_ westward, A part of this arctic current, as it moves 
932 Scientific News. [ November, 
the same work, and but little qualification except his individual 
industry, intelligence and ingenuity. Apprehending the value of 
aperture as a means of resolution, far in advance of the rest of 
the world he produced objectives that were not only unequaled, 
but fora time quite unintelligible. The position so suddenly 
acquired was worthily occupied; and for nearly half a century 
Mr. Spencer has maintained a place, by his extraordinary genius 
for original contrivance and his tact in accomplishing extremely 
ne work, among the first of the manufacturing opticians in the 
world. His life was spent at Canastota, N. Y., except the last 
few years, which were spent at Geneva. From his shop at Can- 
astota he sent out Mr. Tolles, who has since divided the honors 
with his instructor as a maker of extremely fine and really orig- 
inal microscopical work; and during recent years, as superintend- 
ent of the Geneva optical works, while feeble from age and fail- 
ing health, he has proved so good an organizer and instructor, 
that his sons have been enabled to produce lenses that would not 
suffer by comparison with the best work of their father. Among 
the first and oldest of the original circle of microscopists in this 
country, and not more skillful as an optician than genial and 
friendly as a man, he will be greatly missed by his friends, and 
remembered and honored by all who are interested in his branch 
of science. 
:0: 
SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 
_ — The results obtained in the recent deep sea explorations by 
the Coast Survey steamer Blake are of special interest a5 afford- 
ing new data for mapping down the floor of the Atlantic. Since 
May last the B/ake, under command of Commander Bartlett, re- 
ports having run lines of soundings across the Gulf stream from 
the Florida straits to Cape Hatteras, at the same time making 
an examination of the great ocean current. The new data 
tained show that the Bahama Banks extend in an almost level 
submarine plateau nearly two hundred miles in width off the 
ly twenty- 
s to about 
of the 
The average depth of water on this long plateau was foun 
the Blake to be but little over four hundred fathoms, and it seems 
evident, therefore, that it must serve as a vast submarine wall to 
divert from the Carolina coasts the major part of the g 
dercurrent setting from the Newfoundland Banks t 
_ the surface, on reaching Cape Hatteras no doubt ae 
___ between the shore and the prolonged Bahama Bank, even 00F 
Florida coast, but only a small part. The effect of this aera 
