The times., 1899-12-24

Prof. A. Agassiz. who is making deep
sea Investigations in the Pacific Ocean on
the United States Fish Commission ship
Albatross. has submitted to that Depart
meut report OF his work up to September
80. 1899, forwarded from Tahiti Island. This
work is being done as an aid to the proata-
bic study Of useful sea fishes. which it
was stated at the Fish Commission. could
not be prosecuted without a knowledge OF
their food the food Of their food. their re-
respective friends and fees. the habitat OF
the several species and their means of pass
ing from one region to another Ia the en-
/ bryonic as well as the adult stage. The
temperatures, currents, and specific gravity
Of the waters must be studied it was said
in connection with the migratory habits OF
peiagic forms. hence investigation must be
extended seaward wherever life exists. un-
I'll a complete history Of both the economi-
. cal and contributory species is obtained.
The Albatross which is being used for the
expedition into the Pacific is in command
Of Capt Jefferson F. Moser. United states
Navy
Prof Agassiz says in his extended
technical report that Captain Moser and he
decided not to make any soundiugs nor DO
any deep-sea work until they had passed
beyond the line Of soundings already run by
/ the Albstross and Thetis between Cali
foruia and the Hawaiian Islands They
made their first sounding in a. 500 faIhoms.
about 800 miles from Point Conception, the
nearest land. They occupied JVRnty-sIx
/ stations, until they reached the nor hem
edge OF the plateau from which Iis The
/ Marquesas Islands, having run distance
OF 8 500 miles in a straight line Ar sta
( ti0n No. the depth had increased 70 Z,36S
fathOms. the nearest land Cuadeioupe
+ Island, being about $50 miles and Point
/ Conception nearly 500 miles distant. The
depth gradually increased 20 z7i0
and finally TO 3.0SS fathoms. the deepest
sounding obtained thus far iu the ugeX-
plored part Of the Pacific through which
/ the AlbatTOss was passing From that
/ point the depths varied from z. $50 to .. .116.
diminishing to 2.5S3 and gradually passing
TO 2.475 fdthoms. until on the AarqLesas
the depth became 22S1 fath0ms. IJ then
passed 10 1928 and diminished to 1910
fathOms at a point twenty miles from NJ
kunIva Island
Between Nukahioa and Houo-Houna
(Ua-Huka) Islands a depth OF $50 fathOms
Nukuhiva 6S7 fathOms The s9uudings
seem to show that this part OF the Mar
quesas rises from a plateau having depth
of 2,000 fathoms and being about htty miles
in width.
Nine stations were occupied between the
Marquesas and the northwestern extremity
of the Paumotus, the greatest depth at
taired being 2,527 fathoms. In all seven
ty-JwO sounGings were made. The deep
basin developed between latitude "A de-
grees so minutes north and latitude de-
grees % minutes south, varying in depth
from 3,100 TO a little less than 25o0 faith
oms. Prof. Agassiz suggests should be
named MOser Basin.
The character of the bottom o. this sea
depression proved 10 be interesting. Hauls
with the trawI showed bags Of red clay
and manganese uOdules, with sharks teeth
and cetacean ear-boues. AT nearly all the
stations were Indications of manganese no.
dulles The u0dules in the first haul were
either slabs from TO is inches in length
and 20 inches in thickness, or small
ones. ranging from the size of walnut
TO a leutI OF less. Some Of them looked
like mamm Hated cannOn-balis varying
from Z ID 20 8 inches in diameter. the
largest being s II inches. Other mangar-
ese noduIes were brought up from the ocean
depths at the equator and they were found
until the AIbEatross was in sight OF TAHITI
The Albatross expedition made few
hauls with the trawl on its way. but oW-
ing TO the great distance to be covered be-
tween san Francisco and the MarJuesas,
3 500 miles, there was not great deal or
time to experiment IN intermediate depths.
The investigation confirmed previous re-
searches and indicated that at great depths.
at considerable distances from land and
away from any great oceanic current, there
is comparatively little animal life 70 be
found. Where manganese nOdules were
brought UP the hauls were specially poor,
a few deep-sea hOlOthuriaIs and opniurans.
and some small actiuiae which had attach
ed themselves to the nOauies with few
other invertebrates, seemed 10 be all that
lived at these great depths from $500 10
. 600 fathoms-and far away. say geo 70
/ 600 miles from the nearest land
The bottom temperature of the deep, OF
Noser Basin varies between 346 degrees
at .. 62S and 27i0 fathOms TO 35-- degtees II
. 44O fathoms. and 50 degrees az ..t75 faith
oms. About I2D miles from the Narquesas,
in S02 fathoms, the Temperature was
35.5 degrees. Owing 10 the failure Of the
deep-sea thermometers satisfactory serial
temperature observations could NOT be
made Being without deep-sea nets. the
pelagic work OF the AIbatrOss was limited
to surface hauIs. one in the morning and
another in the evening. The collection or
surface animals proved 20 be quite an eX-
tensive one and many interesting forms
were obtained. The deeper hauls confirm
ed Prof. Agassizs former investigations,
that beyond 300 to $50 fathOms very little
animal life is found, and i'm the belt above
900 fathoms the greater number OF many
so-called deep-sea crustaceaus and deep
sea fishes were obtained.
THE CRAZE FOR STATISTICS.
Human LIE Subjected to the Closest