OCEAN TEMPERATURES AND CURRENTS. 24/ 



Along these lines at ten-mile intervals, observations 

 were made upon the temperature of the water at various 

 depths. These depths were determined experimentally 

 in order to ascertain the best position for the instru- 

 ments, and this involved considerable preliminary work 

 because of the vagueness of the information at hand. 

 The intervals finally adopted were 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 

 40> 5''^j 75» i<^Oj 15O' 200, 300, 400, and 500 fathoms. 

 After these lines had been run out, some of them were 

 repeated under different meteorological conditions in 

 order to note any changes which had taken place. The 

 above observations were accompanied by an hourly set 

 of meteorological records, which were compared with 

 the regular series of the Signal Service offices of New 

 York and Boston. The work was limited to about two 

 months, in which time 136 such stations were studied, 

 1600 water temperature observations were taken, 300 

 observations were made upon the specific gravity of the 

 water, both at the surface, the bottom, and at inter- 

 mediate depths; and in addition over 10,000 general 

 meteorological observations were recorded. These ob- 

 servations have all been reduced and plotted, and a 

 report, embodying the results and comparisons, is now in 

 process of publication. 



The report shows, in brief, that an important influence 

 is exerted by the winds, forcing the warm surface water 

 of the Gulf Stream to a considerable distance northward 

 towards the coast, when blowing from the south, and 

 that this warm body of water swings back again, when 

 the wind blows from the opposite direction. This warm 

 water, which affords the proper temperature conditions 

 for the development of the forms of marine life upon 



