APPARATUS AND APPLIANCES USED. 
45 
placed, and as many weights are put on as are deemed 
necessary (generally speaking, one for every thou- 
sand fathoms). At the bottom of the last weight a 
small iron ring is rove on the rod, to which is at- 
tached a piece of iron wire about 12 feet Fig 3# 
in length. The bight of the wire is passed 
over the projection, and the rod being 
lifted, the weights rest on the ring, which 
is supported by the wire sling. The strain 
of the weights falls on the stud, thus 
pushing back the spring ; and as long as 
the pressure of the weights continues on 
the ring at the bottom, the wire remains in 
its place. When the weight of the sinkers 
is relaxed, by their reaching and resting on 
the bottom, the spring pushes the wire off, 
and the rod, being hauled up by the line, 
unreeves itself from the weights, leaving 
them at the bottom. 
The second sounding-rod (Fig. 3), which 
was principally used, is the invention of Staff 
Commander Baillie, R.N., and consists, as 
in the “ Hydra,” of a cylindrical rod, of 
3 inches in diameter and some 48 inches in length. 
The iron sinkers are rove on the rod in a similar 
manner to the former, but the means of disengaging 
and the safety in lowering are more to be depended 
on. The bight of the wire supporting the weights 
is placed over a sliding u ketch.” On the rod reach- 
