162 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



time calm enough, the sea smooth enough, a wire long enough, a ship big 

 enough, to lay a coil of wire 1,600 miles- in length ; though I have no fear 

 but that the enterprise and ingenuity of the age, whenever called on with 

 these problems, will be ready with a satisfactory and practical solution of 

 them. 



I simply address myself at this time to the question in so far as the 

 bottom of the sea is concerned, and as far as that the greatest practical 

 difficulties will, I apprehend, be found after reaching soundings at either 

 end of the line, and not in the deep sea. 



A wire laid across from either of the above-named places on this side 

 will pass to the north of the Grand Banks, and rest on that beautiful pla- 

 teau 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 a 

 study of a physical fact, which I little deemed, when. I sought it, had any 

 such bearings. 



Lieut. Berryman brought up with Brooks's deep-sea sounding apparatus 

 specimens of the bottom from this plateau. I sent them to Prof. Bailey, 

 of West Point, for examination under his microscope. This he kindly 

 gave ; and that eminent microscopist was quite as much surprised to find 

 as I was to learn that all these specimens of deep-sea soundings are filled 

 with microscopic shells ; to use his own words, " not a particle of sand or 

 gravel exists in them." These little shells, therefore, suggest the fact that 

 there are no currents at the bottom of the sea whence they came that 

 Brooks's lead found them where they were deposited in their burial place 

 after having lived and died on the surface, and by gradually sinking were 

 lodged on the bottom. Had there been currents at the bottom, these 

 would have swept and abraded and mingled up with these microscopic 

 remains the debris of the bottom of the sea, such as ooze, sand, gravel and 

 other matter ; but not a particle of sand or gravel was found among them. 

 Hence the inference that these depths of the sea are not disturbed either by 

 waves or currents. Consequently, a telegraphic wire once laid there, there 

 it would remain, as completely beyond the reach of accident as it would be 

 if buried in air-tight cases. Therefore, so far as the bottom of the deep 

 sea between Newfoundland, or the North Cape, at the mouth of the St. 

 Lawrence, and Ireland, is concerned, the practicability of a submarine 

 telegraph across the Atlantic is proved. 



In this view of the subject, and for the purpose of hastening the comple- 

 tion of such a line, I take the liberty of suggesting for your consideration 

 the propriety of an offer, from the proper source, of a prize to the company 

 through whose telegraphic wire the first message shall be passed across 

 the Atlantic. 



I have the honor to be, respectfully, &c., 



M. P. MAUIIY, Lieut. U. S. Navy. 



Hon. J. C. DOUBIN, Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D. C. 



