Alleged Changes in Ocean Depths

From The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia

Alleged Changes in Ocean Depths is a letter written by Arthur Conan Doyle published in The Occult Review in january 1928.


Alleged Changes in Ocean Depths

The Occult Review (january 1928, p. 51)

To the Editor of the Occult Review.

Sir, — I agree with Mr. Hubert Stringer as to the necessity of verifying such reports. I did so in the case of the story of the deep- sea cable and was assured by the company concerned that there was no truth in it.

I should be glad, however, to have further assurance upon the Bay of Biscay soundings. They were originally taken, as stated, from the transport Loiret, Commander Cornet being responsible for the statement. He found thirty fathoms where he expected to find a mile. His results were pooh-poohed by Professor Lacroix, and were contradicted by soundings taken by Dr. Charcot. Some months later, however, another ship, La Bourdonnais, when about eighty miles from land, found forty-four fathoms where the chart gave eighty, and this over a wide area.

Personally, I cannot understand how there could ever be an appreciable rise in the bed of the ocean without a corresponding change in the high-water mark — unless, indeed, the rise was accompanied by sinkings elsewhere.

Yours faithfully,

ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE.