Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-10-26
WONDERS OF THE SEA.

WONDERS OF THE SEA
The two most interesting problems of the
present are, the depth and the life at the
bottom of the deep. II the Atlantic were
lowered 6,564 feet, the distance from shore
to shore would be but half as great, or 800
miles. Iflowered little more than three
miles (19,6SO feet) there would be road
Of dry land from Newfoundland to Ireland.
This is the plain on which the great Ameri-
can cables are laid The depth is about the
same all the way, and the land is some 400
feet wide, as though it was constructed
purposely for the cables, and is called
Telegraph Plateau. The Mediterranean is
comparatively shallow. A drying up of 66O
feet would leave three different seas, and
Africa would be joined with Italy. The
British Channel is more like a pond, which
accounts for its choppy waves. Imagine
miniature of the channel, 547 yards long,
and from So to 240 yards wide, growing
narrower as it reaches the Straits OF Dover.
On this scale the average depth would he
two inches, and the greatest only two and
half-about 200 feet deep. That 200 feet
saved England, and probably London, from
Napoleon, who waited for weeks Tor o
chance to cross while the British ships
sailed up and down, ready to destroy his
transports.
It has been found very difficult to get cor
rect soundings of the Atlantic. A very calm
day must be chosen or the boats will drift
and the line not be vertical. Again, great
care must be taken lest there be currents
below to drag the line and so mislead. Until
few years ago no way could be found to
bring up specimens Of the bottom; for the
weight used to carry the line down, COM
bined with the weight Of the soaked rope,
was too great A midshipman Of the navy
has overcome this difficulty. A shot, weigh.
ing thirty pounds, carries down the line.
hole is bored through the snker, through
which rod of iron is passed, moving easily
back and forth In the end of the bar
cup is dug out and the inside coated with
lard. The bar is made fast to the line, and
sling holds the shot on. When tho bar,
which extends below the ball, touches the
earth, the sling unhooks and tho shot slides
off. The lead in the end Of the bar holds
some Of the sand, or whatever may be on
the bottom, and trap shuts over the cup
TO keep the water from washing the sand
out When the ground is reached shock
is felt as if an electric current had passed
through the line.
In latitude sc deg. 40 min. South and lou-
gitude 81 deg min. West, the depth was
found to be eight and three-fourth miles.
The clay-like substance brought up was sent
to Europe and America, and found to been-
tirely composed of shells. The little ami
mails probably lived on the seaweed in the
| Saragossa Sea until they died and dropped
off, Then they foated along, sinking far
ther and farther until the gases were all out
of their bodies, and finally sank to the
ground. 1t is supposed that the whole ocean
is covered with layer of these delicate lit
tie animals. Near the Fiji Islands Forami.
nifera are found over mile below the waves.
An ounce of the same life from the Adratic
contained six thousand, and D'Orbigny esti-
mates in one pound from the Caribbean Sea
nearly 100000 Individual animals. Rear
Admiral Denham made soundngs in latitude
2Odeg. As min South, and longitude37 deg AZ
min. West, and found plateau so miles long
and - wide, and anchored in mid ocean.
When other vessels came by, the men could
not believe their eyes when they saw ship,
with all sails furled, lying at anchor IN the
middle of the sea. The place was called
Victoria Shoal. Here great numbers of
whales raise their young, and sport IN the
shallow waters.
Sometimes tne water loF tuliIy hio'
around looks like sea of fire, or again like
milk. This effect is made by little insects
swimming on the water, 800 of which make
but single inch. Another beautiful sight
is sometimes seen in the Bay of Biscay The
sea for miles around is tinted light red.
This is caused by marine plant, so small
that in one square inch there are as many
as $4,000 900. One of the smallest animals
in the ocean is the infusoria. 1t Is round,
like globe, and one northumberland. fifty
millionth of an inch in diameter; that is, If
25O, ,OOO 900 were laid in row they would
make only an inch; yet Ehrenberg says
that they have great appetites, some being
the possessors of 200 stomachs. Think OF
there being 200 stomachs in one two. nun:
dred-and. fifty .millionth of an inch.-N 1.
| Independent.