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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 885
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LCOPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
SEVENTH DAY,
WEDNESDAY, 25TH NOVEMBER 1896.
PRESENT:
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF SELBORNE, CHAIRMAN, Presiding,
The Hon. Sir DONALD SMITH, G.C.M.G. The Hon. Sir SAUL SAMUEL, K.C.M.G., C.B. The Hon. D. GILLIES.
The Hon. A. G. JONES, P.C. Mr. G. II. MURRAY, C.R.
Mr. W. H. MERCER, Secretary.
Rear-Admiral W. J. L. WHARTON, Hydrographer to the Admiralty, called; and Examined.
Chairman.
1460. I THINK you are Hydrographer-in- Chief to the Admiralty ?—Yes.
1461. Have you studied the character, from a hydrographical point of view, of the seas and islands in the Pacific Ocean? —As far as it is possible to do so.
1462. Assuming that a cable is to be laid from Vancouver to Australia, touching on British territory only, what route would you recommend so far as present knowledge exists?-There is very little choice. The cable must go from Vancouver direct either to Palmyra or to Fanning Island. From there it would go to Fill either direct or via one of the Phenix Islands, and from Fiji it would either go direct to Australia, near Cape Bowen, or to New Zealand, or via Norfolk Island on to Australia.
1463. Have you any opinion to offer to the Committee as to the preference between Palmyra Island and Fanning Island ?—We have not got good surveys of either of those islands, but I am inclined to think that Palmyra would be found the most suitable, as, though the island is smaller, there is a larger bank of anchorage, and generally speaking, I think it would probably be more favourable both as a station and for landing the cable than Fanning Island. But they neither
of them have been examined with a view to forming a landing-place.
1464. Would you kindly take the Committee through the various sections that you have sketched out, giving us such information as you have as to the known depth, the character of the sea bottom, the character of the islande, their suitability for landing stages, and the length of the sections. First of all, from Vancouver to either Fanning Island or Palmyra? - On the route from Vancouver to either Fanning or Palmyra no soundings have been obtained in the direction that the cable would run. There are a certain number of soundings that were obtained by the Americans between the continent and the Sandwich Islands, which give one general idea of the mean depth that would be met with on the route, but there are large tracts
A
Chairman-continued.
where it is impossible to say yet what depth may exist, whether it is shallower than its general depth, which is probably, on an average, about 2,800 fathoms, or something of that sort; but there may be deep holes like we have recently found to the north-east of New Zealand-very, very deep holes on the other hand, there may be shallower tracts.
As to landing on either Palmyra or Fanning, there we have no direct information; but seeing that they are both of them coral atolls, and that we have obtained a of coral atolls, I think one would fear that the good deal of information lately about the slopes approach to either of those would be exceedingly steep. In the course of the last few years in different parts of the world, and especially in different parts of the Pacific, when surveying vessels have called at the islands, they have been instructed to ascertain the slopes, and I have sent some typical ones in, showing how exceedingly steep the upper parts of those islands which have becu examined
(Producing drowings.) Those are sections drawn to a true scale; the vertical and horizontal scales are equal, showing the real angle, and the depths are given in fathoms of six feet. Whether Palmyra or
Are.
Fanning would present the same sort of slope it is impossible to say, but one would have to
fear it.
1465. Then, practically speaking. for the pur- pose of any sort of accurate information, there is no survey of the section from Vancouver to Fanning Island or Palmyra Island ?--No, not
the whole of it.
1466. Would you kindly take us through the section from either of those islands to Fiji in the same way?-Here again we have little informa- tion for a large part of the way. Taking first from Fanning to Fiji, for about two-thirds of the distance there are no soundings at all. About the remaining third there is some informa- tion, not actually on the line between the two places, but sufficiently near to show what the depth would be. There again it is an average of 2,700, varied no doubt by a great many rises in the bottom, and possibly deep holes. It is
25 November 1896.!
Chairman-continued.
Rear-Admiral WHARTON.
region in which there has been a great deal of volcanic disturbance, and a very large number of shallow banks exist in the general region through which the line from Fanning or from Palmyra to the Phenix Islands would pass. The deepest sounding obtained there yet is about 3,400, but the soundings are, of course, too far apart to give you any idea of the difficulties you may meet in the inequalities of the bottom, though giving you a general idea of the mean depth.
