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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 5, 1889)
of the (hip. The equipment of the vessel wait entirely under hi direction, and to hi practical exericnee and ingenuity is due a larjin number of the novel ami important device and improvement adopted. In general term, the object of the Al InilroM is to examine the depth of the sea with reference to all the condition of ani mal life tliut may U found there, the hab it of fihe in hort, to get all possible information regarding the fuuna of the sea. Thin involve ytcmntic soundings, the oUervance of the temperature, current and H,ifii' gravity of the different trata of water, the securing of ample of ea iMtttom, and variou other matter of m i entific value, Kverything pertaining to animal life of the sea and along the hore conn within the scoje of the work car ried on ly thi excdition. In order to successfully ojMTHte ut'h an enterprise, many appliance lined nowhere else are on the .ifKifniM. A iiuiiiImt ot tiiew are shown in the accomanying illiiHtration. The sounding machine ha a reel on which are wound 5,UM fit) In mm of et'H-I oiinding wire .O'.'Hof an inch in diameter. In sounding a inker weighing thirty-live Miund for moderate depth, or sixty pounds forgrent er depth, i attached to the Hounding cylinder at the end of the wire, in urh a manner thitt when the M torn i struck the inker dro off and the cylinder re turn with M-rhap a teacupful of mud. The line goc down alxmt imi fathom a minute and i raised at a little greater Niid. A deep ea thermometer always i, and water holtle may be, attached to the line to obtain the tciuerature and a eciinen of the lower v- - - . - - , ' . Ht'NrACK OATIIKKlNQ, stratum of water. These art ingenious contrivance. The thermometer is permitted to : " remain at rest long enough to register the temjierature, and then the upward mo tion start a screw that breaks the connection between the bulb and the column of mercury so thnt the regii ter can not Ik affected by the tcinierature of the upper strata through which the instrument must pass before reaching the surface. This thermometer is enclosed in a strong glass shield, which prevents the vitiation of the reading or crushing by the great pressure of the water at the Ixittom of the sea. The Iwttlc for obtain ing samples of the water at any depth is a strongly constructed tube, through which the water pnsses un obstrut tedly during the descent of the line. When the sounding line begins to return to the surface I propeller on the bottle is set in motion, which closes the valves and keep se cure the contents of the tube. These instruments act at any depth. There are other appliances used on the line, I description of which would be of intercut chielly to the specialist. The trawl and dredge net are so ar ranged that in dragging along the bot tom they will catch specimens of the fauna, shells, mud, etc. These are best understood from the illustrations. The trawl is lashed at it bottom, and when lifted to the deck with its finny load and suspended over the receiving tray, the lashing is cast off and the content fall out. The hose is trained on the tray of captured sea fauna until it thoroughly wushed, when the natural-