302 CURRENTS IN THE GULF OF ST. LAWRENCE—FOX, 
Art. IX. — OBSERVATIONS ON THE CURRENTS IN THE GULF OF 
ST. LAWRENCE, AND THEIR DANGER TO NAVIGA- 
TION. — By JoHN J. Fox. 
(Read May 10, 1886.) 
THE remarks in this short paper are deduced from personal 
experience and observation, after a residence of thirty years at 
the Magdalen Islands, in the capacity of Chief Officer of Cus- 
toms. 
Seldom a year passes but we have to record the loss of some 
valuable ship and cargo, with human life, by stranding on the 
Islands and coasts of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, which, on 
official enquiry, is attributed to imperceptible eurrents unknown 
to the shipmaster, not Jaid down in the eharts and sailing direc- 
tions now in use. 
A general ignorance appears to exist among navigators 
respecting the force and direction of the tides and currents in 
this locality, which may in some measure be accounted for by 
the fact that fifty years have now elapsed since the last survey 
of the Gulf was made by officers of the British Navy. And it 
would appear that their observations were confined more to the 
shore tides than to the currents in mid-channel; some additions 
have since been made, but the basis is the old survey. 
The locai currents of the Gulf are created and influenced by 
various agencies, such as winds, specific gravity, changes of 
atmosphere and equilibrium. Their existence, foree and direction 
are difficult to ascertain; are very deceptive, and being very 
irregular are consequently the more dangerous to navigation, 
They appear to have periods of comparative quiescence and 
activity. Those born of the winds change with it, 
The ice that accumulates in the Gulf during the winter 
months, combined with the immense volume of fresh water dis- 
charged into it in the spring from the St. Lawrence and other 
rivers by the melting of the snow, decreases its saltness and 
