Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-07-29
The Ocean Depths.

Our readers may not all be aware that
there are two war ships now engaged in
deep sea sounding servce-the United States
ship Tuscarora, Commander Geo. Il. Bel
knap, in the Pacific ocean, and II. b. NJ.
ship Challenger, Captain Mares, Il. n, in
the Atlantic. The work Of the Tuscarora
is to survey the ocean bed Of the North
Paci6c, while that Of the Challenger is
more purely scientific. She is making
cruise round the world, sounding 10 ascer-
tain depths 10 the Atlantic Pacific and In
dian oceans, and dredging for the purpose
Of discovering at what depths animal life is
found She has large scientific corps on
board under the direction Of Prof Wyville
Thompson She has been engaged in her
work Of sounding in the Atlantic for more
than year past, and the results obtained
50 far are said to possess much interest and
value in a scientific view.
The United States ship Tuscarora COM
mencod her work in the Pacific in Septem-
Der, 1878, and sounded on a route running
westerly from Cape Flattery at the entrance
to Puget Sound, to a point about north
latitude fliy-three degrees and west longi-
tude one hundred and Fifty degrees, near the
Aleutan chain of islands. On this voyage
thirty-iour casts Of the sounding apparatus
we're made, varying in depth from eighty
eight iathoms, near Cape Flattery, to two
thousand FIVE hundred and thirty-four
iathoms, at a point in mid-ocean stated
above. This is known as the northern
telegraph route
The second voyage Of the Tuscarora is
the one which she is now engaged in. 1t
commenced at San Diego, Southern Cali
fornia, which port the ship left on the 9th
Of January, 1874, and, following a straight
line to these islands, arrived there on the
I'd Of February. During the twenty-seven
days occupied on the passage, sixty-two
casts were made with the sounding appa-
ratus, varying in depth from seventy-one
fathoms, off San Diego, to three thousand
and ifty-fcur iathoms (about three and one
half statute miles,, in mid-occan and sixty
three fathoms near these islands.
One the first night out after leaving San
Diego the lead suddenly struck bottom iu
two hundred and three fathoms, the previ-
GUS cast having shown depth Of one thou
sand and ffty.three fathoms. The cup was
drawn up much battered, and without Sc
curing any sand, which showed that it must
have struck on the pinnacle Of submarine
range. A second cast was made as soon as
possible, and showed depth Of three hun
dred and twenty.eight fathoms, and brought
up sand. This seems to prove what has
been supposed, the existence of a sub
marine mountain range running parallel
with the coast, as was believed to exist by
Lieutenant Brooks, Of the schooner Fenni.
more Cooper. Whatever ridge there may
be, it is thought to be irregular and not
continuous
About eighty miles east Of Hawaii, the
ocean bed indicates raise of three thou.
sand five hundred feet above the level to the
east and west Of it. Here we may presume,
is the germ of new volcanic island now
gradually rising. Whenever the survey OF
the ocean bed is made in more southerly
direction from Hawaii (which is the course
that the volcanic upheavals in this ocean
: are found to follow the summit Of SUBJ
! marine volcano may be discovered much
! nearer the surface than on the side which
f has been lately surveyed.
E The apparatus for soundings on the Tus-
carora is what is known as Thompson's. A
fine steel piano wire serves for line, and
has been found well adapted as it possesses
, pliability and great strength, and is capable
of sustaining weight Of over two hundred
r pounds, yet weighing only twelve pounds
to the mile. This wire is carried down by
? means of a dfty-five pound iron shot, which
G becomes detached as soon as it strikes bot
tom. The copper cup which brings up the
sand, is attached directly over the shot, and
1 is invariably brought up filled with mud,
sand or oole, which is generally very fine,
the color varying in different localities, but
G usually partaking of light olive. Some
specimens which Lt. Brooks had, taken in a
higher latitude, we're of lighter or grayish
!. color, and fine as flour.
The wire used in sounding is reeled on a
d drum two feet in diameter, and a few inches
a in breadth, and though il has been used
? over two hundred times it is as bright and
r free from rust as when first brought on
! board The shortest time in making a
II sounding Of two thousand five hundred
/. fathoms lover two and half miles in
@ depth and reeling the wire in again, was
@ one hour and twenty minutes, though gen.
orally it takes over two hours. No accidents
n of any kind have been reported to us.
| Many interesting facts will doubtless be
| elected from this new branch Of naval SER
vice. The temperature of the water at the
a depth Of two or three miles does not vary
l. much, ranging from 80 to 35 Q but al
, less depths is probably influenced more by
" currents flowing from warm and cold lati'
ID tudes The popular belief that the density
Il. of water in the ocean increases in greai
degree with its depth, has now been proved
We to be an error.
o. For long distance between this GROUP
n. and the American coast, the bed OF the
ed ocean was found to be level, varying scarcely
fathom to the mile, so that, to use the ex
pressiye phrase of an officer, a railroad trair
re could be run over most Of the ocean bee
Ms surveyed. SO far as the survey has beer
made between this group and the coast, thu
an ocean bed has been found most admirabl,
adapted for laying u atelegraphic cable. Th'
wv ridge referred to presents no obstruction
nd whatever, as the rise on either side is quit
gradual.
2" from TINS port tue lusoarora Pioooou
n westward, and will continue her survey Il
Japan, and then return to America via tn
en- northern route. This ship has been foun,
admirably adapted to the service for whic
she was detailed, and we doubt not that tn
,le knowledge gained from her cruise will b
an invaluable to future ocean tefegraphy i
the Pacific, In Commander Belknap an
ed his corps of assistants, the navy department
il has secured officers who give every evi
dence of being the right men in the righ
M place. The service in which the Tuscarorl
Portsmouth, and Challenger are now en-
10 gagged, is noble one, in which nationa
ali ships should be more generally employed
ch and we hope that other ships, not only Q
America and England, but of other naya
nv powers, may bo kept cruising in ever
M ocean, chiefly for the promotion OF scienc
n and eace.-HonolulH Gazette.
'a TnE nature Of the good angels Is a
tM ~ humble. loving and kindly nature. An al
r. gels is fine, tender, kind heart. AS
-. We could find man who had a heart swes
'A all through, and q gentle will withou