The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-12-20
THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA.

The storeHouses of the Mighty Deep,
and What They Contain.
The deep sea explorations which have
been made for the last few years are
compelling the mighty deep to yield up
what has heretofore been believed to
belong to domain unbelievable to the
mind of man. Some thirty years ago
Lieutenant Brook, of the United States
Navy, succeeded in bringing up a few
ounces of ocean sand from a depth of
two miles, and it was distributed among
three or four great scientists, who ac-
knowledging its receipt, expressed their
wonder that such an achievement should
have been realized. To-day scientists
are placed in possession of materials,
which, considering the possibilities of
the future, bid fair to make the hereto
fore hidden secrets of the deep known
to the world. The recent explorations
Of the United States Fish Commission
steamer Albatross have resulted in
some remarkable discoveries. The bot
tom of the sea, says the report, at the
depth of 900 to 1000 fathoms has gener-
ally been found to consist of small shells
of seattle which live ON the surface,
and in dying, sink. Lieutenant
Maury compared the descent of these
minute shells to the fall of snow on
land. Off our Northern coast the COM
maaders of the Albatross brought up
;-zs.>,;a ..a-depth Of one and two miles large
quantities of tough, compact clay,
''some of the pieces weighing more than
one hundred pounds" Some of these
masses of clay resemble large angular
blocks Of stone, but when cut with
knife they have consistency like hard
CASTLE soap, and in sections are mot
tied with lighter and darker tints OF
dull green, olive and blueish gray"
This Is pronounced genuine clay, show
ing under the microscope grains of
quartz and feldspar, scales of mica and
small percentage of minute shells.
Other masses OF clay showed iron OK
ide and magneSe oxide. About ton OF
ferruginouS clay was brought up, the
cracks lined with black magnese OK
ide, shells, coral and the remains of
small sea fish adhermg to the bottom
and sides. Under the Gulf Stream
rounded powders, pebbles of granite,
gneiss and rare crystals were found.
Bricks, coal cinders, pieces of iron,
which had tloated from the shore on the
ice, or had been thrown from vessels
were found in some places, minute
forms of sea life adhering to them.
Many additions were made to the fauna
of great depths, several of the discover
les in this direction being entirely new.
We quote passage from the report on
this subject:
Some of the fishes were of great interest.
Huge. Spiny spider crabs (Litbodes agassiZii
over three feet across were taken in 1000 to
l.5JO fathOms, and another very large
crab (GeryOn quniquedensl occurred in
great abundance in so to 1909 fathoIuS, whi!e
in 2,574 fathOms a large and strong lobster
like species tmunidopsis) was taken. Numer
Gus species of handsome shrimp, many of
them bright Colored and some very largo
size, occurred in Loo to 2,9O0 fathOms. Even
those from below 1000 fathoms have large
eyes. Some of these have not been taken
before.
How these specimens must have
opened their large eyes as they emerged
from the blue depths of the ocean and
stared at their biped captors! The re-
port makes no mention of the capture
-of 1hermaids or mermen, that field of
discovery having been too well occupied
years ago and now being monopolized
by men of genius like Jules Verne, who
sit in the quiet of their studies and
make deep sea explorations with their
imaginations. But the report refers to
numerous shells heretofore unknown, to
coral of new shapes and color, and to
various forms of sea life, all of which
will absorb the attention of scientists.
These explorations should receive the
cordial encouragement of our Govern
ment. They open a new and mex
haustible field of research and are des-
tined to be productive Of a vast amount
of valuable and interesting knowledge
heretofore hidden from the ken of sci
ence. The men who unlock the store
houses of the mighty deep will add as
much to the lustre of their age as the
inventors who have bound continents
by the electric wire, trayersed them by
the power of steam, and lighted the
great cities of the world by electricity
UeUeiGnd Le0dcr.