New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-18
ADVANCING THE SCIENCES.


gard. Agassz aud Silhman, and by Lieutenant
F. Schwatka and S. II. Scudder. Several of
the papers were of more than ordinary inter
est and provoked much discussion The Coun-
Gil of the Academy met and appointed COM
mittee to arrange for the sale of property be-
queathcd 10y the late Professor Bache. In ad-
dinon 10 the members mentioned IN yestei-
days TRIBUNE the following persons are at
tending The present session of the Academy !;
s. f. Baird, Washington. ID. c.; Is. A. Gould
Argentine Republic 5. p. Langley, Allegheny
Penn. w. Z. Trowbridge, New-foik; wall
lam H. Brewer, New Haven, Conn.,; Professor
A. Guyot, Princeton. n. j.; Henry l.. Abbot,
Wille,'s Point, n. " George j. Brush, New
York.
RESEARCHES IN SOUTHERN WATERS.
Professor j. L. Higard. of Washington. ID. c..
opened the session with paper on The Basin OF
the Gulf OF Mexico" which was illustrated by means
Of a relief model of the basin, constructed 10y the
Superintendent of the United States Coast and Ge-
odetic Survey, c. p Patterson, from numerous
soundings taken in connection with the survey of
the coast. The horizontal curves or contours OF the
depths of every 500 fathoms we're marked upon the
model and also the curves of 10 and 100 fathoms
Before discussing the features OF the basin, Pre-
lessor III gard gave "A short history of ITS eXpoTa-
tion The survey Of the shores and sOundngs of the
approaches he said were begun as long ago as 1876
under the direction of Professor A. ID. Bacbe and
continued until the outbreak of the civil war; Pro-
fessor Louis AgassIz examined the structure OF
the Florida Reefs, in connection with the survey
carried OH by CAPTAIN (now Admiral John Rogers.
Some sections the Straits o. Florida with
temperature observations, were taken. and in 1898
n section across from Cape Florida to the Bahama
mad ha fact
that the Strait is comparatively shallow channel.
a greatest depth Of only $40 fathoms being found.
Near the same cross section Commander Sgsbee
recently found 4S1 fathoms, and in 1850 Lieutenant
Murray found greatest depth of 34i fsthoms in
section across from Indian River Some deep sound
ings the Gulf, reaching nearly 200 fathoms, were
obtained by Lieutenant b. +. Sands at the same
period. Under the administration of Professor
Pierce, Master Il Patt was active iu sounding
across the Florida and Yucstsn channels on which
occasions dredging party, under the late L. F.
Pourtales, accompanied the cruise 1t was not,
however until the present superintendent of the
Coast SURVEY organized systematic exploration OF
the whole Gulf that its character became rightly
msndsr Hcwe on T the West coast Of Florida in
comparatively shallow water, and continued and
brought TO successful conclusion by Commander
SigsDee (1S75-77l IN the steamer Blake.
The basin of the Gulf IS an oval, connected with
the general ocean circulation by two outlets. The
OF the euJlTe UulI cutting IL on w "a HUN
Cape Florida 10 Havana, Is $4,000 square miles,
Supposiu the depth of the Cult e. De reduced by
100 tat hons a surface would be laid bare amount
ing TO Dos, 600 square miles or rather more than
one-third of the whole area. The distance OF The
100 faih0m line from the coast Is about SIX miles
near Cane Florida; 100 miles along tho west coast
OF Foraa at the South Pass Of the Mlssss Poi II Is
only 10 miles opposite the Louisiana aud 1cXts
boundary 1t increases to 100 miles; at vera Cruz 1t
j. 10 miles, aud the lueatan Oaihs nave ABOUT me
same width as the FLORIDA banks
The following table shows the areas covered by
the trough OF the Gulf To the depths stated:
Depth. Area. Differences.
1000 iathOms 5000 square miles oooo
1000 fathoms 100000 square miles $4,000
500 iatnoms $4,000 square miles $4,000
Coast line $4,000 square miles 20SO0O
This table shows that the greatest slopes occur
between The depths of 100 and l.5OO fathoms. The
maximum depth reached Is at tie foot OF the Yucca
tan Banks-2, | 10 !athOms From the 900 iatl0m
line on northern side OF the Gulf 10 the deepest
wafer close 10 Iucatau Banks, say 10 tho depth of
1000 fathoms Is a distance OF 200 miles, which
gives slope OF fye-ninths TO 200, and may DC
sidered practically as plane surface.
The Aucatan channel, which rs the feeder Of the
Gulf has depth OF l.lG4 tatbOms and cross
SECTION a 1885 square miles; The STRAIT OF
FLORIDA in IFS shallow est part, opposite Jupiter
Ialef. with depth OF ga fathOms has a cross-seo-
ton OF Oniy 109l39 square miles. As a consequence
OF tins disparity the waters OF the Florida strait
mast show greater velocity than those OF the lu-
catan Chanoei. he temperature has been taken at
all depths o. the Gulf and the materials exist for the
study of the waters and currents. Actual observa-
ton has that the average velocity of the
rent IN the FLORIDA Straits is abour two miles an
hour and hence Is certain that TINS Strait cannot
supply the volume Of warm water that affects the
temperature of England. Ireland and parts Of NCI-
way Recent ObseIyailo1s have shown that The
connection with The Caribbean Sea i very deep and
that the waters OF rus sea, driven by the westerly
wiad, through the Straits OF 1ucatan, cause very
sITone clrGent. This current Is driven through the
Fonda Straits aud ic1ns that VEN OF ocean circu-
lat .ou known as the Gulf Stream.
ORIGIN OF CORAL REFPS
Professor Hilgard followed by Professor
Agassiz who gave his views concerning the origin
OF the coral reefs OF the Yucatan and Florida Bauks.'
He SAID Darwin tried to show that that the produc
ton OF atos 10 be- ascrbed to the subsistence by
slow degrees of the foundations which they rest
This theory did not hold good with regard to the
coral reefs and atols be met with on tie eastern
slope Of The Wndward Islands TO the North Of Santo
Domingo and the southern coast OF Caba, south of
FLORIDA and M easteTiy direction from Yucatau. |
III order 10 clearly uHders Snd he" submarine !
plateau can be built UP Sufficiently near |
the surface to form foundation on |
which reeiiOmng c0rais might I've. II Is necessary |
70 pay attention TO the various organisms which |
I'VE from tue surface down 10 aDOut 100 iathOhS. |
In calm weather thes swarm near the surface, but
when il rs rough they are 70 be found several |
tathoms beneath the waves They are borne along
by the eat oceanic currents which are crc9i pd nv
the wluds, and supply the c0Tllh o4 The outer edge
oil the reels with abundant TODD. When these sur
face animals die. either 10y coming tact with
colder wafer u from other causes, Their shells aud
skeletons fall TO the bottom, and carry doy n with
some Organic iuaJtci WHICH gives kappis OF
food t. deep animals. The great equatorial cur.
rents fad their way through the Numerous loop !
holes ~ the Windward Islands, and carry with them
the greater portion OF this Pelagic food. tp0n en-
tering the Caribbean SEA, the Gulf stream takes up
these varieties vi Peiagc FOramhIicra and deposits
them IN the places where The Iucatan and Florida
Banks are to he found. In sAallowcr
depths, in thIs case on the
top Of submarine elevations. or volcanic
formations, the Accommodations OF dead sihceous
shells Is very rapid. The action Of seat-water has
scarcely any checking feet. The growth of these
deposits, favored by the presence oil carbonate If
ilme ocean water and lis consequent reduction to
bl-carb1nate by carbOnic acid eventually rcacbe,