TEMPERATURE 93 



surface varied from 71-4° to 78-6° F., falling 

 rapidly beneath the surface until the coldest 

 water in the whole sea, varying from 43-7° 

 to 45-7° F., was reached in depths of 25 to 50 

 fathoms, this minimum temperature being 

 generally found nearer the surface in the 

 central parts of the sea than elsewhere. At 

 a depth of 100 fathoms the temperature 

 varied from 46-2° to 48-2° F., the mean 

 being 47-7° F., while at a depth of 200 fathoms 

 the mean was 48-0° F., the variation not 

 exceeding half a degree. At still greater 

 depths the temperature was nearly uniform 

 at 48-2° F., with a maximum of 48-7° F., in 

 the deepest part in 1200 fathoms ; therefore 

 the bottom water has a temperature about 

 four degrees higher than the minimum 

 temperature at 50 fathoms. 



