cast, when the sea would permit,
the whale boat was lowered, aud Lie ut. Sy
monds and Midshipman Putnam expert mented
for the set and strength OF current.
THE TIME OCCUPIED IN SOUNDING, BOTTOM
POUND, AND TEMPERATURES OF WATER.
The average time occupied in taking the casts
were from one to two hours, the Temperature OF
the water being about o6S F., aud the bottom
round was OF blue, black, and brown mad, with
ooze and an occasional mixture of gravel and
shell.
THE AURORA BoREALIs, GALES EXPERIENCED,
KTC.
During the evening of Sept 22d brilliant
display of the aurora boreaiis was observed
On our passage out We encountered several
gales, and had to che to- twice; but the weather
in all, however, was very favorable for our
work. Large schools of whale were seen on
several occasions, which was quite a sight 70
some Of the new sons of Neptune
RUNNING OUT OF A CYCLONE.
On our passage back we had considerable
rain, with sudden squalls, and on the morning
of the 9th of october the barometer commenced
falling rapidly, the wind veering from south
ward and eastward to northeast. with very
heavy swell from southwark and westward, and
between meridian and 4 p. m. blowing fresh
gale, to which we reduced sail; at 5 y. m,
strong wind, increasing TO gale, and barome-
Ter sun railing; p m, heavy gale from west
northwest; to midnight, very cloudy, with
from heavy gale to strong winds from southwest
oy west to southwest, and scuiding before
very heavy, rough sea. At midnight the ba-
rometrI commenced rising and the gale de-
cressipg.
REIUg TO VICTORIA FUTURE OPERATIONS,
On the evening of October 9th, about p. m,
sighted Cape Flsttery Light; at ., shortened
sail and commenced steaming, and the next
morning came TO anchor at ESquimalt harbor,
Victoria. We leave tomorrow for NanaimO to
coal ship, having returned for that purpose,
and expect to get TO sea again on the 18th, and
will sound as far as our coal or the weather will
permit. We expect, however, to return to San
Francisco the latter part of November, and the
rest OF the winter will be spent in running a
line OF soundings from there to the Sandwich
Islands, and next spring our present route will
be continued. All the soundings taken were
under the direction OF Captain Belknap, as
sisted by Lieut.. Commander Jewell, Lieuts
Badly and Norris Lieut.. Symonds obtaining
the set and strength of the current at and below
the surface. All on board are we'll
IN THE BAzATNE COURT MARTIAL yesterday,
NJ. Feuhaut, messenger, testified that under
fear of capture by the enemy he swallowed a
dispatch, which he was carrying from Thou-
Vile TO Metz. The dispatch. was recovered and
delivered TO the officers at headquarters in
Metz, on the 29th of August. but was by them
thrown into the fire unread. Lieut.. Nogues
swore that he fruitlessly attempted to deliver
to Bazaine dispatch Entrusted to him on the
23d of August by the Empress. He admitted,
after much prevarication, that he was also the
bearer n a disDatch 70 Gen hat Tna