Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-11-16
DOWN IN the DEEP.
Strange Discoveries Bs1sath tho
Cult Stream.
Recent Explorations by the united States
fish-Commission Steamer Albatross
---Seme Of the Curious Things
Found There.
ES,r ForS Tia.z.

same conditions as in 1888 BY the steamer
Albalross, Lieutenant H. l.. Tanner, COM
mander. During the Eve trips made from
July to September 90 dredg;ng3 were OBJ
tanned. In most Of these large BEAM
tIawl was used successfully, even at great
depths, Of these dredgings . were in
depths between 900 aud 1900 fathoms G
successfully; 90 were between 1000 and
2,0O0 fatLoms; 81 between SEQ and 1000
fathoms; < between 900 and 500 fathoms;
| Sc between 80 and 200 fathoms.
The first trip was made while the steamer
was on her way north from Norfolk, Va,
and some of the localities were of the coast
of MARYLAND, the most southern being in
north latitude 81 81, but most Of the
others have been made in the region south
and southeast of Martha Vineyard, though
some Of them were long way OF the coast.
The five stations in depths, below 1000
fathoms were more than halt way to Ber-
muda, and nearly east of the coast OF Vir-
giuia, between north latitude So 05/ 30"
| and IL 4S| 10 and between west longitude
6o' 81 and II So.
The result are highly satisfactory, both
in the way Of physical observations and
geological discoveries.
Characters of the Decp.Sea Deposits.
Some very interesting and important lis.
coveries were made IN regard to the nature
Of the materials composing the sea bottom
urier the Gulf stream at great depths.
These observa lions are Of great interest
from a geological point Of view, and some
Of them are contrary to the experience of
other expeditions and not in accordance
with the generally-accepted theory of the
nature OF the depo.its far from land. The
bottom between 600 and 1000 tathoms, in
othe. reg ions, has generally hell found to
consist maiuly Of the minute shells Of
Ios1minitera, which live at the surface and
ioh IL the bottom as they die. This me-
ierial is called 'globigerina ooZe" OF oar
rorthern coasts, however, although there is
more or less impure globigeriua oole, al
Suca depths, at most localities beneath the
Gull stream, this is by no means ALWAYS the
case. The ooze is always mixed with some
sand and frequently with much clay mul
In a number of instances the bottom in
depths be ween 400 and 200 flthomS has
been found 10 consist Of tough and compa
clay so thoroughly hardened that many
large angular masses, sometimes weighing
moe than 100 pounds, have been brought
up in the trawl and have not been washed
away apyceciably, notwithstanding the
rapidity with which they have been drawn
up through about two miles of water. In
fact, these masses OF hard clay resemble
large angular blocks OF stone but when cut
with knife they have consistency some
what ike hard CASTLE soap, aud in sections
are notified with lighter and darker tints Of
duh green, olive, and blush gray. When
dried they develop cracks and break up
into angular fragments. This material is
genuine cldv, mixed with ore or less sand
showing under the microscope grains of
quart and feldSpar, with some scales of
mica. More or less of the shells of globi-
gernia and other toraminiier. are contained
IN the clay, but they make up a very small
Ielcentage Of the material
n other localities, between 1000 and
1900 fathoms the bottom is covered with
or largely comDOsed of hard. very irregular,
Hartened, crust like cOncretiOns Of clay and
non oxide with more or less manganese
oxide in the crevices, and wO"m-burr0ws
with which they are filed At some loeal-
tiles several hundred pounds of such masses
consisted Of sticky blush clay It was
estimated that about ton OF this material
came up. There were adhering to these
hard masses some coralS, gorgonians,
hvdroids, and brvoZoa, with the rare
orachiopods, Dscina Atlantica, and VALID
heimia Uranium, in considerable numbers.
Rounded boulders and pebbles of granite
gneisS, and other crystalline rocks occurred
at number of stations under the Gulf
stream. One boulder, weighing over 20
pounds, was taken at LIS fathoms. The
following are other localities: Station
2lS5, in LOSS fathoms, north latitude $50
x, west lor"itude 70o OF, a granite
boulder, about four inches in diameter, its
surface covered with adherent species Of
'crau inilera and some annelid tubes; STA
ION 2,226, in 2,02l fathoms, north latitude
- 90, west longitude ~ 81, a large
number If pebbles and small boulders OF
granite, porphyry, etc, aud some coal
tindc!S. The pebbles were more o. le1s
covered with adherent forauinitera and
rryozoa. Scattered bOulders and pebbles
have also occurred at many other local
tiles along theiurer edge ofthe Gulf stream.
These have probJbIy al been carried out
there by ice floating away from the coast IN
spring.
A Curious Instance
of the occurrence of abundant relics Of hui
man handiwork was observed this year, 1T
station 2,222 in 1857 fathoms north lati-
tude 50 OS' l5", wess longitude TO- %
60, beneath the Gulf stream, large num-
Der Of common bricks with mortar and SCOT
still Gdhcring 10 them were brought up in
the trawl Some were nearly entire but
most were in fragments. Annelid tubes,
brachiopois, (Atrekia guomon,) and other
forms of Geepsca life were attached to
them. but only in small quantities, showing
that thew had not been on the bottom very
long. These may have come from some
wreck or they may have formed the deck
furnace of some whaling vessel and had
been thrown overheard on the homeward
trip. At any rate, the accident Of biting
upon the precise locality of such relics is
very curious. Otherwise than in this IN.
stance we have rarely found in deep water
any human traces except coal cinders from
steamers.
In all the ten localities between 1000 and
5000 fathoms, the bottom was ''globigerins
ooze." We have never met with the red
clay which ought to occur at such depths
according to the observations made during
the cruise of the Challenger.
Temperatures.
The temperatures abSeryed with the much
improved thermometers now used on the
Alba;ross were between 3640 and 81
Fahrenheit in 1000 to $500 fathons. But
temperatures essentially the same as these
we're also taken in 1000 10 1900 fathoms,
and even in 965 fathoms one observations
gave &c 80 Fahrenheit. 1t follows from
tbaSa observations that nearly the mini