1467. What do you make to be the exact length of the span from Vancouver to Fanning Island or Palmyra Island?—It is 3,200 nautical miles to Palmyra; 3,220 to Fanning.
1468. And from Palmyra or Fanning to Fiji? From Fanning to Fiji, that is to Suva, is 1,900 miles, and from Palmyra it is 1,860, I should imagine that if the cable goes to Palmyra. certainly it would be landed at one of the Phenix Islands, providing a cable could be landed there, so as to break that excessively long distance. Having had one very long span first of all. I understand it is very desirable to have the others as short as you can.
1469. Quite so. Phoenix group?—Yes.
Is Canton Island one of the
1470. Could you give the distance from Palmyra to Canton ?-Canton is a little out of the way, and Sydney Island is the best there. From Palmyra to Sydney is 750 miles, and from Sydney to Suva is 1.100.
1471. So far as is known, what is the character of the sea bottom between Palmyra or Fanning Island and Fiji-It is very varied, very irregular; here deep holes, and there elevations, in the bottom. There is probably no part of the Pacific where the bottoni will turn out to be so very irregular as that is.
1472. And there is no part where globigerina ooze has been found?—Oh, yes, that is found everywhere.
-
No.
1473. That is found everywhere! In certain depths.
1474. In great depths
In great depths you will find red clay. The globigerina are dissolved by the carbonic acid in the sea water; they have all been there at one time, but they get dissolved before they reach the bottom.
1475. The red clay found in greater depths, is it in a state of solution?—It is very soft, very soft mud; as is the globigerina ooze. As far as the cable is concerned the two bottoms are the
Bame.
1476. And what, so far as is known, is the character of the bottom between Vancouver and Fanning Island?—That is either the red clay or globigerina ooze, according to the depth.
1477. Have there been no surveys either of our own or of the Americans on either side, east or west, of the sections from Vancouver to Fanning Island-No, not in that direction. The only soundings there from the Sandwich Islands are to the north-eastward and by the Americans. I have them on the chart here. Perhaps you would like to see that. That contains all the soundings. (Chart produced.)
1478. What line was surveyed-From the
Chairman-continued.
[Continued.
Sandwich Islands; that is all American; those soundings there (pointing) and those; that is the English line.
1479. To San Francisco, is that ?-To the neighbourhood of San Francisco, yes different points on the American coast near San Francisco.
1480. That survey in several places crosses information we have, where the cable line crosses the proposed route?—Yes. That is the only
those smndings.
1481. The information you gave us about the entirely. probable depth was based on that survey?—Yes,
1482. Does this survey show roughly a mean level of the Pacific on the eastern side?- Judging from the soundings there, the bottom appears very even but they are here and there. These distances are so vast, the areas are so great, that it is extremely difficult to form any idea whether the bottom is even or not from a number of soundings like you see before you. These American soundings are closer; there are more soundings than are shown here, and it is where those lines go that you have fair evidence of what the bottom is. There are several places where there is evidence of elevations in the bottom, but I should say that all that section from Hawaii to the northward would be very much clearer than those to the south of that
again.
There is one place in latitude 40 where there is clearly a volcanic eruption going on from time to time in the bed of the sea. Ships have reported earthquakes there several times, but no soundings have been got anywhere near the place. I have very little doubt that there must be an elevation building up there during the last 20 or 30 years.
1483. Where is that ?—It is here. I think you will see it in this chart; I will just mark the place.
t Places marked on Chart produced.) Somewhere there: you can only judge by the different reports which have been made during the last 20 years,
14×4. What would be on an average about the distance apart of those soundings-The sound- ings shown on this chart are about from 100 to 150 miles apart.
1485. Are there any soundings in the Pacific north of this route, or north-west of this route, that show any guide to the nature of the bottom?- No, they are too far away to throw any light on that point.
1486. There is a part of the Pacific, is there not, where extremely deep soundings have been taken? Yes, that is to the south, to the east of the Kermadec Islands. They are 600 miles north-east of the northern point of New Zealand. You will see the soundings marked there. (Indi- If you will allow me, 5155, cuting on chart.) 5147, and 5022: those are the three deepest holes that are known anywhere.
1487. Nothing that is yet known upon this proposed route would lead you to suppose that you would find holes of that magnitude ?—It is impossible to say; quite impossible. We never dreamt that we were going to get these deep soundings in that position.
1488. But there is nothing that would lead you
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