Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-09-08
THE CRUISE OF THE u. 8. q. Trs-
CAKORA.
The Surveys by the Northern and
southern Routes for the Great Cable
from San Francisco to Japan Nearly
Cempieted-ResuIt OF the Deep Sea
soundfBgs, Incidents Of Cruise, &c
lCoTFeSpOHdcHce ~ me Eccneng StdF.
OUNALAsHKA, ALBUTIAN ISLANDS,
August 3, 1S4


soundfBgs, Incidents Of Cruise, sSc
TCorrsspOndeHce If The Ecening Stdr.I
OUNALAsHKA, ALBUTIAN lsLANDS,l
August 3, 1874.
Dear Star: We arrived here on the evening of
the 10Th ul.. from Hakodadi, Japan, having
stopped few days ar Tsnags, one of the
Islands of this group, surveying one of its har-
bors, where, if the northern route is adopted
one of the ends of the cable will in all probs-
bility be landed.
My last letter to you, October 11th, 1873, left
MS at Victoria, Vancouver's Island, where we
bad returned from sounding cruise to the
northE ard for supply of coal Although We
had experien need stormy and unfav0rable wealth
er, Capt. Belknap determined, after getting
supply of coal, to again push forward with the
work and complete this line of soundings to
Japan; therefore on the 12'h We proceeded to
NanaimO, B. G., few hours sail from Victoria,
where we not only flIed our bunkers but also
took in deck load of coal. and on the 14th re-
turned to Victoria ready tor sea again. Bat We
now received Instructions from the Navy de-
partment which materially altered the plans Of
our Captain. We were ordered to return to San
Francisco, suspendiDg work TO the nOrthward, !,
owing to the lateness of the season, and to
SOUND OFF AND ON THE COAST
to determine the ''true continental outline OF
the ocean bed proper" We accordingly, oil
the 18th, went to Nesh Bay, Cape Flattery,
and the next morning put to sea. During this
passage, which occupied twenty one days, eight
three casts, the deepest water found being
2, ,4i3 fathoms. The result shown was that
slope or terrace from ten to 80 miles in width
makes Off from the coast in comparatively shOai
water, and then drops down very abruptly to
depths of 500 TO 600 fathoms constituting as it
were an immense buttress to support the CONT
nent. While sounding on the afternoon of the
9Th, some 40 miles on the coast OF California,
and expecting depth of 600 or LOO fathoms,
(the previous cast having been in ,6S9 fathoms,
the lead suddenly brought up at a depth OF 996
fatE0TnS. SRpcimRn
OF the cup was found to be battered and bruised
as tbongh rock or other hard bottom had been
struck. We then sounded round the locality
and found
A SUBMARINE PEAK,
four thousand feet in height, existed in this
part of the ocean, risin very abruptly from the
ocean bed on its northern, eastern and western
sides, with gentle slope on its southern face
The Thomson machine was used exclusively in
taking the deeper casts, and the steam reel was
worked in the shOaleT water, and also found
very convenient in taking serial temperatures,
which were made quite specially. The
weather being most of the time fine and pleas
ant, many observations OF surface ana under
surface currents we're made by Lieut.. f. III.
Symonds.
soUNDINGs.
We ended our last line of soundings on the 9th
of November OF the Farallones, and the same
day came to anchor of San Francisco. On the
10th we went to the Mare Island navy yard
where we remained several weeks. Shortly after
our arrival at Mare Island the " UNPLEASANT
ness with SpaiD," resulting from the Z" Vir-
ginius affair."" occurred, and orders were re-
ceived at the yard to put us in fighting con-
ditIon should war be declared. Accordingly
work was at once commenced for our restO! alton
TO man OF war again. The chart house on the
quarter deck was removed; Th0msOns machine
and the steam reel, together with wire, line and
sinkers, were bundled ashore, and our fall bat
teTy Of guns were received on board and re
sumed their old places, and in a few days We
were prepared to receive the Spaniards should
occasion require it. Thus we remained for sew
eIal weeks, uncertain whether It was to be
''soUNDING OR FIGHTING"
On the 2Sth Thanksgiving dinner and re-
ception was given on board by the officers aud
crew, which was greatly enjoyed, and will b,
pleasantly remembered by those who were pres
ent.
