Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1914-10-13
IN DEEPEST WATER
Secrets OF the Sea Are Revealed
In Dredges.
Explorations Of the oceans Floor
Made-stranee Fish Brought to
the Surface succumb at Once
to Changed Pressure.

part of the world, but little is told of
the exploration Of the ocean bottom
where the vast plains and mountain
chains covered miles deep with water
are being mapped and charted and are
yielding to the upper world the stran-
gest creatures Of nature. Yet this
work is being carried on In almost
every sea OF the globe. quietly and
persistently. although almost unknown
except to the scientific world and
those who go down to the sea In
ships" says Popular Mechanics.
For years Americas place in these
important operations has been held by
the Albatross, an iron, twin screw
steamer of 1000 tons displacement,
built for the United States fish COM
mission in 1888 and fitted with ap-
paratus for marine work of every de-
scription. Its equipment includes
machines for ascertaining the depth OF
the water and character of the bot
tom, dredges for obtaining fish and
other animals from the greatest
depths, apparatus for shallow water in
vestigations and a complete labora-
tory, where specimens may be ieenti-
fled and packed, and scientific studies
carried on.
The most important work which the
Albatross has done, and that for which
1t is best equipped. is deep sea sound
ing and dredging. II is by means OF
soundings patiently taken one by one
that almost every important sub
merged mountain chain and peak has
been plotted and that we know the
materials which cover the ocean floor.
In the great depths the water is just
above the freezing point, no matter
what Its temperature. at the surface.
When the Albatross, was In the Dutch
East Indies and we were working in
a temperature OF 10 degrees Fahreh-
heit, the men who sorted out the speci-
were dressed in the thinnest of gauze
but wore long mittens to
protect their hands and arms from the
ice cold mud. This was a great COM
fort, too. in that blistering heat, for a
cool drink could be obtained In a very
few minutes by burying bottle in the
mud, no matter how hot the sun which
was blazing down upon US.
BY means Of a register the number
of feet of wire which has run out be-
fore bottom is found is indicated, and
this Is reported to the officer in
charge. Thus at every sounding the
depth of the water, its temperature
and specific gravity at the bottom as
compared with that at the surface,
md the character of the ocean floor
ire learned, and the chart prepared |
accordingly. The deepest sounding
which has yet been made by any ship
vas in the Pacific ocean between the
Hawaiian islands and Japan and
bowed a depth of six and one-half
niles. am m -rr-,..
There are two styles Of dredges by
leans of which the animals and fish
the great depths are captured-the
cts which are dragged over the bot. |
om and those trawled just below the
urface. The bottom dredge consists
pair of heavy iron running frames
onnected by one or two crossbars,
we've feet In length Fastened to this
'ame is a cone-shaped bag 80 feet
ing, made of heavy web, the end of
'hich Is closed by a flashing. The
redge is hung over the starboard side
the ship on long boom and by
leans OF steel cable is slowly low
red to the ocean bottom. A dial in 4,
Icates the number of feet of wire
ut. and a pointer on a scale shows
lie strain. which often amounts to
We or six tons. upon the cable.
AS soon as the dredge has reached .
lie bottom the ship steams ahead
about two-thirds of a mile an
our, dragging the net over the ocean
Dor. 1t remains down for an hour or
}, and Is then slowly lifted to the
lrface. The deepest haul which the
lbatross has ever made was FIVE and
le-half miles, and 1t was II hours
ON the time the dredge was first
wered until 1t again appeared. The p
It Is towed beside the ship for a
W minutes, then 1t is swung ON
'ard, the lashings at the bottom un.
Stoned and the contents dropped up-
a table. The ice cold mud is
refully washed away and the speci. \
ems carried to the laboratory. N
1t is like opening a Christmas pack. A
,e for a naturalist to watch the A,
edge come to the surface bringing :,
known treasures from the hidden y
pths. Strange fish are found which
Try incandescent lamps far in front Al
them to light their way In the inky :,
ackness miles below the surface; y
hers with phDsphorescent cots n
ong their sides which must glow like N
e portfolios of steamer at night: N
III others with their eyes upon long
alks or with no eyes at all. And.
or things. when released from the :,