26 



THE OCEAN 



It will be seen from an examination of 

 this table that only 16 per cent, of the ocean- 

 floor lies between the shore-line and 1000 

 fathoms (6000 feet), so that 84 per cent, lies 

 deeper than 1000 fathoms ; again, only about 

 7 per cent, lies deeper than 3000 fathoms 

 (18,000 feet), so that 77 per cent, lies between 

 the depths of 1000 and 3000 fathoms, while 

 more than one-half of the entire floor of 

 the ocean (58 per cent.) is covered by 

 depths between 2000 and 3000 fathoms. 

 It is probable that these estimates are not 

 far from the truth, for it is remarkable 

 how little the contour-lines have been altered 

 by the great number of deep soundings that 

 have been recorded during the last ten or 

 twelve years. 



