344 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



Having established the existence of these currents by 

 reference to the temperature of the ocean in its different 

 depths^, as found principally by Commander Belknap, the 

 next question arises whether my deductions are in accord- 

 :£ince with the balance of observations made by him and 

 other scientists in regard to the temperature of the waters 

 adjoining the California currents. 



It is an interesting fact, that midway between Ounimak 

 Pass (Aleutian Group) and Cape Flattery, the temperature 

 at the bottom of the sea, 2,000 fathoms deep, is 2^ higher 

 than we noted it for the line of Trinidad Head. In Lat. 

 54^21' N.,Long. 155"- 07' W., it was 34. P at a depth of 

 2,850 fathoms, and the same at a depth of 1,500 fathoms. 



Then, again, on a line between San Diego and Honolulu, 

 and especially near the latter place, the bottom temperature 

 of the ocean is from 33.2" to 33.5-^ at a depth of 2,800 

 fathoms and more; therefore lower than near the Behring 

 Sea. To interpret this fact I quote a notice by Commander 

 Belknap, accompanying his Profile C. "Between Cast A 

 (towards Yokohama) and Cast B (towards Tanaga Island of 

 the Aleutian Group), there appears to exist a stratum of 

 cold water of about 35^ at an average depth of 34 fathoms 

 below the surface, and becoming deeper as it proceeds 

 westward." 



Belknap's charts show the isothermal line of 40^ between 

 Yokohama and Ounimak Pass, to be nowhere below 100 

 fathoms from the surface, the entire length of the Profile, 

 excepting nearest Japan. This would indicate that the 

 Kuro Siwo drift cannot extend to the latitude which is 

 marked for it on the latest maps, the Austrian Navy map 

 ncluded. 



It is apparent from Belknap's observations, that the 

 northern or Arctic currents are powerful enough to alter the 

 direction of the Japanese current materially. They sweep 

 against the warm waters, as the Polar waters meet the Gulf 

 Stream on the north of Scotland. The Arctic waters ]3re- 



