A no ust 9, 1883] 



NATURE 



349 



north from Vardoe to Bear Island. On every section 

 stations were established for observations at very 

 frequent intervals; off the coast of Norway these 



stations were as close as they could well be. The 

 vessel itself, of 344 tons, was admirably arranged for 

 the work, the best possible use having been made of 

 the not too large space for disposal. The apparatus was 



abundant, and in its construction the experiences of 

 previous expeditions were fully taken advantage of. We 

 are all so familiar with the apparatus used in deep-sea 

 work that it is unnecessary to describe it in detail. The 

 experience of the first year led to some improvements in 

 the arrangements of the work-room, which occupied the 

 whole breadth of the ship ; and the light and ventilation 

 were much improved. As a specimen of the apparatus, 

 we reproduce the illustration of the sounding accumulator 

 (Fig. 1), composed of fifteen straps. To the lower thimble 

 is hung the cast-iron sounding-block, provided with a 

 swivel on artificial rollers, and two hinged arms to act as 

 fair leaders for the line. When in use, the apparatus 

 hangs suspended from the port mainyard-arm. Its most 

 important function is to take off the suddenness of the 

 strain on the line when the vessel is rolling or pitching. 

 For collecting water both from the bottom and inter- 

 mediate depths, Capt. Wille devised a very ingenious 

 water-bottle, which could hold five litres. The sounding- 

 line, 3000 fathoms, was wound on the port side of the 

 after-deck on a large, strong reel, secured by screws to 

 the deck. For dredging, especially, very careful prepara- 

 tions were made, and a variety of apparatus taken on 

 board. Capt. Wille gives the following interesting de- 

 scription of their method of dredging : — 



" We steamed full speed ahead, with the wind a little 

 on our starboard bow. So soon as the vessel had got 

 sufficient headway, the engine was stopped, the dredge 

 lifted by hand over the railing, and dropped into the sea. 

 At the foremast, a man with thick leather gloves stood 

 ready to pay out the dredge-rope, which another kept 

 clear with a handspike as it ran out from the coil in the 

 locker. On the dredge entering the water, the word was 

 immediately given to veer, when the paying out com- 

 menced, slowly, however, to make sure that all was right. 

 So soon as the dredge was clear of the propeller, the 

 vessel again went ahead, steaming at a uniform rate of 4 

 knots, which the engineer was enabled to keep up by 

 frequent reference to the water-log (see below). Mean- 

 while, we kept steadily veering, while taking care, by 

 frequent holding on to the rope, that the length run out 

 should be properly taut, and steering the course given to 

 the ship when the dredge was put over. After paying 

 out, according to depth, 200, 300, or 400 fathoms, we 

 again stopped, hauled in the rope to the taffrail by means 

 of the lizard and thimble, and fastened, below the latter, 

 with spun-yarn, a wooden toggle to the rope. Starting 

 again (same course and speed), we next ran out the whole 

 length of rope deemed necessary for the operation — not 

 less than double the depth, nay for smaller depths even 

 more. 



" The engine was now stopped, after which we hauled 

 in the dredge-rope, as before, to the taffrail, and kept it 

 up in a bight of rope's end. With the lizard was then 

 made fast to the wooden thimble a weight proportioned 

 to the depth, consisting of 3 or 4, and for the deepest 

 dredgings of as many as 6, of the sinkers of the Baillie 

 sounding- machine, weighing each 55 pounds. We now, 

 after letting go the rope, tilted the weight overboard, 

 which spun down along it till stopped by the wooden 

 toggle. The shock of its arrest was distinctly perceptible 

 to a person who had his hand on the rope. 



"The vessel was now kept stationary, while the weight 

 and the dredge were sinking. After some experience, 

 we calculated the time required for the dredge to sink 100 

 fathoms to be about 12 minutes. Fig. 2 will give an idea 

 of the descent of the dredge, or rather of the trawl. The 

 supposed depth in the diagram being 1300 fathoms, the 

 vessel and the trawl are of course on a much larger scale. 

 The dotted lines represent the lines of descent of the 

 weight, the shackle, the dredge-rope, and the beam of the 

 trawl — assuming the trawl to sink more slowly than the 

 weight. When the weight strikes the bottom, the trawl 

 has still some distance to travel, and the last part of its 



