The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1889-06-13
ON BOARD THE "ALBATROss. !"
A Very Finely Equipped Vessel.
An Interesting Branch of the Service

! iICoCubdb1tc VI 4hG <1bIOh1AN Ntloibou
the q. s. steamer ALbGtToSS, at anchor
in the stream opposite the city yester-
day, and was courteously shown all
over the vessel by that gentleman,
who took pride and pleasure In dis
playing the arrangements of a craft
built for special purpose, and filing
that purpose In an admirable manner.
The noticeable feature of the Alba
trosS, apart from her strength and
compactness is the arrangement amid
ships, which is devoted to the praci-
cal work Of the nRturalists and profes-
sional gentlemen who accompany the
expedition.
The AlbdtToSS was built under the
direct personal supervision of Capt.
Tanner, and is the result Of ten years
practical experience in this department
of public service. a.1 -.
The AlbGtross and her cruise ara
for the development of knowledge
concerning the coast, deep sea explo-
rations, and soundings, location of fish
ing banks, and their probable value,
the habits ETC., of deep sea fishes, and
a multitude of minor duties that
busly fill every hour Of every one on
board.
Descending from the upper deck is
found room filed with all the appi-
ances SO familiar to naturalist, but
30 unintelligible to one who doesn't
sabe birds and fishes. Instruments of
all kinds, acids, preparations, tables
and all the necessary appliances, bril-
liantly lighted by electricity. Below
is another compartment filed with
| fish in very good spirits: each speci-
men has bottle Of spirits all to itself.
Here are all kinds Of fish, and marine
life from infusoria to devil fish, all
caught on board the AlbGtToSS, and
hauled up, some of them, from depth
of 5000, and in some instances 1000
fathoms.
Here also are all sorts of deep sea
gear, travis, Norwegian nets, patent
thermometers, logs, saunders, some Of
them costing $50 apiece. Suspended
from the deck floor are some glass
balls six inches in diameter, hollow,
three-sixteenths OF an inch thick.
These glass spheres have an inscrip-
ton which says that the water in them
was forced through the glass at a
depth Of 1900 fathoms, entailing a
pressure of 1850 pounds to the square
inch. Itappears Incredible that water
could be forced through glass, but
there is the water inside, and there is
the compressed air in the space left
untitled by the water. If heated they
burst, with disastrous effect to all in
their vicinity.
Hanging alongside are ingeniousiy
contrived instruments that are self
registering, and at the depth of five
miles from the surface, show with sci
entifc accuracy the temperature, the
kind of bottom, the density, etc, and
close by are travis, specially invented
that bring up fish aud other forms of
marine life from the deepest ocean.
when I began this service, ten
years ago." said Capt. Tanner, 81 was
only able to trawl at an extreme depth
of $50 fsthoms. Now, with this, fish
at the depth of 5000 fathoms can be
brought to the surface for examina-
ton" This is a good illustration of
the progress and efficiency of the
0uIlre b6TFlC6.
The third compartment in this
amidships arrangement is full of
stores, among which is several thou
sand gallons OF alcohol, enough to
blow a feet to Kingdom come.
This is all shut in by steel plate
from the other parts of the vessel, and
in case of disaster can be made into
an immense float.
On the bow is rigging for taking
deep sea soundings. The outfit let
down into the water on each occasion
costs about $1O0, and il the wire
breaks the whole business is lost.
Should it break three or four times
during the day there is objection
made all along the line. A patent
steam gear to work the trawl, steam
steering apparatus and a device fitted
| up on the stern to take instantaneous
soundings attract casual notice.
On the port side is hung ready for
lowering steam launch; it has a
propeller blade directly in the center,
under the boats keel On the starboard
side hangs another one, a stern pro-
peller. These little boats are built
OF thin mahogany and spruce boards,
clinched, and cost 5000 apiece.
Some idea may be gained of the
substantial character of the vessel by
stating that though she is only 331
tons burthen, net, she cost, just as she
hes, 100000.
She has everything that science can
dictate or the service can require, and
is model of clean, smart, American
intelligence.
Capt Tanner, who is q remarkably
jealous officer and evidently fitted by
nature, education and experience for
the post he fills, brought down his
latest charts for the reporters inspec-
ton.
From examination, accompanied by
the captains explanatory comments,
it was gathered that the only haibut
banks on the northwest coast, are
those off, northwest of Cape Flattery,
at the entrance TO the straits of San
Juan de Fuca, and, possibly at Heceta
bank, Lat. AZ N, Lon, 124', 40 W.
The soundings off the mouth of the
Columbia river, went further to the
westward than the usual soundings OF
the U. 8. coast and geodetic survey,
and are interesting, as they show the
existence Of submarine canyon or
valley, evidently the bed of an ancient
river, parallel to the present banks of
the Columbia, and apparently indicat-