The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-06-25
TO EXPLORE THE PAC|F|C.
EXPEDITION ABOUT TO he SENT
OUT NJ FISH COMMISSION.
Il VIII study the Practically Ia
knovvn Depths Of the MiA-Poeinc.
and Important Results Are Look
ed For-Trip Of 1000 Niles.

vf0N} the middle OF August an expeds-
W. ton to explore the practically
unknown depths OF the mid-Pa-
cific ocean The party OF scien-
tife men In charge of rhe work viii sail
from San Francisco on the United States
FISH commission steamer Albatross. ana
propose to return to the United states
about May 40 OF next year. Their course
viii take them ao0o0 miles. through cir
cult OF nearly every important group OF
the smaller islands which lie in the mid
Pacific ocean between the Tropic OF Capri
corn and the Tropic Of Cancer AT the
head of the scientific work of the expedt-
ton will be Prof. Alexander Agass.z,
whose achievements in deep-sea explora-
ton in the past thirty years entifie him
TO the first place among the worlds in
vestigators of submarine life and condi-
tons.
Many reasons induce the members % the
coming expedition to look for results OF
the highest Importance to scientific. pop
ular and commercial knowledge. In the
matter of paraphernalia and equipment for
collecting specimens and preserving them
the Aibatross vii, on this trip undoubtedly
surpass any vessel Of the kind ever before
commissioned for scientific purposes. The
Albatross is a twin screw steamer OF some
thing more than Loo tons displacement.
She was constructed for the fish commits
sion in 1852 at cost OF 100000 and was
the first vessel ever specially designed for
deep-sea exploration. Prior to the Span
ish-American war, during which she was
commissioned in the navy. the Albatross
was generally conceded to be the best
equipped vessel in the world for scientific
purposes. She was returned TO the nsn
commission in the early part of this year
Since then she has been undergoing ex-
tensive repairs and improvements, includ-
ing the installation OF new boilers. cleo
trio fans, etc, and the building of an Ice
making and cold-storage pant. Her two
spacious laboratories have been remodeied
and additional facilities have been added
for the preservation OF specimens OF deep
sea life anC, OF marine and land plants and
animals which will be collected on the
voyage. Every effort has been made TO
equip the vessel thoroughly for deep-sea
dredging. trawling and sounding; surface
and intermediate towing. shore SEEMING,
land collecting and line and net fishing.
One feature OF interest OF the expedition
will be the use for the first time in deep
sea dredging of a deep-sea dredge or trawl
of any considerable size. Heretofore the
largest trawl ever operated at any great
depth has had a mouth, or opening. 10 feet
wide by ~ feet high. with net for the
reception OF the catch proportionately
small. The great trawl which is now being
!. on the coming expedition of the Aibatross
will have mouth 20 feet In width by 8
In height, and its net Will be 30 feet in
length. 1t Is being made after special
design by Charles I'll. Townsend, Of the
fish commission, and will be operated at the
greatest possible depth consistent with
safety. Deep-sea naturalists are of the
opinion that the oceans bed is inhabited
by creatures of much greater size than any
which have heretofore been brought to the
surface. This opinion the men who will
sail on the Albatross expect to confirm.
Another curious appliance for deep-sea
work, from which important results are ex-
pected, Is a deep-sea pump, which will be
used on this expedition for the first time.
II is an invention OF Prof. Agassix. 1t con-
ssts of a rubber tube of such length that
one end can be let far Gown into the ocean
depths. Through il water containing the
more minute forms OF deep-sea life which
are supposed TO exist on the oceans bed
and furnish food for those of larger size
will be pumped to the surface.
The record for the greatest depth ever
reached in deep-sea dredging Is held by
the beam trawl of the Albatross. This is
three miles. The deepest spot in the
oceans bed les down In the South Pacific
ocean. about 800 miles to the northeast
OF New Zealand. II was recently d.scov-
cred by the Penguin of the British navy.
and the plumrnet Cropped overheard
reached a sheer depth Of Ave and a half
miles before 1t rested on the oceans bed.
The Albatross win take with her on the
coming expedition sufficient wire rope to
operate a traw! at depth even equaling
this, and ii is possible that she will make
a detour from her scheduled course to
dredge and sound this particular part OF
the oceans bottom.
When the Albaiross leaves San Fran
cisco she will proceed directly TO Tahiti.
in the Society islands. On this trip of
$500 miles dredging and sounding will be
carried on at almost regular intervals on
an almost wholly UNEMPLOYED part of the
oceans bottom. IL is expected that the
average depth of the ocean between San
Francisco and Tahiti will be found to
exceed three miles. From Tahiti the
Paumotu islands will be explored. This
archipelago is about coo miles in length
and its natural history is almost un-
known. After devoting six or seven
weeks TO the work of exploration, the
vessel will return to the Society islands
1t viii next go to the Tonga or Friendly
islands. n distance of about ! 800 miles
where week or ten days will be spent
From there the Aibatross Will steer a
course for the FIJI islands, where a short
stay will be made. and will go thence
Loo miles to the Marshall islands. On
the way the Eliice islands and the Gilbert