OCEAN CURRENTS. 339 



The velocity of this surface current is marked variously 

 as from 0.37 to 1.0 nautical miles per hour. 



It is clear that this evidence cannot give satisfaction to 

 science. 



But fortunately we have an instrument from which we can 

 obtain the desired information, namely, the thermometer. 

 The sea thermometer is the most sensitive instrument known 

 with which to prove the existence of ocean currents, as well 

 as to determine their extent. 



We have historical proof of an ocean current in the 

 landing of Cermenon, one of the discoverers of California, 

 who was driven to her shore by the great circuit route of 

 the Kuro Siwo. We have many wrecks of Japanese junks 

 along the western coast of North America to bear testimo- 

 ny to its existence. We have also the records given by mod- 

 ern current indicators, which denote a great southerly drift, 

 and still we lack the positive proof whether this current is 

 of Arctic origin, or coming from the shores of Japan, until 

 we have measured the temperature of its waters on the sur- 

 face and in its depths. 



The great Gulf Stream, its origin, its direction, and its 

 extent, has been definitely outlined by measuring the tem- 

 perature of its waters. 



The questions we wish to solve in regard to the Cali- 

 fornia current must necessarily be also answered by the 

 record of its temperature. The material from which to 

 obtain these records is still very meager. 



We find it on Belknap's Deep-Sea Soundings, on Maury's 

 charts, and in the records of steamers and sailing vessels. 

 Commander Belknap made a- number of trips along the 

 coast of California in 1873, starting from different points, 

 and following each time a line more or less perpen- 

 dicular to the coast. His real object was to find a prac- 

 tical route for a submarine cable between the United 

 States and Japan. At the same time serial temperatures 

 were obtained of the ocean water in different depths. These 



