NEW ZEALAND CABLE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4195, 31 August 1874, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND CABLE.

It is probable that the Governments of the Colonies more directly interested in the establishment of submarine telegraphic communication, will have by this time received a record of the results of the survey made by H.M.S. Challenger between New South Wales and the shores of New Zealand. Meantime, the public are only in possession of some meagre particulars; and they will, no doubt, gladly peruse any additiou to our present information. Of the Challenger’s discoveries in the extreme South Seas, an interesting account reaches us by a roundabout way from New York, and in a somewhat similar way, though not from such a distance, we have a few additional details as to the survey in which New Zealand is more immediately interested. These are furnished iu a letter which we find in a Sydney journal, and which was written ’ by Professor Liversidge, on board the Challenger, to Dr. Von Willomose-Suhra, a naturalist resident iu that city. Greater part of the letter is devoted to a description of tho results of the dredging in the discovery of the strange inhabitants of the deep seas ; hut we- (prate only the figures relating to the soundings taken in connection with the important project of laying a submarine cable to this Colony. First we are told that the coast of Australia falls off very rapidly. Going out thirty miles, the Challenger met successively with depths of 80, 270, 600, and 1000 fathoms. On the 13th of June, she returned quite close to tho coast of New South Wales, in the neighborhood of Woollougong, where 410 fathoms were found. On the 14th, 2000 fathoms were found, and on the 17th, in latitude 34-50 S., longitude 155-28 E., a depth of 2600 fathoms was reached. The succeeding soundings are thus stated by the Professor ; fathoms ; 19th, 720 miles north-west of Capo Farewell, 2600 fathoms ; 20th, latitude, 37T5 S., longitude 163 - 39 E., 2000 fathoms ; 22nd, latitude, 37'58 S., longitude 166'19 E., 1100 fathoms; 23rd, latitude 38-52 S., longitude 169'20 E., 275 fathoms. We were very much astonished to find shallow water so very far from the land. Evidently New Zealand ascends very slowly. But on the 23rd, however, we were only on a hank, for thirty miles further on we found 350 fathoms, and thirty miles still further, 400 fathoms, while on the ' 24th June, latitude 39-32 S., longitude 171"48 E., we had 150 fathoms, being now rather close to the land.” On tho 25th of June, and off Cape Farewell, only 39 fathoms were found. To the scientific staff on board the Challenger the results of tho dredging operations were not altogether satisfactory, the weather, during the trip across having been unusually severe, hut tho soundings had been carried ■ out with stations sufficiently near together, and they proved what was supposed to be the case when the ship left Sydney, viz., that the depths ou the oast coast of New South Wales are nearly as great as those found off the south coast of Australia (2800 fathoms), that a deep ridge separates New Zealand from New South Wales, and that New Zealand rises with a very gradual ascent.