291 



December 11, 1856. 

 General SABINE, R.A., V.P. and Treasurer, in the Chair. 



The Chairman announced that the President had appointed the 

 following gentlemen Vice-Presidents : 



Major-General Sabine. 

 The Very Rev. The Dean of Ely. 

 William Robert Grove, Esq. 

 William Allen Miller, M.D. 

 Rear-Admiral Sir James Clark Ross. 

 Rear- Admiral William Henry Smyth. 



The following communications were read : 



I. "Observations made to ascertain the Specific Gravity of 

 Sea-water in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres." 

 By Rear-Admiral PHILIP P. KING, R.N., F.R.S. &c. 

 Received October 15, 1856. 



(Abstract.) 



The specimens of sea-water experimented upon were collected 

 during the voyage of Her Majesty's Ship 'Adventure,' commencing at 

 Rio de Janeiro, and from thence in succession to St. Catharine's, the 

 River Plate, round the Falkland Islands to Cape Horn, and thence to 

 Valparaiso ; and during the ship's return from Valparaiso, through 

 the Strait of Magalhaens to the River Plate and Rio de Janeiro. 

 The series was then completed by the voyage to England. 



From the author's observations it may be inferred that the density 

 of the water of the Ocean is, very nearly, identical in all parts of the 

 Atlantic between 40 North and 40 South latitude, the exceptions 

 being due to local causes.. Dry winds, by increasing the effect of 

 evaporation, would naturally increase the density of the surface water, 



VOL. VIII. 2 A 



