The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-11-22
CRUISE OF THE ALBATR0ss.
Intsre ting Finds by the Fish Commits
sion shipin Pacific waters.

0lbcotefAt9 " kfeat NoAuo w hoNae"e.~f
and to science are reported by the United
States fish commission steamship Alba
trcss. which has just returned to San
Francisco from a IA Months cruise In
the South seas and in Japanese and
Alaskan waters, says ths san Francisco
Caroniole.
The naval officers controlling the vessel
have learned that nearly all Of the South
s.a Islands are mischarted anywhere
from two 50 a dozen miles, making steer
ing BY chart extremely dangerous. The
exceptions are the Eli group, owned by
Great Britain, and the Tahiti group,
5Nnsd by Francs.
In about the middle OF Behring sea they
discovered bank Just 100 fatnoms below
the surface, where the charts showed 2OUO
fathoms depth. This bank Is from five
to ten miles in extent. The knowledge
OF It's existence will permit navigators TO
try sounding in that part OF the ocean
when they wish to determine their bear
Ings in cloudy weather AS the sky 10
sometimes overcast in these ATTITUDES for
days and nights continuously. the usual
solar or astral observations are not al
ways possible. Knowing that there Is
this extensive area only 600 feet below the
surface in N. lat. "a. 80 and E. Ion. 17s.
30 confused captains may learn where
{! O. are In Behring sea IL the lead strikes
bottom where the charts show impossible
soundings.
A worlds record for deep sea net dag
cling was made about 80 miles east OF
the Tounga group OF islands In 8 lat.
20, Specimens OF marine life were
brought up from depth of 1900 fathoms,
or nearly five miles. The greatest previ-
GUS record was less than 1000 tathoms.
1t was made by the British scientific deep
sea exploration steamer Challenger be-
tween 1873 and 1876. From the fivs-mile
bottom the Albatross secured specimens
eimply of low form of sponge life ad-
herring to pumioe stone, Indicating neith-
er sandy nor muddy bottom. but one
of rough volcanic rock.
Wherever time and opportunity per-
United in the southern group OF islands
the naval officers made careful hydro
graphic surveys to determine depths. At
the same time they compiled sailing
directions, which Will enable navigators
to steer accurately into many of the more
important insulsr harbors. They also
took magnetic observations with these
surveys
All this reliable data will be properly
presented upon new charts AMI marine
maps to be issued by the government
The maritime nations OF the world Will
profit by the published information.
Another scientific fact determined Is
that the temperature at the bottom OF the
ocean is uniformly fraction above 80
deg or little more than deg. above
the freezing point. This rule holds good
for all depths from 80 fathoms to 1900
fathoms or from eco feet to five miles
below the surface of the sea.
Aboard the Albatoss is a remarkable
illustration of dsep-ssa pressure. There
is hollow glass globe eight inches In
diameter with walls threa-eights OF an
inch thick. This globe was empty when
IL wasssent down to depth of Il, 900 feet,
or nearly l-2 miles, When it came mp
1t was three fourths full OF water as 1t is
yet. That water was forcsd through the
thick, smooth, iiawless glass. A bottle
of wine. lowered deep to cool It, came up
with the cork forced inside the bottle
and the wine spoiled.
Shrimps In infinite variety were
brought up from depths varying from a
few yards to 1900 feet. They ranged
from little ones a half inch in length to
giant shrimps foot long, All were edl-
bls. They were found wherever the nets
were lowered among the South Sea Is
lands, and off the southern coast of
Japan. That shrimps live at great depths
was not known before. In San Francisco
bay, where the Chiness annually catch
about S225, 600 worth OF shrimps for do
nestle and oriental markets, the big
nets are set at the bottom at depths OF
only 20 or 20 feet.
Specimens OF red coral discovered deep
in the Arctic OCEAN are among the curlos
OF the Albatross. They proved to the
scientific world that rel coral Is not
found solely in the temperate Mediter
ranean sea. This discovery was made on
a previous voyage, but never gained pub
licity.
Good weather and clear skies last June
all the way across from kamohatka on
the Asiatic coast to Unalaska on the
North American coast enabled the officers
OF the Albatross to make daily solar OBJ
servations, This exceptional opportunity
for acourats bearings convinced the OBJ.
servers that there are not strong currents
out in the Behring sea as was generally
supposed. The currents are strong in
Shore. or near thu straits.
South Of the equator the Albatross
brought up from the bottom OF the ocean
fossil bones from whales, ears and fossil
teeth OF 6Qafkb- Lucet bpcOltucnc aFc
thought to have lain on the floor of the
sea for thousands Of years.
During the Investigations on the south
coast of Japan the Albatross entertained
two japanese government scientists
they knew much about the marine life,
but they had never seen such effective APP
paratus and appliances such as those used
by the United States fish experts.
AS gensrai result OF the IA months
cruise the Albatross has cargo Of thous-
ands Of marine specimens pickeied In
formaline, These Will be sent TO Wash
ington. Thence some of Them will he
distributed to experts all over the world
for classification and study, and for scien-
title collections. There are sea freaks by
the hundreds, marine animals and fish
with eyes out on the ends of long tenta-
Giles tSat permit them to look around
corners, desp sea things that are mostly
eyes, silicious sponges that look like
hollow footballs made OF clear yellow
honeycomb. curious stariish shat look
like miniature cocoanut palm trees. and
an endless numbe of tighea of many