THE NEW SOUTH WALES AND NEW ZEALAND CABLE.

Press, Volume XXIII, Issue 3058, 10 June 1875, Page 3

THE NEW SOUTH WALES AND NEW ZEALAND CABLE.

The following report from Captain Nares relative to soundings for telegraphic cable between New South Wales and New Zealand, has been laid on the table of the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales :— " Captain Nare9 to Governor Sir Hercules Robinson, H.M.S. Challenger, Wellington, New Zealand, July 2nd, 1874. Sir, —Ab many in New South Wales are interested in the best telegraphic route between that colony and New Zealand, I have the honor to enclose tracings of charts, showing the soundings I lately obtained on a line between Sidney and Cook's Straits, with remarks on the conditions of the bottom with regard to its suitability for a telegraphic cable. 2. On the Australian coast the incline from the 100 fathoms line, which jwas 17 miles from the land, into a depth of 2,100 fathoms at 57 miles distance was about 1 in 20, which is less abrupt than we had previously found to be the case further to the southward of Twofold Bay, where it was about lin 6. Tbe bottom, which consists of soft ooze, then slopes down to a depth of 2600 fathoms, at a distance of 240 miles from the coast, the temperature being 83deg, which conditions continue for 140 miles. 3. From this extreme depth the bottom slopes upward, with a gentle incline, with soft ooze, for 400 miles, until, at a position 780 miles from Sydney, and 335 miles from the entrance to Cook's Straits, we obtained soundings in 1100 fathoms. Between this and New Zealand only shallow sound- I ings below 400 fathoms, with hard bottom, were obtained. The most westerly of these, 275 fathoms, was 200 miles from the land, and 125 miles to the eastward of the 1100 fathoms sounding. The shoal water evidently extends for some distance further to the westward, probably as much as 100 miles, which would give a total breadth of shallow water of 300 miles. The bottom on the shoal was extremely hard—so much so that we obtained little or no samples in the sounding rods ; but as both the dredge and trawl dragged freely along without catching ia any irregularities, it must have been of a smooth nature. 4. On reference to former soundings on the general chart, it is evident that a somewhat similar bank extends for a considerable distance to the westward of the north coast of New Zealand. Such being the case, the shoal is possibly continuous, and shallow water may be expected all along the western side of the North Island ; but I see no reason to suppose that deep water does not extend to within a very short distance of the southwest coast of the Middle Island, which is also the nearest land to Australia.—l have, kc, G. 8. Nares, Captain."