218 PHYSICAL GEOGEAPHY OF THE SEA : 



but no history of time will serve us here, and this legend 

 must be left in its old obscurity. 



We cannot quit this topic of the depth of the Atlantic, 

 without referring to one matter connected with it, far sur- 

 passing in grandeur of idea any fable of the imagination 

 we mean the Atlantic Electric Telegraph, so recently ap- 

 proaching its completion. The scheme, if not originating in 

 a series of soundings across this ocean, was at least matured 

 and directed by them. These soundings disclosed the ex- 

 istence, between Newfoundland and the western coast of 

 Ireland, of a sort of plateau forming the bed of the sea, at 

 a depth in no place exceeding 2,070 fathoms. This point of 

 greatest depression is very nearly equidistant from Valentia 

 and St. John's, the assumed eastern and western termini of 

 the telegraph. The actual distance between these points is 

 1,900 statute miles; of which about 1,500 miles inter- 

 mediate between the dips from each side, and named by 

 Captain Maury the ' Telegraphic plateau,' afford a soft and 

 singularly equable level. It is seemingly a surface of cal- 

 careous rock, covered in great part with a layer of micro- 

 scopic tropical shells, and well adapted in every way to 

 receive the wonderful instrument of human intelligence 

 committed to this submarine bed. It was surmised, and not 

 without show of reason, that these very materials, forming 

 the bottom of the plateau, might furnish a coating of natural 

 concrete to the electric cable; adding to its stability of 

 position, lessening the chances of injury from the elements 

 around, and possibly also affording a more perfect means of 

 transmission of the electric action itself. 



We cannot afford space, and it would be alien to our 

 subject, to dilate on this extraordinary project; successful 

 for a moment, then suddenly annulled, by causes which 

 we apprehend will ever endanger submarine lines thus long 

 and deep. We are not yet able to conjecture whether the 



