386 OBSERVATIONS ON THE CURRENTS. 



it may be about 70 miles ; off Cape Look-out, 100 miles; off Cape Hatteras, 

 150 miles ; while off Nantucket, it has probably expanded to 300 miles, 

 so that it has widened to more than seven times the breadth it com- 

 menced with. 



With regard to its breadth off Cape Hatteras, Lieutenant Pillsbury, 

 U.S.N. , states from his observations, taken in May and June, 1887, 1889, 

 and 1890, that the axis of the Stream was found about 10 miles outside 

 the 100-fathoms line, or about 40 miles off the cape, the surface width 

 being then practically the same as in the Narrows of Florida Strait, He 

 considers that between Jupiter Inlet and Cape Hatteras, it is probable the 

 average position of the strongest current will be found between 11 and 20 

 miles outside the 100-fathoms line. Off and beyond Cape Hatteras, it is, 

 however, liable to more fluctuation in direction, particularly along its 

 edges ; and in its progress to the Eastward, by the time the Newfound- 

 land Banks are reached, it is probable that these fluctuations entirely 

 obliterate the Stream as a body distinguishable from its mate, which has 

 come by the outside passage from the Trade region. 



Lieutenant G. C. Hanus, of the U.S.S. Enterprise, which sailed from 

 New York, October 30th, 1890, for Aspinwall (ColonJ, says they steered 

 South from Scotland lightship, and entered the Gulf Stream in lat. 

 36° 30' N., long. 73° 20' W., about 125 miles North-Eastward of Cape 

 Hatteras, the temperature of the water changing from 61° F. to 75° in 

 one hour. The width of the Stream was found to be from 130 to 150 

 miles, as nearly as could be estimated. The time of leaving the Stream 

 could not be determined by the temperature of the water on the S.B. edge, 

 as the temperature changed but slightly, and gradually increased, with 

 slight variations, as the vessel proceeded South. After leaving the Stream, 

 a slight set to the Westward was encountered, which continued until the 

 island of San Salvador was made. 



That the Southern side of the Gulf Stream, to the Northward of Ber- 

 muda, is very ill-defined, will be best understood by studying the tem- 

 peratures taken by H.M.S. Challenger in April and May, 1873 (see 

 later on). It will be observed that the temperature was higher at Ber- 

 muda than at most stations to the Northward, both at the surface and 

 below. Only in two observations between Bermuda and Halifax was the 

 surface temperature found to exceed that at Bermuda, and then only by 

 1°. The direction of the currents in the passage between Halifax and 

 Bermuda (May 20 — 28) also indicate that the Stream here was weak in 

 power. As far as 37^° N. the current was observed to flow in a Southerly 

 direction between S.W. and S.E., at rates varying from 10 to 26 miles in 

 the 24 hours. In 37° N. the current flowed strong to the Eastward 32 

 miles. In 36^° N. only 7 miles N.E. ; in 35° N. 7 miles E, by N. ; and 

 at 60 miles North of Bermuda a weak current of 3 miles flowed to the 

 N.W. The wind in this passage, Southward of 40° N., was generally from 

 the N.E., and varied in force from 3 to 7 Beaufort Scale (p. 104); between 

 40° N. and 36° N., Southward of this, it was very light. 



(373.) Depth. — Deep-sea sounding is now conducted with such pre- 

 cision and certainty that any doubts which were formerly held on this 

 topic must be abandoned. It is true that the labour and appliances can, 



