On the Sallnesi rf the Atlanik Ocean. 293 



quantity of saline matters presented also slight ^^^J^f' "'^j^J^ 

 did not'always correspond to the var,at,ons -f;'^"^' /' 'f^^ ^^ 

 possible this discordance n>ay have proceeded from the ^^-^^^ 

 •e^idues not bein^ calcined exactly m the same degree. Un 

 tak^r, the mean .Sthe densities, and that of the sahne residues, 

 the former was found to be 1-02SC., and second .3 'bo 



If we mav be pern.itted to draw a conclusion from these ex- 

 pcriment^ ihe densities prove that at the latUude of Calais and 

 of 10' N the saltness of the sea is ahuost at its mnumum , that 

 it is strongest at S:." and ^2' N. lat. ; that it goes on af-erwank 

 diminishing until near the eqnator, and that ^^ "'greases n, he 

 other hemisphere, where at the latitude of from 1 / to 24 it is 

 the same as at 35° and 32'' N. lat. ... 



According to the saline residues, the s-.dtness is at its muum^m 

 at the latitude of Calais, and tliut of W^ N. j^^^^^'^^f ^;^^ ;'.- 

 wards, although in an irregular manner; and appears a htde 

 stronger in the southern and in the northern hemispheres. Ly 

 1 u co-npa-ing the densities with the saline re^ukH^s, i seem 

 Jhat the 'saltness of the sea is less in the canal o Manche and 

 vA 10- of latitude N. than any where else ; and that it is sonQ(,- 

 what greater in the southern than in the northern hemisphere. 

 But before drawing any general conclusion, it may be proper to 

 con>.pare the prece.iing results with those obtained by otaer cne- 



'''ZZ^:TS:;.cen. an.lysis of Mr Murray, the w.ter^of 

 the Frith of Forth only contains '.Wi of sahne ma ters ; bu 

 this result is certainly too weak, r.nd cannot perhaps ^e ao,. . d 

 to waters taken more at large. If it were exact, it must be c o - 

 eluded from it that the saltness of this fnth ^« >'-• -.f ^ "^ ^^^^^ 

 rivers which fall into it. Lord Mul^rave, in latitudes furth r 

 north of GO, 74, and 80 degrees, has f--' \f ^^'^.ly^^^,^ ,«^^^'|, 

 ve:* taken at a depth of 120 metres contains 3-40, J'oO and 3 ^4 

 c:f^^ine matters. The water collected by ^-pi^; '^^^ 

 parallels from .15" N. to 50" S. ^•""^■''f ;^ "^=^''^f^"X ! 'e^ 

 l,i- ..line matters. Bergman has found 3-60 ^^^^'^^ t^ "^'\ 

 the Canaries; and MM. Bouillon Lagrange and\ ogel ■> 6 ), a -I 

 .TSO in water in the latitude of Dieppe and Bayonne, .aid 4 lU 

 in the Mediterranean opposite iSlarsedles. 



It is not surprising that the results obtained bv different pe.- 

 .ons should differ, since they may not have employed toe sa at 

 n,eans of analysis; but all of them unite "M'^^'';;;, \''f^, '^> 

 water of the ocean contains !.t Last three centimes an 1 .. a.l of 

 Mdine matters. This result agrees also vvith the ave age of the 

 ixtrcme deirrees of saltness collected by M. Humbolilt. 

 '' U rnoJ'easy to decide, whether the degree ot -^1';^- -ms- 

 with the latitude. The densities ot the water coUecteu h^ M. U- 



1 o 



