The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-11-24
CABLE SURVEYS COMPLETE THE QUARANTINE RULES
NAVY READY TO LAY CABLE AT
ANY TIME.
Rear Admiral Bradford Reports That
Satisfactory All-American Route
Has Been Discovered and Surveyed.

WASHINGTON ID. c., November
1.-THE matter of greatest interest
contained in the annual report of
Rear-Admiral Bradford, Chief of the
Naval Bureau of Equipment, is his
treatment of the proposed Transpacific
cable and the proof he submits to show
the discovery of an ideal route from
the Pacific Coast to the Philippines by
/ the way of Honolulu. with a branch
! line to Guam.
The soundings for this route have
! been conducted by Lieutenant Com
mander H. M. Hodges, in command of
| the Nero.
Admiral Bradford says the object of
the surveying expedition was most sue
cessfully and eXpeditiously accomplish
| ed.
Omitting the technical details it may
| be said that an almost level plain of
soft mud, at a general depth of 200
fathoms, extends from Honolulu to the
| Midway Islands on route to the north
ward of the line of reefs running about
west-northwest from the Hawaiian ISL
ands to point beyond Ocean Island,
| affOrding a practicable route
The bed of the ocean between Mid
way Island and Guam is another great
level plain from 3100 to 5000 fathoms
deep. 1t is, however, somewhat broken
| by submarine reefs and mountain ram
ges. The first thousand miles from
| Midway, with the exception of one
| isolated mountain peak not far from
Ocean Island, rising to within eighty
five fathoms of the surface, is entirely
level.
The remainder of the distance. while
in general fairly level, is interspersed
with reefs and mountain ranges that
| require much time to explore and
avoid. A short distance to the east
ward of the great submarine noun
tain ranges running nearly north and
south, which breaks through the sur
face of the sea and forms the islands
of the Ladrone group, and near the
parallel of Guam, this plain descends
into the valley of the Nero Deep, with
a depth of only siXty-siX feet less than
six statute miles. A practicable cable
route to Guam was eventually found
to the northward of the Deep. The
southern limits of the Deep are un-
known and it may present still greater
depths than those found by the Nero
Between Guam and the Philippine:
the bed of the ocean is less regular
but there is nothing, however, to OBJ
struct the successful laying and work
ing of cables, and the soft bottom o
mud and ooze indicates that lonl
life to cables may be expected.
The route between Guam and Yoko
= hama lies to the westward of the Lad
rome Islands and to the eastward or tn
Bonin Islands. An almost level plail
: with a depth of about 2,10O fathom
was found for distanct of 500 knot
| from Guam. At that point submarine
mountain range was. discovered, whicl
J apnarently connects the range eX
l tending from the coast of Japan t
l the Bonin Islands with that of th'
Ladrone Islands. While crossing this
range a submarine peak rising to with
: in 4S3 fathOms of the surface wa!
i. Il rr.1,f 10 Ia
be seen would closely resemble tn
e famous volcano Fujiyama near Yoko
4 hama.
To the north of this range the bed o
t the ocean slopes gradually TO the east
! ward into the great japanese deep tina
d for many years held the record 10
: ocean depths This record was finall.
:, displaced by the greater depth discov
e cred in the south Pacific ocean by tn
= English surveying ship Penguin, an
g that must now give way to the Ner
e Deep.
:, In concluding his report on the pro
y posed cable Admiral Bradford says:
= "A satisfactory route for an all
# American cable for the purpose of con
o Meeting the Pacific coast with the out
+ lying colonial possessions of the Unit
I ed States in the Pacific and with Chin
II and Japan has been discovered, thol
e oughlv explored, surveyed and mapped
$ In addition, a great amount or dat
: on ocean currents. prevailing wind
: and tidal influences in parts or IN
= ocean little known that will prove.
r great value to navigation in the futur
It was collected. A complete and thol
l. ough survey has been made OF tn
n Midway Islands and landing place
have been selected for cable at var
: Gus stations in the Pacific. The bl
reau is now ready to lay the cable {
q any part of 1t at any time.
/ "The bureau has only 10 add that
would in it's opinion be folly to lay
cable across the Pacific except one col
structed of the best materials an
manufactured by the best cable mani
e facturers in the world
crAp TEAM VICTORIOUS