Section III, 1917 [43] Trans. R.S.C. 



For Review of Technical Work done since Confederation. 



By W. Bell Dawson, M.A., D.Sc, M.Inst.C.E., F.R.S.C. 

 Superintendent of the Tidal and Current Survey. 



(Read May Meeting, 1917.) 



Survey of Tides and Currents. 



In reviewing the technical work accomplished since Confedera- 

 tion, this Survey deserves mention as an important development for 

 the benefit of the trade and commerce of Canada. The need for a 

 knowledge of the tides and currents in Canadian waters was first 

 seriously discussed at the meeting of the British Association held in 

 Montreal in 1884; and a committee was then appointed to look into the 

 matter. The Montreal and Quebec Boards of Trade gave their 

 concurrence, and ship-owners and masters of vessels were also prac- 

 tically unanimous in urging that steps be taken. The Government 

 had other surveys in hand at the time; in Hudson bay, and on the 

 lower St. Lawrence where a re-survey was being made. After further 

 representations in 1889, in which the Royal Society of Canada lent 

 its influence, some practical steps were taken in 1891 to 1893. In 

 those three years, an appropriation of $10,000 was voted towards the 

 investigation of the tides. The preliminary work was placed in the 

 hands of Mr. C. Carpmael, the Director of the Meteorological service. 

 He made some investigations and also erected some tide gauges in a 

 tentative way, as a beginning; in which only a small proportion of 

 the above appropriation was expended. This early work and the 

 various representations made to the Government, are detailed in the 

 first Report of Progress of the Tidal Survey for 1894. 



By the autumn of 1893 five tide gauges were in operation; but 

 later, two of these were discontinued because they were unsuitably 

 situated as permanent tidal stations, and a third required to be 

 rebuilt. At the close of that year, the present Superintendent, Dr. 

 W. Bell Dawson was appointed to organize the Survey on a compre- 

 hensive basis. 



In the original representations which led to the inauguration of 

 the Tidal Survey, much stress was laid upon the loss of vessels because 

 of unknown currents. There was also exaggeration regarding sup- 

 posed dangerous currents in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, which com- 

 peting routes made the most of. The investigation of currents that 



