APPENDIX. 



Soundings and Temperatures in the Gulf Stream. By Commander W. CHIMMO, R.N., 



F.R.G.S., F.R.A.S., &c. 



TOWARDS the latter part of the year 1868, after H.M.S. Gannet had been upwards of three years on 

 the North American and West India Station, she was ordered by the Admiralty during her 

 homeward voyage to define the northern limits of the Gulf Stream, and to take deep soundings 

 and temperatures within those limits. 



Sailing from Halifax, in Nova Scotia, on the 1st of July, the ship passed from water whose 

 surface temperature was 51, to that of 61, in less than an hour shortly afterwards to 64 ; showing 

 that the Gulf Stream water had been reached since leaving that place. 



Lat. 43 20 ' N. ; long. 00 W. South of Sable Island, 30 miles, a sounding was obtained of 

 2600 fathoms, or 15,600 feet nearly Smiles; with a weight of 232 Ibs., and the ingenious machine 

 invented by Brooke, the rod brought up, after four hours' patient hauling, Foraminiferse in various 

 forms, chiefly Globigerinse clusters of three, four, and five chambers. The interior of those fully 

 developed was coated with an apparently fine crystallized, many-coloured, quurt/.ose sand : of these 

 forms some were circular flat and plate-shaped, having a smooth interior rim (the Polycyatina) : 

 the outer margin serrated, and the centre coated with the same granular particles. Others hemi- 

 spherical, some single and globular ; others, fragments thin and transparent as water. Intermixed 

 with these were minute particles of transparent many-coloured crystals, with coccospheres in all 

 stages of growth and size. 



The towing-net collected seven species of Crustacea, one Cornucopia, and a Janthiiia fragilis : 

 the dye from wliich latter, when placed in a wine-glass of clear water, coloured the whole a rich 

 mauve. A very small portion of this apparently inpalpable adhesive mud, when diluted, and placed 

 under the microscope, showed a field of the most perfectly-formed organisms. 



The ship next sailed to the western edge of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, where a sounding 

 of 1500 fathoms brought up what appeared, under a common glass, minute particles of transparent 

 quartzose sand, with globular forms of calcareous formation ; also some algae with parasitical 

 attachments, probably of lime, but all formed by animal life from carbonate of lime from ocean 

 waters. 



The temperature of this mud or " Oaze," as it will be called, was 56 ; but at a depth of 1000 

 fathoms the thermometer showed 40'3, and at 500 fathoms only 39'5, so that the mud probably 

 changed its temperature in passing through a stratum of warmer water, as the sea-surface was 00. 

 This showed an under stratum of very cold water ; there being a difference of 20 between the 

 surface and 500 fathoms, and possibly so at a very much less depth. 



Having run north of the limit of the Gulf Stream, again stood to the southward, and soon came 

 into warmer water, at a temperature of 60 ; from a cold, damp, penetrating fog, into a mild and 



