XVI EOYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



Tvhich the tides in Xorthumberland Strait can best be referred is St. Paul 

 Island ; but as the tidal data for that station have not yet been worked 

 out, it was found possible to obtain a satisfactory comparison with Hali- 

 fax. The difference in the time of the tide between Pictou and Halifax 

 is not constant ; but a variable ditierence in terms of the moon's declina- 

 tion, which allows for the diurnal inequality by which these tides are 

 atfected, has been made use of These tables will be sufficiently accurate 

 to be of practical value in the meantime, until better data are available. 



The tide tables for 1897 have been supplied to the leading British 

 and Canadian Almanacs for publication, as was done last year. 



Tide tables for 1898 are being prejmred for St. John, N. B., which 

 commands the Bay of Fundy. These will be based upon a record of two 

 complete years, extending from 30th April, 1894:, to 18th May, 1898. 

 The height of the tide is referred to a low water datum carefully deter- 

 mined by this survey. This will be specially valuable at a port where 

 the tide has so great a range that repairs to vessels are commonly made 

 at low water without the aid of dry docks. The basis of the Quebec 

 tables is also being extended by the incorporation of a second year's 

 record. There will thus be three leading ports in Canada, for which tide 

 tables, based upon direct observation, will be available. 



Survey of the Currents. 



An investigation of the currents in the northeastern portion of the 

 Gulf of St. Lawi'ence was made during the season of 1896 ; and for this 

 the SS. " Lansdowne " was again placed at Mr. Dawson's disposal for 

 three months ; namel}^, June, July and August. This is the third season 

 given to the examination of the gulf ; and some conclusions with regard 

 to the general circulation in the gulf have now been arrived at. 



The region examined last season comprises the northeastern arm of 

 the gulf, extending from Anticosti to the Strait of Belle Isle ; and with 

 the channel north of Anticosti, the area of this region is nearly the same 

 as the English Channel. The currents proved to be very different in 

 their character from those examined in the other parts of the gulf; and 

 the methods employed in former seasons required to be modified accord- 

 ingly. The currents in those parts had usually considerable strength, 

 from one to three knots ; and generally a uniform direction for at least 

 some hours at a time. Their chief variation was in velocity, which 

 fluctuated with the tide or fell off with the depth. But the currents m 

 this region varied chiefly in their direction. They usually veered in 

 direction from hour to hour, often going completely around the compass ; 

 and the direction at any depth was often different fi'om the surface 

 direction. Their speed was always low, seldom exceeding one knot per 

 hour. Hence the direction of the current, both at the surface and 

 below, was of much more importance relatively than the accurate 

 determination of velocity. 



