The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-05-02


and cause miscalculations as to depths
attained. This probably accounts for
some of the stories given in old nauti-
cal works. where depths of eleven,
twelve and even sixteen miles are SOL
EMMY averred to have been sounded.
In later days. however, great depths
have unquestionably been properly
gauged by means of special instru-
ments used by competent navigators
The instrument that has given the
most satisfactory results is known as
'Brooke's Line" from the name of its
inventor. 1t consists of long iron rod,
with a cuplike hollow at one end. The
rod when ready for use, is passed
through hole in a heavy iron ball, the
latter varying in weight from seventy
to one hundred and seventy pounds.
This ball is slung to a hinged fork at
the top of the rod by means of line
that passes round it, the ends of the
line being passed over two points on
the hinged.fork. The uppermost points
of the fork carry the lowering line.
While the weight of the apparatus is
borne by the lowering line in passing
through the water, the hinged fork is
tNSPs upii5ilt, anu IuC VIGIL 40 ioHoe' -
rectly the cup of the rod strikes the
sea bottom the hinges fall, and the
ball slides off, leaving the rod to be
pulled up with whatever may be in the
cup in the shape of sand, shells or
similar substances. 1t was this instru-
ment that first gave proof that organ
isms exist al great depths. From the
plateau Of the Atlantic it brought nu-
merous perfect but very small shells:
from the Indian ocean, at depth of
two miles, speculae Of sponge. This
was considered evidence that certain
low forms of life can exist under i'm
mense pressure in utter darkness, and
in intense cold.
The pressure Is indeed tremendous;
1t increases with the depth, and some
of the earlier forms Of measuring in
struments were drawn back to the sur
face smashed and useless from the
weight they had been subjected to. One
| can hardly wonder at this, considering
that the accepted calculations as to
pressure are IA pounds to the square
inch at the surface; at 80 feet down,
double that; at 60 feet, treble; at 80
feet, quadruple, and SO on in increasing
ratio until at a mile deep it is a ton
and half to the square inch. This
| means that a soft body, such as that of
man, if it could get so far, would
be reduced to a widely spread pulp.
Yet the modern instrument have I'M
doubtedly obtained accurate measure
ments of several miles without in
| jury. We know that the mean depth
of the Atlantic is about quarters
of mile, and of the Pacific two and
half miles. These are the averages.
In some places there are immense
depths, in others comparative shadows.
| The greatest effort ever made for the
exploration of these ocean basins and
plateaus was that of the Challenger,
sent on it's famous voyage by the gov
eminent in 1872. The officers of the
expedition succeeded in obtaining, on
March "a, 1872, what up to them was
the deepest soundings ever scientifical
ly vouched for-4 miles 10 yards. This
was taken in the Atlantic, north of ST.
Thomas, and remained unbeaten until
September, 1889, when, in the South At
lantic ocean, midway between the is
land of Tristan dAcunha and the
mouth of the River Platte, accurate
soundings were obtained to a depth of
eight and three-fourths miles This
remains to-day the deepest sounding
ever taken. The Mediterranean sea also
possesses some great depths, for, in
March, 1897 during the deep sea ex-
plorations carried out at the instance
of the Academy of Vienna, depth Of
two and a quarter miles was measur-
ed between Molla and Cerigo.
The advantage gained by such re-
searches have been immense. In
searching the deeps, minute forms of
life have been discovered, and we now
know the causes Of the ocean colors,
which vary with the atmospheric con-
ditions and our navigators, by obser-
walton of them, are often enabled to
prepare for coming storms. We know
now that the bottom of the sea is, as
the land is, a succession of hills and
dales, plains, mountains and valleys.
Charts have been prepared of the ocean
basins, and the shallower parts have
been accurately mapped, with minute
accounts added Of their sands and beds,
all of which are become aids to the
mariner in determining his where
abouts. This he does by the aid Of a
| call it, "dipsy," lead.
The instrument, always put in use
when nearing a coast, is a long leaden
| weight, in shape resembling those used
| on old 'grandfathers' clocks, but
much bigger, varying in weight from
| fifty to eighty pounds. At the bottom
| of this lead is a hole about an inch
| deep by an inch an half wide, known
as the "armhole." This is armed" or
| filed, with tallow. The line in which
| the lead is attached is $50 fathoms long,
| though this length is rarely required in
| ordinary navigation. When the lead is
cast overheard it runs rapidly down
| and strikes the sea bottom, the tallow
| picking up samples of what that bot
| tom consists of. These are examined,
and the navigator knows his approx
| mate position on the coast, some bot
| toms being sand and shells, others va
| rious colored sands, some rocky, some
| muddy, and so on. Perhaps the most
extraordinary discovery ever made on
the arm of the lead after heaving was
| that of a spade guinea. This was
brought upon the tallow from a depth
| of ninety fathoms off the west coast of
Africa by quartermaster named
| Emanuel Davis, in the employ of the
West African Steam Navigation COM
| pany Such a thing was a chance in a
| million, and by no means proves that
l the floor of the sea Is as the poet pict-