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ment lo organise and direct Portugal's share in the international work. As the pla- 

 teau of the Azores, the biological and hydrographical conditions of which have 

 been made known through the investigations of the Prince of Monaco, plays a 

 highly important part in a reconnaissance of the Atlantic Ocean, the offer of the 

 Portuguese Government, made through Dr. Chaves, is of the greatest value. 



We have here mentioned the resources available with regard to the investigation 

 of the coastal sea. In our opinion, it is possible, without great difficulty or expense, 

 to maintain a very complete investigation of the coastal part of the North Atlantic 

 in progress for at least a year. We have not referred to the services which the dif- 

 ferent Naval stations at the Bermudas, in the Florida Straits, etc., might render, 

 if the heads of these institutions could be brought to interest themselves in the in- 

 ternational undertaking. There appear to be no great difficulties opposed to the 

 realisation of such an investigation. It is far otherwise however, with the second 

 part of the programme. 



II. 



The Transatlantic Lines of Investigation, 



This is a new undertaking, which cannot be commenced without direct applica- 

 tion to the governments. In order to obtain their support, we must in the first 

 place lay down a well thought out programme, approved by experts, and in the 

 second place, find a favourable opportunity for carrying out the same. 



A. The programme. 



The basin of the Atlantic Ocean is, as is well known, divided by a submarine 

 ridge, going out from the so-called Telegraph Plateau (Cable Plateau) at Lat. 50" — 55" 

 N., into two great hollows. The hydrographical conditions are different in the 

 eastern and western hollows. Moreover, not only do the deepest water-layers, 

 which are separated from each other by the submarine ridge, differ; this peculiar 

 configuration of the sea floor also exerts an influence, not yet sufficiently explained, 

 on the division of the warm and cold water layers and on the movements of the 

 water at the surface. This is especially noticeable north of the 45th degree of lati- 

 tude, where the greatest masses of warm, so-called »Atlantic« (or Gulf Stream) water 

 are always found above the deepest bottom channels. The simplest way would 

 certainly be to draw the transatlantic line of investigation parallel with the degrees 

 of latitude between Europe and America, and indeed, it appears desirable, that 

 the northernmost of the three sections described below, and which we recommend 

 as the minimum for an Atlantic reconnaissance, viz: that which the »Scotia« had to 

 carry out on her voyage to and from Labrador, across the so-called Telegraph-Pla- 

 teau (Cable Plateau) approximately along the 57th degree of latitude, should be laid 

 down. Such a section, which could be carried out without particular difficulty, as 



