New-York tribune., 1898-11-27
sbe ill-luck which might unhappily be the
outcome OF Arthur Collinss daring departure.
MARINE LIFE AT GREAT DEPTHS.
NEW EXPLORING EXPEDITION Or
GAN!ZED IN ENGLAND.
rom The London Times.


At the end of next week an expedition viii
leave London t. investigate one Of the most
important problems still unsolved IN regard 10
the distribution of life in the sea When deep
sea research began about lSiO most naturaiists
believed that life in the oceans was conhhc1 10
the shallow surface belt. Sufficient evidence hai
been obtained before that period To show the
erroneous nature Of that conclusion, hut as
that evidence Lad been collected accidentally
ignored in consequence Of the negative re-
SUITS yielded by Investigations expressly uil-
dertaken to settle the question. Men of sri-
ence therefore, followed Edward FaDes IN ms
conclusion that the sea is uninhabted below the
depth Of about three hundred fathoms.
The researches which led UP to the voyage o'
Her Majesty's ship Challenger conclusiV"P
demonstrated that the supposed lifciess deserts
Of the deep" were occupied by rich fauna
which is quite different from that ~ the sur
face zone. The old theory had. therefore, to
be abandoned. but il was soon revived in modi-
fled form. one school Of oceanoeraphcrs. yea
by Professor Alexander ASassz. contends ina,
the oceanic fauna il confined TO the surface anu
bottom belts. and that the vast intermediate
zone is devoid Of life Another school, OF which
Sir John Murray is the principal champion.
holds that there is no such barren belt aho
that the oceans are inhabited throughout their
whole depth
The tiiiiculty In setting this question lies in
the fact that the collecting instruments cannot
reach the intermediate zone without PASSING
throush the surface waters, from which all their
contents may be derived. Efforts to eliminate
this uncertainty have been made by the use or
nets which may be sent down closed 10 a Ger
tain depth. there opened and tOwed through
definite zone. and then closed before being
hauled to the surface. The results. however,
have, so far. been mconclusivc. Professor ASaa-
siz's own closing nets. when used IN ht'rhedI-
ate depths, always came up empty ana ne d, az
tributes the contradictory results ot otirr "oik.
ers such as Professor Chcon ana the irInce of
Monaco. to defects ia their nets.
Fortunately. there is an alternative metnod
OF inGuiry which does not involve the use OF
uncertain mechanical contrivances. Sir John
Murray found during the Challenger edi-
ton that. by increasing the depth at when ne
tOWcd his nets. he collected new ahiinaiS III
addition TO those picked up during the passage
of the nets through the surface waters Dr.
Guntler remarked in his presidential ADDRESS
TO the Iinnean Society last year that the sys-
tematic employment Of this method would yieio
trustworthy results
George Murray. keeper OF the botahicai ue
partncnt of the Natural History Museum. mas
Accordingly organized an expedition IN order 10
apply ra dnerentiai system. Thanks to gen
crous ~ .nts from the Royal Geographical So
Cciy the Drapers Company and the Fsn-
monGers' Company. he has chartered the
Occana for a short cruise. The trustees OF the
British Museum have helped by granting MT
Murray the necessary leave Of absence ana
lending him the services OF two OF The Museum
natuialists. V II. Blackman and DIR. Gregory.
j t. :. Moore, DR.. Sambon and Mr. Highlcy:
0f whom the last is an artist, complete the s'aii
of the expedition
The Oceana is being fitted with It's deep-sea
gear hy the Kindness and courtesy Of the Sill
yor,0vn Telegraph Cable Company. the stan
Of which is giving Mr Murray invaluable as
sistanco. The steamer is expected to be ready
10y November 81. when it will proceed directiy
II tho West Coast Of ireland. Work Will begin
at the edge of the lb)fathom platform. about
thirty miles west Of Dinge Bay. The vessel
vii steam slowly for 10 ogrees westward. Con
tiuuous observations will be made with a Nerti-
cal chain Of tow nets the length OF which VIII
be gradually increased until when the depth
nf tyo thousand :athOrns is reached. the series
will include thirty-cight tow nets. SocndlnSS
and observations # temperatures viii he mad,
and if time permit, som" dccp-Sed tra"inS.
/ Ir.,,rin.nts with various forms Of self losing
nets including the Tanner net, employer by
Professor Agassz. viii he made for the SAKE
Of comparison: but the main eiiort 81 the cN-
nadition is 10 determine the vertical dstribu-
ton Of oceanic life by series of open nets