358 _ Notices of Books. [July, 
act in concert with it, how can the lesser force of the winds be 
supposed to control it ? \ 
*«Secondly: without a word of argument, or a shadow of 
proof, Dr. Carpenter assumes that differences of level in the 
ocean must cause surface currents from the higher to the lower 
levels; and such currents, flowing into the Polar regions, he 
makes the first impetus of the circulation; so that the fact that 
differences of level in the open ocean are naturally restored by 
tidal movements, and not by currents of any sort, cuts away the 
tap-root of his theory. 
‘And thirdly: without any explanation, Dr. Carpenter treats 
the action of surface heat as causing exactly the opposite effects 
in the Equatorial regions to those which it causes in the 
Mediterranean. With most astounding and glaring inconsistency 
he makes (not by argument, but by mere assertion) the same 
cause produce different effects, just as the exigencies of his theory 
in different parts of the ocean require. Besides these things, 
considering also minor details to which I have not alluded, I could 
scarcely have believed it possible that such loose and reckless 
theorising could have been perpetrated by a Fellow of the Royal 
Society, and still less by a man selected by the British Admiralty 
as their scientific representive, and this too in treating of a 
subject with which the acceptance of the latter post makes it 
his special duty to be well acquainted.” 
Considering that, according to Dr. Carpenter’s theory, the 
great predominant current-creating force is in the Polar regions, 
it might be expected that some facts would be brought forward 
in its support; but to this Dr. Carpenter does not condescend ; 
for after the assertion that ‘‘the surface flow of Equatorial water 
towards the North Polar area is a fact universally admitted,” and 
an argument regarding the course from the Equatorial regions of 
the water which ‘ passes north and north-east between Iceland 
and Norway towards Spitzbergen,’ he branches off to draw 
distinctions between ‘‘ the mere Physical Geographer” and ‘‘one 
who takes a scientific view of the matter’’—rather an unhappy 
distinction for the author himself it would appear. Certainly 
the fact referred to is admitted; but will Dr. Carpenter contend 
that in the latitude of the north of Norway the volume of the 
-~surface-flow of warm water northwards on the east of the ocean 
is anything like equivalent to that of the surface flow of cold 
water southwards on the west of the ocean? And it should 
also be observed that in those high latitudes, according to the 
theory of the current-creating action of the earth’s rotation, 
there exists, west of the surface flow of warm water, an under 
current of the same flowing northwards with a surface current 
of cold water immediately above it flowing southwards. A part 
only of the warm current is tilted up to the surface on the east 
of the ocean, whilst the remainder under-runs the cold current 
flowing in the opposite direction. <‘‘ Be this, however, as it 
