100 



INTERNATIONAL ASPECTS OF OCEANOGRAPHY 



Inlernational Hydrographic Bulletin 



This publication has been issued each month 

 commencing in January, 1928, until January, 

 1934, since when it has been issued every two 

 months. It contains information which may be 

 important but is of ephemeral interest only. 

 Year Book 



This is published annually, commencing in 

 January, 1928. It gives the titles, addresses, etc., 

 of hydrographers, information as to hydrographic 

 offices, a list of survejang vessels with their 

 tonnage, etc., for the whole world, so far as such 

 information has been communicated to the 

 Bureau, besides other information of interest 

 to seamen. In addition to the above, the Bureau 

 has published: — 



Reports of Proceedings of the International Hy- 

 drographic Conferences : 



1st Conference, London, 1919. 



2nd Conference, Monaco, 1926. 



1st Supplementary Conference, Monaco, 1929. 



3rd Conference, Monaco, 1932. 

 The Statutes of the International Hydrographic 

 Bureau, 1926. 



By these means the International Hydrographic 

 Bureau disseminates information on subjects 

 pertaining to hydrography and navigation. The 

 International Hydrographic Bulletin contains 

 information of immediate interest and importance. 

 It includes also a list of all recent hydrographic 

 documents and publications received from the 

 various hydrographic offices of the world, and 

 directs attention to matters of urgent importance. 

 The semi-annual Hydrographic Re\dew, pub- 

 lished in both French and English, contains 

 monographs of general interest to hydrographers 

 and navigators, important articles tran.slated 

 from foreign publications and descriptions of new 

 methods and instruments in use in the various 

 countries. In this manner each hydrographic 

 office is enabled to keep in touch with the methods 

 in use and work being done by the other hydro- 

 graphic offices; this should tend to lead gradually 

 to an improvement in the methods in use, besides 

 helping to bring about uniformity in hydrographic 

 documents and publications. 



In general it has been found, at the Interna- 

 tional Hydrographic Conferences, that all coun- 

 tries are anxious to bring about that uniformity 

 in hydrographic documents and publications 

 which is so greatly to be desired. Possibly the 

 greatest hindrance to the realization of this 



ideal is the ever present question of cost and, 

 while it may be relatively easy to obtain agree- 

 ment regarding some questions, in others the cost 

 of making the changes involved is almost pro- 

 hibitive. 



The International Hydrographic Bureau has 

 to its credit a long list of accomplishments which 

 will certainl}'^ do much to make navigation easier 

 and safer. Amongst these may be noted: the 

 universal adoption of compass graduation from 

 0° to 360°, the .standardization of numerous signs 

 and symbols in use on marine charts, the estab- 

 lishment of central offices at various ports for the 

 exhibition of notices to mariners, as well as the 

 publication of numerous Special Publications on 

 technical subjects, which include: 4 on echo 

 sounding, 2 on visibility of lights, 3 on uniformity 

 of buoyage, 2 on data on uniformity m storm 

 warning signals, and one on each of the following: 



International Low Water. 



Data on Wind Force and the Beaufort Scale. 



Investigation of Harmonic Constants; prediction of 



tides and currents and their description by means of 



these constants. 

 Tide predicting machines. 



Data on coastal signals, with proposals for their unifi- 

 cation. 

 Data on port signals. 

 List of life-saving stations. 

 Ocean currents in relation to oceanography, marine 



biology, meteorology, and hydrography. 

 Summary of data on safety of life at sea. 

 General list, arranged by oceans, and historical cards of 



shoals of doubtful existence and of shoals the positions 



of which are doubtful or approximate. 

 Table of Meridional parts. 

 Manual of symbols and abbreviations. 

 Limits of oceans and seas. 

 Oceanographical positions. 

 Catalogue of original charts (in two parts). 

 List of nautical documents issued by hydrographic 



offices. 

 Planisphere. 



List of tidal harmonic constants. 

 Reproduction of Mercator's chart, 1569. 

 Vocabulary concerning tides. 

 Vocabulary concerning fog signals. 



All publications of the Bureau, including the 

 Bath>anctric Chart, are on sale to the public. 



International Service of Ice Observation and Ice 

 Patrol in the North Atlantic Ocean ('37) 



History or origin: At the International Conference 

 on the Safety of Life at Sea, which was convened 

 in London on November 12, 1913, the subject 



