SUEVEY OF TIDES AND CURRENTS. 



This Survey, of which Dr. W. B. Dawson is Superintendent, has 

 made substantial progress as regards both tides and currents. The work 

 during the summer season of 1908 included the investigation of the 

 currents in Northumberland Strait. These observations were carried on 

 day and night continuously, which is specially necessary in this strait 

 because of the pronounced diurnal inequality, which affects the current 

 as markedly as the tide itself. 



Complete tidal data for comparison with the behaviour of the cur- 

 rent were obtained from the principal station on St. Paul island, as well 

 as from tide gauges at Charlottetown and Pictou in the strait itself. 



In the tidal branch of the work, further observations were secured 

 at points on the Lower St. Lawrence, in the Miramichi region, at 

 Georgetown, P.E.I., and other places for which they were specially re- 

 quired to improve the data for the calculation of the Tide Tables. 



In addition to publications which are widely distributed, and in- 

 formation on various subjects sent on request, this Survey contributes 

 much assistance to other Departments in the Government Service; and 

 much extra work is done to put information into the special shape re- 

 quired for their purposes. 



On the other hand, a quantity of tidal observations taken during 

 surveys made by the Public Works department, or obtained by the 

 Hydrographie branch, are worked up by this Survey and incorporated in 

 the Tide Tables where they become available for the use of navigation. 



Investigation of the currents. — At this juncture it may be well to 

 sum up concisely what has been accomplished in this branch of the work, 

 in view of the programme originally proposed when the Survey was inau- 

 gurated. This was the examination of the currents on the leading 

 steamship routes, Avhich run for so great a distance through Canadian 

 waters before reaching the open Atlantic. This programme has now been 

 carried out successfully for practical purposes. Meanwhile, the trade of 

 Canada has increased more than 85 per cent, the tonnage of ocean going 

 vessels at our ports having risen from 18,539,534 in 1893 to 34,732,173 

 tons in 1906. The information obtained has thus become of much 

 greater value than could have been anticipated. The regions examined, 

 with the seasons given to each, may be concisely stated as below; to- 

 gether with the piiblications that sum up the results, without mention- 

 ing the Report of Progress in which more detail is given. 



Gulf of St. Lawrence. Three seasons of 1894, 1895 and 1896, given 

 to Cabot strait at the entrance to the Gulf, tlie Anticosti region at the 

 mouth of the St. Lawrence, and the northeastern angle of the Gulf lead- 

 ins; to Belle Isle strait. Publication : — " The Currents in the Gulf of St. 



