The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-05
Tho Cable to Honolulu.

The Cable to Honolulu.
The soundngs Just completed by the Al
batross. although developing some OBJ
stacles, are probably more favorable than
any made before to the project Of laying
submarine cable between California and
Hawaii. No prolonged plateau was found.
like the famous one in tho Atlantic.
while an irregular bottom exists over q
considerable part OF the course. with some
deep holes and ravines and high peaks and
mountains. But taken as whole the line
surveyed by the Albatross seems to be more
promising than that Of the Tuscarora, and
the information acquired justifies the APP
preparation OF $4,000 which was made by
the last Congress for this work.
The voyage OF the Tuscarora was under
taken about fifteen years ago. The most
noteworthy obstacle found by her was a
mountain which rose abruptly, making n
difference Of about $4,000 feet in the sound
ings within short distance. and coming up
to within little more than 1000 feet from
the surface. With view OF avoiding this
peak. or range, the Albatross took course
about twenty miles north OF the Tusca-
rora's. and. in fact. escaped 1t. AS q partial
| Offset she found other elevations. but
the highest was nearly four times
| as fer below the surface as the principal
| one noted by the Tuscarora. The deepest
| point discovered by the Albatross was 5000
| fathoms. and shoaling to 2.4OO immedi-
ately afterward showed this to be pocket
or valley. Theleast depth. after once getting
we'll away from the coast OF the continent,
was at the peak already mentioned. or 1900
| fathoms. In general. for long distances.
| there were depths varying between $500
and 5000 fathoms. with rather favorable
gradations from one depth to another
The general indications already spoken
| OF are those Of the outward voyage only.
as reported by Lieut. Commander ZERA L.
| TANNER to tho photographic Office. The
return voyage to San Francisco. which was
completed the other day, gave still another
set OF soundings. taken. however. it is said.
along only comparatively small part
| OF the route. The report Of this return
voyage has not yet reached Washing
ton. and possibly may prove more favor
able to the extent which it covers than
the other. At all events. a series Of nearly
parallel soundings have now been made bv
the Albatross and Tuscarora which will prob
ably determine whether a practicable route
can be had for magnetic cable between
California and Honolulu. Tho British are
also considering the line between Vancouver
and Hawaii as n part Of their contemplated
Geographic route from British Columbia
to Australia and New Zealand.
AS to the proposed landing places. the one
favored by the Tuscarora. on the American
side, will probably be in Monterey Bay a
| nF Cor A
mary trip was made from that point out
ward for 800 miles. and then the Albatross
returned to San Francisco for coal before
completing her survey to Honolulu. Near
the Hawaiian Islands the bottom proved
very uneven. as was expected: but the place
chosen as best for landing cable was only
few miles from Honolulu.
The work thus done by the Tuscarora is
preliminary only. and would presumably
be supplemented by moro detailed set OF
soundings should any commercial company
take up the cable enterprise. Yet what has
already been determined must form valu-
able aid to any such company. Should none
OF the routes yet surveyed be satisfactory.
1t would DO possible to start elsewhere. be-
tween Monterey and San Diego. or. indeed.
from any point north OF San Francisco.
where. however. tho distance would be
greater. The American project has the adj
vantage over the British in this matter of
distance. but the latter might find more
favorable ocean bottom.
A cable to Honolulu would naturally con-
template ultimate extension either to New
Zealand and Australia or to China and
Japan. The latter would doubtless be the
American choice. and then the surveys
of the Albatross would need to be supple
mented by others extending across the
Pacific. Admiral BELKNAP. on the Asiatic
side, found. In his former surveys. a valley
east Of Japan. apparently stretching all the
way to Kamchatka, and exceeding In depth
4.64S fathoms. at which depth his sounding
wire broke. But perhaps this prodigious gull
ly could be avoided by going further south.
The last Congress refused to pay subsidy
to a company which proposed to lay wire
between San Francisco and Honolulu. The
Senate had voted $S.OOO.OOO. but the House
refused to concur, even with an amendment
that Hawaii should pay one-fourth OF it.
Still. for preliminary surveys consent was
readily obtained. so that perhaps contin-
uation OF the work Of the Albatross may
be authorized at the present session
Ogilvie's Latest Explorations.
Mr.. WILLIAM OaILvIE. the Canadian sur
4, I'D xolI