The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1898-04-14
A PRINCES FIND.
in the Atlantic Ocean,
Sunken Island.

evfnt sufficiently sensational to cause
MOI little excitement among "thalas-
saSraphers those scientists who
mike it their business to study the
BOTTOM of the sea cali themselves.
Future charts issued by the hydro
graphic Office at Washington will show
thiS geological freak, with soundings IN
fath9ms upon and around it. 1t is a
huge volcanic mountain, which uplifts
itself from the floor of the ocean nearly
to the surface, the depths all about it
averaging about two miles.
This drowned island is located just a
littie bit over 1000 miles due west from
the lRock of Gibraltar. 1t is As miles
southwest of Pico in the Azores. The
shape of it, as determined by sound
ingsi is much like that of huge
cooked hat, with the top of the hat
pointing to the south. Happily, there
IS no danger that any vessels will run
upoH it, inasmuch as its highest peak is
| 4fef,fchoas beneath the surface of the
sea. If it were only little higher it
would be real island, and people
"Oulu Dt INlllS Oh II.
Nevertheless, this drowned island,
which has already received the name
Of princess Alice Shoal,' possesses a
very practical Importance and useful
ness, as will be explained presently. 1t
was discovered by no less parsonage
than his serene highness the prince of
Monaco, who has fad for investigat-
ing the depths of the sea. In fact, he
is one of the most eminent Of living
"thalassagraphers," and a considerable
fraction of the income derived by him
from royalty in the celebrated gam
bling establishment located in his do
minions is spent in the pursuit of this
hobby. His experiments in the floating
of bottles for the purpose of studying
ocean currents have contributed some
very important facts to scientific knowl-
edge.
The prince came upon the drowned
island quite unexpectedly while max
ing soundings from his yacht, the
Princess Alice, after which he named
his discovery. 1t was a shoal in the
midst of the oceans depths, and the
lead-line registered all the way from
$50 fathoms to Al fathoms in various
parts of the cooked hat" outlined by
its record. The peak of the subma-
r;ne mountain was found to be quite
sharp, and his serene highness marked
itwith couple of buoys. These buoys
have. already become goal for fisher
men in pursuit of their industry.
y shoal in the deep sea, be it under
stood, is always rich in the forms OF
life which afford food to fishes. Hence
ii is that the Grand Banks are such
profitable fishing grounds for cod and
halibut. 1t is not surprising, therefore,
to learn that the newly-discovered
fN-awp9d island has already become a
Mecca for the toilers of the sea. who
sail over it from the Azores. They
are making a rich harvest there and
for all time to come it promises to yield
q great annual crop of marine wealth.
Princess Alice shoal is situated on
the northeastern edge of the Sargasso
| sea-that wonderful collection OF
aquatic plants in the midst of the At
lantic which grow and reproduce their
kind while floating on the surface of
the water, upheld by their own air
filled bulbs. In calm weather the vast
area covered by this strange vegetation
looks like drowned meadow, but dur
ing storms the plants are scattered
more or less. The Sargasso sea is 10.
tod N a,lJXr Of ba Ia
ing stream of the Atlantic, so that the
waters there are nearly stationary
having no strong current. Hence the
| accumulation of plant life, as in a still
pond.
The aquatic vegetation of the Sar.
gasso sea teens with multitudinous
forms of life, but not least interesting
of the myriad creatures which inhabit
it are certain curious nest-buildino
fishes. They have arm-like fore fins
with which they cling to the weed
making their nests by binding together
globular masses of it as big as Dutch
cheeses. This they accomplish by
means of long gelatinous strings
which they form for the purpose, final.
ly depositing their eggs in the center OF
the sphere thus composed. There are
transparent cuttlefsh, transparent
shrimps, and transparent worms in the
weed. One can see through them as il
| they were made of glass.
Shrimps and crabs also abound, and
they, as well as the fishes, are spotted
| yellow and white like the weed itself
This, of course, is one of natures pro.
tective Observation-Disclosures Press