The trouble with Spain having been quietly
settled without the shedding of blood, we we're
ordered to az ain resume our sOuudings, but to
keep the battery On board, and to use the Thom-
son machine altogether for the wOck. We were
further Instructed to sound off and on tle co IS.
from San Francisco to San Diego, Cal. AMI
from thence to survey route from San Dieg
Ito Yokohama, Japan, via Honolulu and tue
Bonin Islands, for submarine cable. Tn
necessary sounding apparatus was once more
brought oil board, coal and provisions taken in
and on the 18th of December we steamed TO San
Francisco, and on the 2Dth put to sea.
The passage to San Diego occupied ten days
during which eight lines or s0undings were run
and ffty-eight casts taken, the deepest being
in 2, 1856 fathoms. These lines were much shorter
than those sounded from Cape Flattery to San
Francisco, for in nearly all OF them tae ocean
bed was reached while very close to the coast,
and in one or two instances $40 or 1000 faith
oms of water were found v hen IN sight of land.
In other respects the results of those soundirgs
were similar to those taken TO the nerthward.
The Thomson machine was 1sed for all the
work, the serial temperatures being taken with
duplicate machine from the top-galIant fore
castle, (the steam reel having been left as the
navy yard,) and not a break or accident oc-
CURED.
Before leaving San Francisco, arrangements
bad been made to have supply of coal sent to
San Diego for us, and upon our arrival there, on
the 30th, schooner with the coal was found
awaiting US, and We at once commenced un-
loading her and preparing for the longer voyage
to the Sandwich Islands. Our stay at San Diego
was but short, we leaving there on the 9th OF
January, 1874, for Honolulu.
| The first five casts after leaving San Diego
l showed a gradual descent of the bottom to ,053
fathoms. At the next soundIngs, however, a
depth of only 203 fathOms was found, and the
bruises and indentstions on the specimen cylin-
der plainly showed that rocky pinnacle had
been struck; the water then rapidly deepens
until the ocean bed il reached. The bottom
now gradually descends in gentle curves ana
undulatiOns until the depth of ,053 fsthOms are
| found; then ridge, or mound, 1000 feet in
height, is passed over; and when close to the
| island or Oahu the lead again drops down to
3023 fathoms. Approaching that island the
water shoals very rapidly, and by reference to
the table of sOundings it is seen that between
4 CASls NOS. Do aDO %, distance OF oS miles.
the decrease in depth is nearly 200 fathoms, or
nearly I statute miles; and between casts Nos.
81 and IS, distance Of only Is miles, the bot
tom rises 600 fatboms, or nearly miles.
The character OF the bottom is nearly uni
form: yellowish brown mud or eOzs being con-
| tinuaily brought up by the specimen cups
The process OF reeling in the wire from the
great depth by the pulley line, "hand- over
hand" was found to be very hard and slow,
owing to the enormous pressure Of such a vast
body of water, and il was during this voyage
that the idea of the balance-wheel was con-
ceived, which saved so much time and labor in
ouI subsequent souDdings.
On the morning of Februry ID we sighted the
islands OF MOlokai and Oahu, and in the after.
noon anchored in the harb0r Of
HONOLULU.
The arrival Of the Tuscarora and also the U.
s. s. Portsmouth, which came into the har-
Dor the day following, was most opportune, and
we we're warmly welcomed by the American
residents at Honolulu, for Lunalilo, the King of
the Hawaiian Islands, was lying at the point of
death, and as he was childess, and also refusing
to name his successor, as the law or the country
allowed him to do-upon his demise new king
was to be elected.
No man-of.war had been In the harbor for
some time, except III. b. NJ. ship Tenedos, and
as trouble was apprehended from the election
and A american interests wOuld be involved In IFS