Deep Sea Soundings — Maury prophesies the existence of the “Telegraphic Plateau” — John Mercer Brooke’s invention of a deep sea lead — Extract of a letter from the Secretary of the Navy — Maury’s letters to the Secretary, suggesting the place for the cable, and the kind of line to be used — Dinner at New York to celebrate the first arrival of a message across the ocean — Cyrus West Field’s speech — The cable ceases to work — Maury explains the cause — Letters on file at the Observatory on this subject.
As early as 1848, Lt. Matthew Fontaine Maury, in the course of his investigations of the winds and currents, had been led to the conclusion that there existed between Newfoundland and Ireland a broad and level plateau at the bottom of the ocean. In 1849 Congress directed the Secretary of the Navy “to detail three suitable vessels to be used in testing new routes and perfecting the discoveries made by Lieutenant Maury.” Under the authority of this instruction, vessels were dispatched from time to time. From 1849 to 1851, the U. S. schooner Janey was so dispatched, in command of Lieutenant Walsh, under whom were Samuel Marcy, R. J. Farquharson, George H. Hare, A. Allmont, and C. W. Wooley. In 1851-52, the U. S. Brig Dolphin was commanded by Lieutenant S. P. Lee. His officers were E. A. Borbot, J. P. Hall, Edward Renshaw, J. D. Donell, and W. K. Mayo. Lieutenant O. H. Berryman succeeded to the command of the Dolphin in 1852-1853, under whom S. R. Franklin, W. T. Truxton, Beverly Kennon, G. W. Morris, and H. M. Garland were appointed to serve.
In speaking of the sounding operations of these officers Lieutenant Maury says, in his Sailing Directions: “As yet no specimens of the bottom in deep water had been brought up. The line was too small and the lead too heavy to be hauled in. In this state of the case, passed Midshipman John Mercer Brooke, then stationed at the Observatory, proposed a contrivance by which the plummet or shot on striking the bottom, would detach itself and send up the line with a specimen of the bottom. This beautiful invention is called Brooke’s deep-sea sounding apparatus.”
Early in 1854, Maury wrote the following letter to the Secretary of the Navy on the subject of these deep sea soundings, with special reference to the project of laying a submarine telegraphic cable across the Atlantic:--
HON. J. C. DOBBIN, SECRETARY OF NAVY
NATIONAL OBSERVATORY, FEB. 22ND, 1854
Sir,
The U. S. brig Dolphin, Lieutenant commanding O. H. Berryman, was employed last summer upon special services connected with this office... He was directed also to carry along a line of deep sea soundings from the shores of Newfoundland to those of Ireland. The result is highly interesting upon the question of a submarine telegraph across the Atlantic, and I therefore beg leave to make it the subject of a special report.
This line of deep sea sounding seems to be DECISIVE of the question as to the practicability of a submarine telegraph between the two continents in so far as the bottom of deep sea is concerned. From Newfoundland to Ireland the distance between the nearest points is about 1,600 miles, and the bottom of the sea between the two places is a plateau which seems to have been placed there especially for the purpose of holding the wires of the submarine telegraph, and of keeping them out of harm’s way. It is neither too deep nor too shallow; yet, it is so deep that, the wires but once landed will remain forever beyond the reach of the anchors of vessels, icebergs, and drifts of any kind, and so shallow that they may be readily lodged upon the bottom.
A wire laid across from either of the above named places on this side to the north of the Grand Banks, will rest on that beautiful plateau to which I have alluded, and where the waters of the sea appear to be as quiet and as completely at rest as it is at the bottom of a mill pond. It is proper that the reasons should be stated for the inference that there are no perceptible currents and no abrading agents at work at the bottom of the sea upon this telegraphic plateau. I derive this inference from the study of a physical fact, which I little deemed, when I sought it, had any such bearings.