The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-07-23
GIANT POWDER.
It's Use as Sea In Procuring Rare
Specimens OF Fish.

II. uJse ne Sea In Procuring Rare
Spec,mens OF Fish.
from the San Francisco Call.
Mr.. A. W. Chase, Assistant of the United
States Coast Survey, read the following
interesting paper Monday evening, at the
meeting of the Academy of Sciences, in
regard to the use Of dynamite at sea in pro-
curing rare fish for specimens: During
the winter of 1873 made some expert
ments off the island Of Santa Catalina with
giant powder, which have some points Of
interest. They were not undertaken at
first as Offering any field of research, but
for the more utilitarian purpose of obtain
ing fish for chowder.' was, however,
so much struck with the
VARIETY AND NUMBER OF FISH PROCURED,
a Id also with some curious facts connected
with the suspension Of animation in the
nerve centers of the fish stunned, that
wrote to the late lamented Agassiz on the
subject. In his reply, which is dated June
l8, 1873. he states that the letter IS full OF
interest, and that the experiments should
be continued and varied. and, Of course,
| asked me to send specimens, etc. But
further correspondence on the subject
which, to me, promised to be exceedingly
interesting, was cut short by his death,
and the specimens afterward obtained are
living in alcohol, with the exception Of a
few that DR.. Steindachner took with him
80 Vienna As you are all doubtless aware,
giant power No. is simply nitro-glycerine
with the addition Of an absorbent earthly
al, <air I'D IN,
Europe being the principal material used
in the factory here. The powder thus
prepared has the appearance and consis-
tency of soft putty, and is put up in cart
ridges the length and shape OF an ordinary
candle In using it for explosion in water,
the can is fitted ON the end of the fuse and
both burned deep in the soft powder, a
string being then tied tightly around the
fuse where it comes in contact with the
edges of the paper wrapper. The top of
the cartridge is then tallowed, and it Is
ready for use. Ihave found that the ordi-
nary waterproof fuse will burn about one
foot to every twenty five seconds, and by
experiment that a cartridge will explode
IN from four to six fathoms with from three
to four inches of fuse l have, however,
made no exact experiments on the sub
ject.
THE SHOCK OF THE EXPLOSION
is most severely felt downwards, as the re-
sis:ance is greater; and the different varie.
ties of sea fish found near the rocky shore:
of the islands as a rule being found on OF
near the bottom, it is desirable to explode
your cartridge about midway between the
surface of the water and the rocks beneath
as you thus reach the deep-lying fish anc
those, like mackerel and smelt which
swim between. Let me now describe t
: you the modus operandi, as practiced by
myself Oft Catalina. would take small
, skiff and pull of to the kelp beds that sur
? round the island. Here, in six or eigh
| fathoms of water, the bottom is distinct!
: visible-the water, owing to absence o
: currents or Of sedimentary deposits, AROUND
: the rocky shore being beautifully clear ant
, limpid. Fastening my skiff to the fioatin!
5 weeds, put of the stems and look dow
j. into the depths below. 1t is most won
Z derful and interesting study. You see tn
J stems of the kelp rising up from the bot
g tom like twisted pillars, often many bein
: twined together. Through these
!. SUBMARINE FOREST ISLES
' you see great numbers and variety Of ifs
e aud crustuced. The large vieja, or re-
: fish, so called Totally distinct from the re-
: fish of our markets); the sp!endidly col
J ored red perch, or mullet, vivid scarle.
# the elegantly shaped sea bass; the pompin
II DO; the smeIt and mackerel, in school
e darting hither and thither; and occasion
y ally a conper eel, uncoiling himself fro,
!. around some stone that he had selected I
5 lie in wait for prey. have often been s
d much interested in watching the move
Y ments Of these fnny tribes that have fo
t gotten the Grand came on. But whs
J; an unusually large school of fish woul
J; swim by, would quietly light the fu.
l. and drop the cartridge into the water gen
1t ly. Ii the water was say eight fathon
rs deep would graduate the fuse for explo
/. ion at four. The cartridge would slowly
" generally in the spiral-and few bubbl
If OF air or smoke arise to the surface. II
ps fish didn't seem, a. general thing, to
;, much alarmed. (Once remember lar
r, red fish took the cartridge for somethil
n good to eat, and reached it just in time
st allow small portion OF his tail to rea'
at the surface.) When the FIRE reached +
,g illuminate Of mercury there would be
Of sudden white fash. then quick, sha
q detonation, the blow striking the bottc
" OF the skif as though some one had stru
Is it with hammer. Then in space
yh time varying from eight to ten minut'
p, every fish within radius Of forty OF a
&. lizards would &.