SONIC DEPTH-FINDER

Hokitika Guardian, 22 November 1924, Page 1

SONIC DEPTH-FINDER

AND FISHING INDUSTRY. \\ ELLINGTON, November 17. Proposals calculated to result ii Ureat benefit to the sea fishing industry have been made to the Ministei for Marine, the lion G. J. Anderson, by the lion. G. M. Thompson, M.L.C., and the Minister states that he intends to look into the (plosion. In a letter to the -Minister, covering his proposals, .Mr Thompson says:—-

“ During my recent visit to Honolulu, I had the pleasure of meeting llcarAdmiral John .McDonald, L’.S.A. Commandant, Pearl Harbour. Hawaii, on several occasions. At one of the meetings ol the Pan-Pacific Food Conservation Conlerence, he gave a very interesting account of the work of the Hydrographic Department of the Unitmi States Navy, and later presented me with a contour mao of the seabottom to the west of California. The data on which this map was drawn were obtained as the result of a detailed survey made hy the United States Navy, hy the use of the sonic sounding apparatus. IMPORTANT WORK. “The importance of this work, both economically in. connection with the local fisheries, and scientifically in its hearing on volcano and earthquake research, at once drew my attention. Alter various conversations with the Admiral, and also with Dr T. A. Jaggar, volcanologist in charge of the Kilouea Volcano Observatory, I wrote to the former gentleman asking for further information, lie forwarded m.v letter to the hydrographic office in

Washington, with the request that the authorities there would communicate directly with me. On October Rlth I received a reply from Captain F. B. Bassett, hydrographer, of which I understand you have already received a copy.

OF IMMENSE VALUE. It would he of immense value in the development of our fishing industry il we could carry out a detail survey of our coast line as far out as the lUt) iuthont line. This mil'llt lie done by supplyiup a sonic depth tinder to one or more of the smaller vessels of the New Zealand coastal defence Meet, such as the Veronica and the Laburnum. The addition of some scientific work to the routine duties of such a vessel is of interest to the officers and men, and is of value In the lads who are being trained in naval work. I found in Hawaii that the Navy Department was in close touch with the authorities of the Bishop Museum. Honolulu, and that each mouth one of the destroyers oil the station was despatched on a scientific cruise, along with a volunteer stall' of scientific men. GUARD AGAINST LOSS OF LIFE. “If further, the cruisers on the New Zealand station were furnished with the sonic dept h-linder. and would survey the deep water area on a line between the volcanic region ot the North Island and the Islands ol the

Tollman and Samoan croups, an immense advance in the study of the volcainduce and seismology of the South Pacific would he made. I have already written In the Minister for Internal All'airs stressing the importance of establishing a volcanological observatory in New Zealand, and il ill addition to this a maiine survey ol the sea-bottom were made hy our Navy Department the gain m our knowledge would brine nearer the day when earl hquakes and v olcanic di-l urhances v illi their an nnipaii.v in;', dancers ol tidal waves louhl lie predicted with some approach lo accuracy, and loss of life and property he guarded against.”