Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-07
EXPLORING THE OCEANS BED.
Apparatus Constructed Which IL Ex.
pected to Work Wonders.

From the New York Times.
To study the bottom Of the ocean It is neces-
sary to 20 down into the sea. This truthful e1-
preston is very much misunderstood, as nat
uralists content themselves with fishing up
submarine animals and making some sort Of q
general plan Of the topography Of the bottom
by succession Of soundings. The results are
quite frequently very far from what is actually
the case, or from what could be obtained by
little more courage and the expenditure of
somewhat larger sum Of money. Prof. Hermann
Fol has not been disheartened by these consid-
erations, and proposes undertaking the work of
exploring the bottom Of the Mediterranean by
going down under the waters himself. He has
constructed special outfit for his yacht, and
has also made peculiar kind of diving suit and
air pump for the purpose.
By this new system he thinks that 1t will be
possible to descend to great depths without
injury to the ears or the breathing apparatus
and with no danger Of vertigo. The greatest
inconvenience experienced is always found in
coming up from great depths to points where
the effects OF the compression at a depth of
about 100 feet are gradually lessened, and it is
of about ITO feet. When the water is trans
parent and the sun brilliant the bottom can be
seen at depth of rs yards from the deck of
vessel In order to see through undisturbed
water scuttle closed by a thick glass plate
has been put through the bottom Of the Yacht,
by means of which the bottom can be
plainly seen in spite Of the waves. The appear
ance is as though it were perfectly fiat, as there
are no shadows cast, the light coming from
above. In reality, however, when one goes
down in the diving suit he finds the bottom
bristling with rocks and followed with valleys.
The lighting Of the bottom is like that Of room
without windows, receiving its light through
glass in the ceiling. To the one under the
water light appears in the shape of a conc
opened at about an angle of 62 degrees, outside
of which everything is in shadow. Looking up
while IN the clear space the sky can be seen
and very often the clouds can be distinguished
The intensity Of the light under the water
diminishes with great rapidity. At about 90
feet one sees very much less and when the
sun approaches the horizon and the rays get
much more Oblique it seems as though night
had come. Horizontally at 100 feet depth
rock cannot be made out at a greater distance
than rs feet Generally speaking, at a greater
depth than 80 feet one cannot distinguish
things under the conditions that ordinarily OBJ
tain. This will account for the inability to see
their way on the part OF those who attempt to
navigate submarine boats As soon as an object is
seen it is close that there is not time to steer
clear oft Navigation in deep waters can only
be in directions that have already been exam
ined and found clear, which naturally confines
submarine boats within very narrow limits.
Submarine life, such fish, Holsters &c,
nave the uADlt AZ the very nrSt Apprehension
of danger of darting rapidly away and of stop
ping equally quick. They seem to understand
that very few yards will get them beyond the
vision OF their enemy. The shading of the
water varies from blue to greenish. Objects at
depth of 80 feet take blue tinge. and at IS
to 80 feet the light is such deep blue that
objects of a red shade appear black. When
one returns quickly to the surface with his eyes
accustomed to the peculiar underwater blush
light, the aerial landscape, following the laws
OF contrast OF colors, seems reddish. The fact
Of the blue rays of light penetrating so much
further than those of any other color renders it
possible to bring photography to aid the SUBJ
marine explorer in his investigation as to the
real depth that light does succeed in making
its way.
The greatest trouble experienced in the use
OF NJ. Fors apparatus comes from the swells
which penetrate to quite a depth and cause
him to go swinging about from one spot to an
other, but in spite Of this, he has faith in his
methods and counts confidently upon astonish-
ing the scientific world with his discoveries
before the close of the wear