New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-11-28
scientist MAKES
SEA EXPLORATION
Discovers Earthquake Stresses
IN Crust on Submarine Trip

Washington, Nov. IS R-Evid-
ence OF great, earthquake producing
stresses In the earth's crust between
North and South America has been
brought to Washington by DR.. F. A.
Vening Meinesz. world famous Dutch
geodetist, after q two-months' cruise
with the navy scientific expedition
aboard the United States submarin.
S-21.
Much Unknown
With this evidence, much of it
hitherto unknown to science, comes
a suggestion that the two continents
are pressing, imperceptibly, but with
incalculable force, toward each 9TH
er. 1t discloses clearly, Dr. Meinesz
says that the same kind of stresses
which, in past geologic ages. piled
up mountains and left deep scars
on the continents until equilibrium
was reached. are still exerting their
awe inspiring power beneath the
oceans.
The most striking discovery of
the expedition was the existence OF
great rift in the earth's crust ex-
tending through the 400 fathoms
deep, north OF Porto Rico, westward
to point north OF the eastern end
Of Cuba. Similar unstable condi
tons were discovered, to the sci
entist's surprise, in the extensive Sc
called Sigsbee deep, in the South
western part OF the Gulf Of Mexico,
which is not, strictly, deep" at
all but merely the deepest part of
the Gulf. reaching down 1900
fathoms, or more than two sea
miles. Like stresses also were
found between Cuba and Jamaica.
in the Bartlett deep, which goes
down $3.50 fathoms.
Measures Variations
The existence of these stresses
was discovered by measuring vari-
ations from normal in the force OF
gravity In the ocean bed with c
complicated. delicate apparatus de-
vised by DR.. Meinesz to make such
determinations possible at sea. This
device makes use of the well estab-
lished knowledge that the pull or
gravity can be measured by its eff
feet on . swinging pendulum. In
stead Of 4 single pendulum. which
can be employed effectively on land,
the Mainesz apparatus includes
three, swinging in different direc-
tions. permitting accurate observa-
tons when the pitching and rolling
Of the submarine in which 1t Is
mounted has been sufficiently mod!-
ned by submergence to a depth OF
IS or so feet. A sonic depth finder
also was used throughout the trip.
Tho expeditions cruise covered
1000 miles along the continental
shelf from Norfolk to Key West,
Thence across the Sigsbee Deep to
Galveston, Texas, over the MISSISSIPPI
pi delta back to Key West. along
both sideo of the ridge of islands
represented by Cuba, Haiti and
Porto Rico, and back by a course
which took the observers over the
ocean outside the continental shelf.
In all, the submarine was sub
merged ~ times for gravity meas
urements, five being made within l 8
hours in the Bartlett deep. In adj
dition to DR.. Mienesz, the scientific
work was carried out by DR.. Fred
E. Wright of Carnegie Institution Of
Washington, and Elmer B. Collins of
the photographic Office of the navy.
The navy furnished, besides the
s-21, two eagle boats for tenders,
with Captain T. L. Nash in COM
mand. and Lieut.. James l.. Fisher in
charge Of the submarine.
Rough Weather
The expedition was expected to
return to Washington today. but
having encountered exceptionally
rough weather on the return trip
ana seeing a chance to navigate the
Potomac yesterday. Lieut.. Fisher
brought his submarine to the navy
yard late yesterday. The data gath
cred was promptly turned over to
tho Coast and Geodetic Survey, for
more accurate computation Of the
results than was possible during the
cruise.
These results are expected to be
OF great value to various govern
ment agencies and to contribute
eventually toward the development
OF means of forecastins earthqua k es
and similar disturbances. They rep
resent the first participation by any