The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-11-11
TIE WONDERS OF THE OCEAN.
Mnde by Deep-sea Dredgers
on the Edgo OF tho Gulf Stream.


on the Edgo OF the Gulf Stream.
A correspondent writing. from New
Haven, Conn, says: In the opinion OF
professor A. E. Verrill, of Yale College,
the irecent deepsea dredging expedition
off the coast of Rhode leland, on the
edge of the Gulf Stream, under the aus
pices of the United States Fish Commits.
sion, proved the most sucesssful ever sent
out by this or any other country. In
three days more specimens were obtained
than by any other expedition in as many
months. Indeed, the English, expedi-
tion on the Challenger, which was at
work deep.sea dredging for Eve years con
tinuously, did not accomplish more or
get larger collection.
The dredging was done from seventy i've
miles to one hundred and fifteen mieIs
south of Newport, in the region known
on the charts as Block Island Soundings,
the depth of the water being from one
quarter 20 three quarters of mile. The
specially colalructed steamer, Fish Hawk,
fitted up with the most approved scien-
tihc appliances, was used, aud the ex-
pedition was under the direct charge of
Professor Baird, Of Washington. The
ground was especially favorable. A
PS|u,i"' oS"ii tia"i WIS useu iOI eCIap-
ing the bottom Of the ocean. It was q
net forty or City feet long. The mouth
of IL was spread open by ar oak beam
fifteen feet long and six inches in diane.
ter. The beam rested upon heavy iron
runners to keep the network bag about
TWO feet off of the bottom. The lower
side of the mouth Of tho net was formed
of o receding rope, weighted with lead.
This rope dragged along the bottom and
scraped the shellfish, shells, and what
not, into the net. Fish swimming at
that depth were also scooped in, and once
inside, they were entang!sd in pockets that
prevented their escaping. This trawl
would be thrown out and drawn along
behind the steamer, making swath half
mile long and twelve or fifteen wide.
Then o powerful hoisting would be set
TO work and the trawl and its contents
hoisted aboard the steamer. AS many as
1000 pounds weight of stuff would be
taken from the bottom of the ocean each
time the trawl was hoisted. Two barrels
of alcohol day were used in preserving
rare specimens. To put them in shape
will be,the work of weeks. To thorough
ly arrange and classify the thousands of
specimens obtained viii occupy the Com
mission all Winter. Most Of this work
will be done here by Professor Verrill and
his assistants. 81
Eighteen species Of fish were caught
heretofore unknown anu unGesCriDed,
besides others known. to Greenland and
Northern Europe, but not to our coast !;
also, o wonderful variety of crabs, shrimps
and lObster-like creatures, some of them
very handsome, and forty species of them
entirely new. One hundred and fifty five
I-S nd @E 81. H..
and fifteen of them not before known on
this part of the coast, fifty five not known
as inhabitants of American waters, and
thirty wholly unknown to scientist here
tofore, were obtained. In addition two
new kinds of devilfish, one about a foot
l. ng 1.-TWO hundred specimens of new
and pretty squid, and twenty new kinds
of stnrfish were taken. Ofthese starfish
thousand0 of specimens were netted, some
of exceeding beauty. Quite q number
of new species ofcorals were caught, some
of them being brought up by the bushels.
Of fan coral, some beautiful specimens
were obtained. Hundreds of sea hne-
mones, brilliantly colored, some of them
measuring q foot across, delighted the eyes
the men of science. One strange discov-
cry was worm inhatitinga quill like d
goose quill. The quills were about q
foot long. and soon after being taken out
of the water grew sc hard! that they
could be and were used for pens. They
stood up in the mud at tho bottom of the
sea. The worms inside were opal colored
and when taken out Of their strange ten
ements glistened and presented rather
= pretty appearance, 80 far ! as color was
concerned. They were raked up by thou
sands, and none of the scientific men ever
heard of them before.
The discovery was made that the tile
fish is plentier than the cod. A Glouces.
tor fisherman last Winter hauled in the
first t:lefish. Since then few have been
caught. Professor Verrill, however,
caught three with perpendicular trawl
line. On opening their stomachs he
found therein some os the rare crustacea
that abounded thercabou,s, and he knew
it was their feeding ground. He
is satisfied that they arc plentier
Block Island. One of the three fish
caught weighed fifty pounds. Tho tile.
fish, as described by Professor Verriu, is
magnificent fish. OF light yellow brown
color, shaped like sea bass; and spotted
all over with yellow. It is fine eating,
and he is convinced that 1t is destined to
become favorite market fish, now that
it is known where : it can be readily
caught. sf
All of the fish caught by the dredge
have gone to- the Headquarters of tho
Commission in Washington, The other
specimens came here in many boxes o
few days ago, and the work of arranging
them is now being pushed forward. AS
ono hundred series of the various speci-
mems will;be made up and distribu ted
among the museums Of the country, the
first choice going to the National Muse
um at Washington, the second TO the
Peabody Museum here, the :hird to the
Museum aJ Cambridge, aui su ON. "A a
complete and detailed report will also be
made by the Commission.
The records of the temperature at diff
ferent depths we're always, made with great
care At n danth of from 100 1Ao1 G..i.
oms the temperature was usually from 81
to SO degrees Fahrenheit. F0m i41} to
1926 fathoms twas 40 to q degrees, and
at 500 fathoms it was 40 degrees. The
pressure at 800 fathoms or over was very
great-sufficient 10. crush and press to.
gether the wood that encased the ther-
mometer until it was u shapsless mass,
and to so press the rope used to lower the
instrument that 1t came up hardened and
squecssG together until it resembled q
bar of metal.
In the nine years the Fsish Commission
has been established IL has dfedged in
9 000 locatitina fhnthi sballor, ond 49,,