Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-12-22
APPLIANCES FOR
DEEP SEA WORK
DiOioEi-. TO Get Life from Ocean
DCuthS.


n,o,or,., 70 &c, life from Ocean
D'p'h''
sir John Murray. the English ocean
ogrspher recently .aid that the deep
sea discoveries OF the past quarter cen
fury have been tho most important add
ton to the natural kho"'Ndsc OF thlS
planet since the great VOYAGES OF COL
umhu' and Mcclellan. Much time is low
BEING given by scientists to deep-'en hi
ology, hut rev realize INC d'ncuIU"
under which they carry on their work or
the methods ana Instruments they use
In writing of the equipment OF the SHIPS
used in some OF the Murray voyages
Hubert I. Wade says In the scientthc
American that hrst ana most important
of the various devices for sounding and
collecting is the sounding machine, by
which a lead or weight at the end of
fine steel piano wire is dropped to the
bottom. together with registering Their
mometcr and a cylinder or other arrange
meMt which opens to inclose sample of
the ooze or mud ut the sea floor. On this
line may also be sent down various cups
which nil with sea water at any desired
depth and then close tightly. This wire
form in the how- and. as /. is unwound,
the distance or depth is read or from in
dicators. For the lesser depth, lighter
weights or shlps leads are employed ana
the specimen from the bottom is Sc
cured from the armins.
Continuing. he snys that next TO tho
depth and the character OF the bottom
the temperature is the most inportan.
tt, Ill ~i~ Art, N.At
housed in a metallic frame or cover and
OF SUFFICIENT strength to resist deep-sea
prcssures are employed. 1t is estimated
that 90 per cent. OF the entire sea floor
has temperature less thsn 40 degrees
Fahrenheit as contra.ted with the sur
face of the sea where only 10 per cent.
| is at n mean temperature lower than N
degrees Fahrenheit. the self-closlnG wa
ter cups AFFORD material FOR the determin-
| alton of the density arE salinitY ana TOT
chemical analysis WIN increase" dep'h
the difficulties III sounding az IN all deep
sen work increa'r, hut oepths up 10 Dos
fathoms, or nearly SIX mles' nave pceh
recorded, tins bclns the record mace ny
, the United states cahlr snip Nero IN me
western Pacihc. using tho Alpalross APP
paratus. TO make sounding to dcpth
| OF three miles ana TO get the instruments
| back on board the ship requires about an
! hour and the use or special steam en-
| gine in connection with the reciing me-
chnn!sm.
For biological studies such physical
data are even more essential than for
/ navigation, MS they show the environment
| OF tho lifc OF the seas For tho collec-
| ton OF living specimens nets are towed
| through tho sea or dredges or travis
arc dragged over the bottom. At tho
| surface there can be employed hand nets
| or surface tow nets OF any convenient
form rirred from tho end OF suspended
spar or boom, Often this IL done when
the ship is engaged IN deep-sea dredging.
but on the opposite side Of the vessel
from the trawl. The surface tow not
CAPTURES the minute crustncesns. pella-
xic molluscs. and other small fry, and
Is arranged with pockets to prevent the
ESCAPE of the specimens. when the ma
rins naturalist wishes to obtain repre-
| sentatiyes of the animal forms at inter-
mediate depths he may use a sravitation
tran. which consists OF a metal cylinder
covered with gauze at the upper end and
having A fiat valve at tile lower end.
This valve can he kept open during a
| rand vertical descent Of the cylinder be-
| tween any two depths az may be desired
and the specimens captured and retained
Somewhat more practical than the grav-