184 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



the current veered completely around; but they strengthened the set to 

 leeward, and made the rate of veer more rapid in passing the windward 

 directions. 



There were four other periods of less than a day, during which the 

 wind attained a velocity of 18 to 21 miles an hour, which caused an 

 alteration in the veer of the current similar to the above. 



It thus appears that the set is primarily due to the nature of the 

 current itself. If it has any definite behaviour of its own, it appears to 

 take the wind a considerable time to overcome this, even with currents 

 such as these which do not exceed one knot. 



Constant currents. — On the eastern side of Newfoundland, along 

 the straight shore which runs from Cape Spear to Cape Eace, there is a 

 current which sets ver}-- constantly south- Avestward for a width of 30 or 

 40 miles. This is a continuation of the Labrador current. It is affected 

 by a fluctuation in velocity with the tide, strengthening during the flood 

 and slackening during the ebb. This fluctuation is even more marked 

 in the under-current than on the surface. 



Anchorages were made at two stations in the line of this current, 

 at an oJBEing of 7 to 10 miles from shore. Observations were obtained 

 there at seven different times in July and August, the longest continuous 

 periods being for 34 and 55 hours. The current was found to be 24 per 

 cent stronger during the flood on the average ; when it would frequently 

 attain a velocity of nearly a full knot. The greatest velocity observed at 

 half-flood was 1.15 Knots. 



In broken weather or times of disturbance, it is possible for this 

 current to veer completely around the compass. This was once observed 

 during a period of 24 hours in August. The wind at the time was 

 moderate, and only rose from 12 to 20 miles an hour. On another 

 occasion, for 8 hours the current held in the eastward quarter, between 

 S. E. and N. E., or across its usual direction; and a day later during 7 

 hours it veered from E. through south to S. W. At the time of these 

 exceptional directions, there were during 45 hours 941 miles of wind 

 from the westerly quarter, between N". W. and S. W. 



The above directions of the current were on the surface only; and 

 from 5 to 10 fathoms downward the under-current set south-westward 

 as usual. Judging from numerous observations at 40 fathoms, or about 

 one-half the total depth of the water, the under-current rarely \eere<l 

 beyond the limits of S. W. and S. S. W. under any conditions. 



The fishermen who frequent the smaller banks which lie in the line 

 of this current are well able to observe what takes place ; because they 

 do not fish under sail, but anchor upon the banks in their small 

 schooners. They chiefly frequent the Bantam and Ballard banks in 



