WORK OF THE 'WILLIAM SCORESBY' 117 



THE WORK OF THE 'WILLIAM SCORESBY' 



The ' Carnegie's' work lay too far from the shores of Chile and Peru to shed much 

 light upon the vexed questions of the Coastal Current. The phenomena of major 

 interest, and those around which most discussion has centred, are to be found on the 

 tracks of coasting steamers and on the grounds frequented by fishermen. Examination 

 of the surface stratum and of the lower layers, not only in this zone, but as far into the 

 ocean as circumstances would permit, was the main purpose of the present survey. The 

 present report, essentially preliminary, is based on the observations made by the author 

 and his colleagues on board the R.R.S. ' William Scoresby ', and is confined to an account 

 of conditions in the upper layers. 



In 193 1 a scheme of investigation was prepared by the Discovery Committee with the 

 assistance of the Hydrographic Department of the Admiralty. Owing, however, to 

 our limited knowledge of the hydrological conditions on the coast, the programme was 

 kept flexible, and execution of the work was to a large extent guided by the results 

 obtained as we went along. Thermometer records were plotted on blank charts hour by 

 hour as collected, and the position of stations and the ship's course were adjusted as the 

 work developed. Thus we gained a bird's eye view of the general conditions as we 

 worked up the coast. This report is concerned with the layers between 400 m. and the 

 surface with especial reference to their temperature and salinity, to the effect of wind 

 upon water movement, and to the consequent effect on the phosphate content of the 

 surface and on the life in the sea. 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 



The analysis of water samples for their phosphate content was carried out by my 

 colleague Mr A. H. Laurie, and the results as plotted by him are illustrated in Figs. 

 40 and 54-61. All the samples were examined within 3-4 days of collection and many 

 within a few hours while still at sea. The consistency of the major differences in the 

 phosphate distribution suggests that they are significant but the conditions of work 

 make a considerable, but undetermined, error probable. Mr G. W. Rayner, who 

 joined the ship towards the latter end of the survey, contributed to the work and has 

 made a preliminary examination of the phytoplankton collections (pp. 178-181). The 

 track of the ship, illustrated in Figs. 5-13, 70 and 71, was drawn by Mr F. E. C. Davies, 

 who performed the duties of navigating officer and was in command of the ship during 

 her work off Peru. The meteorological data are extracted from the deck log book, where 

 they were entered by the officers of the watch. In making acknowledgment of the work 

 of colleagues our thanks are also due to Lieut. Rafael Torrico of the Peruvian Navy, 

 who was seconded to the ship as liaison officer and who contributed very greatly to 

 the success of our operations. 



It has been our good fortune to have the help of Mr D. J. Matthews of the Hydro- 

 graphic Department of the Admiralty, who assisted both in planning the research and 



