Il8 HYDROGRAPHY. 



small degree of salinity and specific gravity would in that case have to be attributed to the influence 

 of water from the rivers. Station 123 is lying, however, at a distance of about 24 miles from the land, 

 so there is but little probability of the correctness of such an assumption. Besides there are other 

 reasons, which give countenance to the notion that the afflux is coming from the northward. 



Section XIV shows that salinity and specific gravity of the surface-water is decreasing to the 

 northward, and in consequence of this, the surface-water must try to move in a southerly direction. 

 As furthermore the Polar Current between Greenland and Ja?i Maycn is running in a southerly direc- 

 tion, spreading itself into two branches, one of which runs along the east-coast of Greenland, and the 

 other along the eastcoast of Iceland, it is a matter of course, that the water which is lying between 

 the two branches, will be obliged to move in the same direction, that is to say, towards the north- 

 coast of Iceland. If thus we take it for granted that section XIV is lying in or near the boundary 

 between the two Polar-currents, then we can account for the state of matters existing. 



The east-going branch of the Irminger Current, the extent of which is so small, looses nearly 

 entirely its influence as far to the eastward as this section is laid down, and there are no currents 

 here that would be able to stop the aforesaid south-going motion of the surface water of the Polar 

 Current It will then continue to run in this direction till it is close to the coast of Iceland, where 

 its course is converted into a motion towards the bottom and the sides. Even if a regular current 

 does not appear in all of the three said directions, the powers to the effects of which the bodies of 

 water are exposed, will still be of such a nature that they will produce currents like the aforesaid, in 

 the case of no other powers acting on the water than those due to the kinetic energy in the surface 

 water coming from the north. When on the coast of Iceland, this water has altered its direction of 

 motion, the west-going part of it will meet the Irminger Current and partly stop and 

 make this current deviate from its original direction, while, on its own part, it will 

 be weakened and effaced. Another part of it will make its way towards the bottom, 

 and so far, that the power by which it is driven downwards will be like the hydrostratic resistance 

 that arises when water of little specific gravity gets down to large depths. The third part, which 

 according to the theory should continue its way in an easterly direction, will very likely also do this, 

 and join the East Icelandic Polar Current. With this assumption as a basis, the existence of the fresh 

 and relatively warm water in station 123 can easily be accounted for. 



At station 126, the salinity is decreasing to 3436 at the bottom, at a depth of 293 fathoms 

 (552 M.); this bottom-water must of necessity have come from the surface. The form of the isotherms 

 i° and o r 8 in section XIV is accounted for in the same manner as the form of the isohaline 

 35-00 in section XIII. The surface water in station 123 and 126 is driven downwards on 

 account of the vicinity of the coast, and made heavier by the still existing but not very 

 appreciable influence of the Irminger Current, that finally is working itself in among the two layers of 

 which the Polar-water generally consists. At station 124 is an extensive stratum of water with a salinity 

 above 35-00. This stratum is considerably smaller at station 125. This is very likely only the 

 effect of the Irminger Current. As the ice- water — which the Polar Current 

 conveys in a southerly direction at the surface — passes over water which the 

 Irminger Curr cut h as mo ved to the northward of Iceland, this last-mentioned 



