398 



seawater, or that ît is perhaps neutral. Freshwater from this 

 source will therefore perhaps diminish the alkalinity in nearly 

 the same proportion as the salinity. 



b. Freshwater from the continental rivers generally posesses 

 an alkalinity of its own, and the alkalinity of the sea will 

 therefore be diminished by it in a less proportion than the 

 salinity or it will not be diminished at all. 



I have been able to extract a good example of this kind 

 from the bcoLF-tables. A series of determinations have been 

 made in the surface of the Davis-Strait where the seawater is 

 diluted, principally with river- water from the west- coast of 

 Greenland. A comparison of these with others from the surface 

 of the Atlantic, south of 63° N. L., shows that the alkalinity in 

 the Strait has absolutely decreased but has increased relatively 

 to the salinity. 



If it were permissible to assume, which of course it is not, 

 that it was the surface-water from the examined area of the 



