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 weed, by proving that its place of growth cannot
be on this side (west) of that stream. No Gulf weed is ever found west
of the axis of the Gulf Stream; and, if we admit the top of the stream
to be higher in the middle than at the edges, it would be difficult to
imagine how the Gulf weed should cross it, or get from one side of it
to the other.

The inference, therefore, would be, that as all the Gulf weed which is
seen about this stream is on its eastern declivity, the _locus_ of the
weed must be somewhere within or near the borders of the stream, and
to the east of the middle. And this idea is strengthened by the report
of Captain Scott, a most intelligent ship-master, who informs me that
he has seen the Gulf weed growing on the Bahama Banks.

DEEP-SEA SOUNDINGS.

(_From a Letter to the Secretary of the Navy, 1854, given in Mrs.
Corbin's Life of Maury._[14])

The U. S. brig "Dolphin," lieutenant commanding O. H. Berryman, was
employed last summer upon special services connected with this
office. . . . He was directed also to carry along a line of deep-sea
soundings from the shores of Newfoundland to those of Ireland. The
result is highly interesting upon the question of a submarine
telegraph across the Atlantic, and I therefore beg leave to make it
the subject of a special report.

This line of deep-sea sounding seems to be DECISIVE of the question as
to the practicability of a submarine telegraph between the two
continents _in so far as the bottom of the deep sea is concerned_.
From Newfoundland to Ireland the distance between the nearest points
is about 1600 miles, and the bottom of the sea between the two places
is a plateau which seems to have been placed there especially for the
purpose of holding the wires of the submarine telegraph, and of
keeping them out of harm's way. It is neither too deep nor too
shallow; yet it is so deep that the wires but once landed will remain
forever beyond the reach of the anchors of vessels, icebergs, and
drifts of any kind, and so shallow, that they may be readily lodged
upon the bottom. . . . . . .

A wire laid across from either of the above-named places on this side
to the north of the Grand Banks, will rest on that beautiful plateau
to which I have alluded, and where the waters of the sea appear to be
as quiet and as completely at rest as it is at the bottom of a
mill-pond. It is proper that the reasons should be stated for the
inference that there are no perceptible currents and no abrading
agents at work at the bottom of the sea upon this telegraphic plateau.
I derive this inference from the study of a physical fact, which I
little deemed, when I sought it, had any such bearings.

Lieutenant Berryman brought up, with "Brooke's deep-sea sounding
apparatus," specimens of the bottom from this plateau. I sent them to
Professor Bailey, at West Point, for examination under his microscope.
This he kindly undertook, and that eminent microscopist was quite as
much surprised to find, as I was to learn, that all these specimens of
deep-sea soundings are filled with microscopic shells. To use his own
words, "not a particle of sand or gravel exists in them." These little
shells therefore suggest the fact that there are no currents at the
bottom of the sea whence they come; that Brooke's lead found them
where they were deposited in their burial-place. . . .

Had there been currents at the bottom, they would have swept and
abraded and mingled up with these microscopic remains the _débris_ of
the bottom of the sea, such as ooze, sand, gravel, and other matter;
but not a particle of sand or gravel was found among them. Hence the
inference that these depths of the sea are not disturbed by either
waves or currents. Consequently, a telegraphic wire once laid there
would remain as completely beyond the reach of accident as it would be
if buried in air-tight cases.

HEROIC DEATH OF LIEUTENANT HERNDON.

(_From Maury's Report, in Mrs. Corbin's Life of Maury._[15])

 U. S. NATIONAL OBSERVATORY,
 WASHINGTON, D. C., _October 19th, 1857_.

SIR,--On the 12th day of September last, at sea, the U. S. mail
steamship "Central America," with the California mails, many of the
passengers and crew, and a large amount of treasure on board,
foundered in a gale [off Cape Hatteras]. The law requires the vessels
of this line to be commanded by officers of the Navy, and Commander
William Lewis Herndon had this one. He went down with his ship,
leaving a glowing example of devotion to duty, Christian conduct, and
true heroism. . . . .

The "Central America," at the time of her loss, was bound from
Aspinwall, viâ Havana, to New York. She had on board, as nearly as has
been ascertained, about two millions in gold, and 474 passengers,
besides a crew, all told, of 101 souls--total, 575.

She touched at Havana on the 7th September last, and put to sea again
at nine o'clock on the morning of the 8th. The ship was apparently in
good order, the time seemed propitious, and all hands were in fine
health and spirits, for the prospects of a safe and speedy passage
home were very cheering. The breeze was from the trade winds quarter
at N. E.; but at midnight on the 9th it freshened to a gale, which
continued to increase till the forenoon of Friday, September 11th,
when it blew with great violence. . .

Up to this time the ship behaved admirably; nothing had occurred
worthy of note, or in any way calculated to excite suspicions of her
prowess, until the forenoon of that day, when it was discovered that
she had sprung a leak. The sea was running high: . . . the leak was so
large that by 1 P. M. the water had risen high enough to extinguish
the fires on one side and stop the engine. . . . Crew and passengers
worked manfully, pumping and baling all Friday afternoon and night,
and when day dawned upon them the violence of the storm was still
increasing. . . . The flag was hoisted union down, that every vessel
as she hove in sight might know they were in distress and wanted
help. . . . . . . .

Finally, about noon of Saturday the 12th, the gale began to abate and
the sky to brighten. . . . At about 2 P. M. the brig "Marine," Captain
Burt, of Boston, bound from the West Indies to New York, heard
minute-guns, and saw the steamer's signals of distress. She ran down
to the sinking ship, and though very much crippled herself by the
gale, promised to lay by. . . . The steamer's boats were ordered to be
lowered--the "Marine" had none that could live in such a sea. . . .
All the women and children were first sent to the brig, and every one
arrived there in safety. Each boat made two loads to the brig,
carrying in all 100 persons.

By this time night was setting in. The brig had drifted to leeward
several miles away from the steamer; and was so crippled that she
could not beat up to her again.

Black's (the boatswain) boat alone returned the second time. Her
gallant crew had been buffeting with the storm for two days and
nights without rest, and with little or no food. The boat itself had
bee

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