Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-06-09
The Wonders of the Deep Sea.

Some interesting results Of recent deep
sea explorations were concisely stated in II
late lecture of the royal institution, Lon
don. Four-elevenths, or nearly three
fourths, of the surface of the earth is COW
cred by sea. The average depth of the
ocean is, according to the latest calcula-
tions of Mr.. Otto Krummell, about 1917
fathoms, or somewhere over two miles.
The greatest depth known to exist was
| discovered by the United States Ship Tus-
Northeast Pacific. 1t is 4655 fathoms, or
about five miles and quarter. The high
est mountain existing is of about the same
height as the deepest sea is deep. Mount
Everest is 1888 fathoms in height. So
Insignificant, however, is the total volume
of the land raised sea level in proportion
to the vast cavity emptied by the seq, that
were this cavity emptied OF its water, the
whole of the land now above sea level
could be shoveled into it twenty-five and
one-half times over befare it would be
filled up to the present sea level.
Nevertheless, the depth of the oceans,
great as it is, is as nothing in comparison
with the vastness of their extent of sur
face. AS Mr.. Croll has said, the oceans
in relation to their superficial area are as
shallow as sheet of water one hundred
yards in diameter and only IN inch in
depth. The side of the ocean basins are
not at all steep. They are mostly so little
inclined that an ordinary locomotive en-
gine could run up them in straight line
with ease. Their inclination is usually not
more than three or four degrees, or less.
Around some oceanic island the slope is
greater. The steepest slope known is at
Bermuda, where there Is an inclination Of
nearly twenty degrees from the edge of
the reef to 1000 fathoms. There are no
such things rs mountains and valleys on
the deep bottom.
Animals cannot slip down against their
will into the depths, but must move delib-
erately into them. and travel long jour
ney to reach them. The pressure exerted
by the superintendent water at great
depths is so great as TO be almost beyond
conception. 1t amounts roughly to ten
on the square inch for every 1000 fathoms
of depth, about one hundred and sixty-five
times as much as the pressure to which
people are subject to land. At the greatest
depths the pressure is about four tons and
| haii' "o0 lhous5h lhio PiOooulo io' ~ 10,
however, only about one-eighth of what
Prof. Able and Capt. Noble nave measured,
as produced in their experiments on gun
powder. The deep sea animals, being
completely permeated by fluids, are prob
ably no more conscious of pressure acting
upon them than we, and, so long as they
move slowly from one depth to another.
are most likely unaffected by the conse-
quent changes of pressure. With regard
to the temperature of the deep sea water,
the conditions which would affect animals
are comparatively simple. Nearly all over
the ocean the temperature at 500 fathoms
is as low as 400 F., and this is the case
even Immediately under the equator in the
Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Below 2000
fathoms the temperature is never more
than few degrees above freezing point
excepting in the peculiar cases of land
locked seas, such rs the Sulu sea.