PROCEEDINGS FOR 1895 XVII 
cided to divide this time between the two places; taking the months of 
July and September for the Strait of Belle Isle, in order to obtain as dif- 
ferent conditions as possible ; and taking August for Cabot Strait. in the 
hope of obtaining more settled weather for so exposed a position. On 
the first trip to Belle Isle materials were taken for the erection of a tide- 
gauge in that strait. 
“ During the season the icebergs in the Strait of Belle Isle were fairly 
numerous, and every endeavour was made to take advantage of them as 
‘current floats, especially to obtain simultaneous comparisons in differ- 
ent parts of the strait. A large proportion of this work was lost, how- 
ever, as a distant berg might drift further away instead of nearer, or fog 
might come on to obscure it. The berg might prove to be aground, or it 
might touch bottom from time to time, and thus be retarded and give a 
false indication. Also, when many bergs were in sight at once, their move- 
ments changed their apparent forms, and their identity was lost unless 
they were very closely observed. These points are mentioned to show 
the discretion that is needed in estimating the value of reports as to the 
nature of currents, which are based on the movements of icebergs viewed 
from a single standpoint and without instrumental measurements. 
“To obtain complete information from an iceberg, some means had 
to be found to obtain its actual height in feet. The apparent height was 
then measured with a sextant or a micrometer telescope, and simultane- 
ous bearings taken, at equal intervals of time, and in this way the path 
of the berg could be laid down on a plan or chart, and the direction and 
speed of its motion found. Without the actual height, the observations 
gave relative results only with regard to the direction of the current, 
which were sometimes useful. Any unusual change in velocity, espe- 
cially when occurring in shallower water, as shown on the chart, was 
taken to mean that it touched bottom or was aground for a time; and 
these suspected parts of its journey were left out of the comparisons 
made. The effect of the wind on the movement of an iceberg is scarcely 
appreciable, as so large a proportion of its bulk is below water. This 
was not, therefore, taken into account, 
‘There is a widespread impression that the current in the Strait of 
Belle Isle runs constantly inwards, and on some physical maps, and also 
on the weather charts issued by the meteorological department, this is 
definitely represented. A branch from the Arctic current which runs 
southward along the outer coast of Labrador, is shown to run in at Belle 
Isle and to find its way out again through Cabot Strait to the Atlantic. 
On the other hand, the fishermen along the coast seem to believe that the 
current is usually in the same direction as the prevailing wind at the 
time. The remark on the admiralty chart is as follows: ‘The move- 
ments of the water in Belle Isle Strait are made up of a general westerly 
set affected by tidal streams and winds. The resulting set may be in 
Proc. 1895. B. 
