The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-09-14
OVER FIVE MILES DEEP.

OVER FIVE MILES DEEP.
Something About the Abysses of the Pacific
Ocean-Submarine Valleys Along the Cal
ifornia Coast shallow Water" Six Thou
sand Feet in Depth-A Horn Shaped
Plateau that Serves as a Connecting Link.
From the San Francisco Chronicle.
The popularity Of the Pacific ocean is
that it can be divided into two distinct
parts, the dividing line being the merid
ian of $50 degrees west. The eastern half,
that which leaves our shores, is remark
able for the absence of islands and the uni
form nature of its depth, for, with the
exception Of the narrow strip Of shallow
water surrounding the Aleutian Islands,
and running along the American coast,
the sounding line shows an average depth
of from 1000 to 5000 fathoms, undiyer-
sifed by any remarkable elevations or de-
pressions. The only noteworthy exception
to this great and equal depth is a great
submarine plateau, which extends out from
the Patagonian coast, and which rises to
between 900 and 1900 fathoms from the
surface. This plateau is horn shaped, and
is evidently connecting link between the
South American continent and the Aus
tralian archipelago.
The western half Of the Pacific ocean is
a complete contrast to the eastern. Arch
ipelagoes aud scattered islands are exceed
ingly numerous. and the depth Of the
ocean is uniform. shadows occurring scat
tered over it at irregular intervals Along
the Asiatic coast and between the island
groups there are a number Of partially
inclosed seas, and these are separated from
the great ocean BY submarine plateaus of
sufficient extent and height to warrant the
supposition that moderate upheaval
would extend the Asiatic continent as far
south as Australia, transforming the seas
into inland salt lakes Considerations of
the. peculiar animal and vegetable life Of
New Zealand aud Australia lend probable
ity to the speculation that these islands
we're joined to the main continent of Asia
At some remote period, and il is even posi-
bic to trace the submerged coast line of
the great continent which then existed
The same apheayal acting upon the pla-
teau extending out from the Pafaconian
shore would almost make the Pacific
land locked ocean. the entrance TO it be-
ing between the point Of the new land
stretching out to III degrees east latitude
and another headland formed by what is
now Ducie Island, lying in the same lati-
tude, but about 10 degrees further north.
As has been said. there runs along the
American shore a narrow strip Of shallow
water. but the term shallow IS only 70 be
taken in its comparative sense. Il is from
80 70 200 miles vide, the depth running
from nothing to 900 fathons Outside
this again Is another strip Of Dot quite 50
uniform width, wherein the depth reached
1000 fathoms. quite deep enough to
drown a tall man. The uniform character
Of the seas depth IS quite marked along
the Californian shore but even here there
are ups and downs, shadows aud depths
The coast line has a strip Of water as its
immediate border, IN which the depth
keeps at about twelve fathoms along
ledge or plateau for few miles out, and
then drops sheer down for 500. coo aud
1000 fafhoms. This shore ledge is quite
well defined and generally unbroken, but
in it there sometimes occurs a crevasse or
valley, whose exploration Is matter Of
much curious interest. Directly of Point
Hueneme, at the entrance 70 the Santa
Barbara channel, there is found a remark
able example Of one Of these submarine
valleys. Commencing with iepth Of ten
fathoms 400 yards from the beach, il
increases to fifty fashoms in fye-eighths Of
a mile and then drops suddenly to 113
fathoms or CTS feet, in les than two
miles. Its general direction is south, and
it is bounded all round by depths Of from
twelve to fifteen fathoms.
Another remarkable example of the
submarine valley has been discovered. and
to some extent traced out in Monterey bay
by Commodore james Alden. The head
of this valley is fiFe-eighths ola mile south
Of the Salinas river, and the twenty fathom
line is only a quarter of mile off the
beach, the depth increasing to fifty faith
oms ia the next quarter Of a mile. At
this distance from shore the twenty fathom
lines are three-eighths of a mile apart
The general direction Of the valley for the
Eext two miles is southeast, where there is
a depth Of III fathoms, the fifty fathom
lines running about ive-eighths of mile
apart; thence the valley runs about west,
reaching the depth of ITO fathoms in a
mile and 240 fathoms 10 three and one
quarter miles, with forty-tRo fathoms less /
than mile to the north. The soundings
are not numerous enough to trace its out /
lines in deep water, but the indications are
for ten miles Of its length that it runs
southwest, with no bottom at 81 fathoms. /
1t would appear from this description that
this valley is really an enormous canyon /
that opens through the shore line ledge |
clear out and down into the deep water Of /
the / 900 fathom belt.
Here again the terms deep and crevasse
are to be taken in their comparative sense. /
These submarine valleys of the coast line
ledge have their dimensions, it is true, but /
they sink into utter insignifcance beside |
the ADVISES which mark the bed Of the /
great ocean, abysses which seem to drop
clear to Tophet or Davy Jones locker. To
the east of the Kurile Islands and Japan
there lies crescent shaped space of deep
water that really merits the term. Il ex- I
tends from fifty degrees north latitude to
nearly twenty degrees south latitude, or for
/ 800 miles. although it is Of no great
breadth. The average depth of this area
is nearly 1000 fathoms-that is, nearly |
$4,000 feet. This is deep enough in all
conscience, but along its western margin,
and lying like ditch across the entrance
to the sea of Okhotsk, is an abyss where
the United States ship Tuscarora found
depths of over 1900 fathoms-that is, of
over n 500 feet, or hole about deep
enough to hold Mount Everest if turned |
upside down and placed within it.
Whiting wet with aqua ammonia will
cleanse s. aims from brass, and is an excel
j.