546 Iiev. Canon Norman on the 



I J. Reasons for the Adoption of this Area. 



The exploration of the sea around our Islands was until 

 about twenty years ago confined to such investigations as 

 could be undertaken by private individuals, and was conse- 

 quently limited to the near waters of our shores and in shallow 

 depths. In 1868 the first government expedition was, at the 

 instigation of the Royal Society, undertaken ; and from that 

 time subsequent expeditions have searched, though as yet 

 only tentatively and most imperfectly, the greatest depths 

 which may fairly be regarded as within the British Area. 



What must now then be regarded as the British Area? 

 The answer involves the wider questions, "What is the area 

 of a continent ? What of Europe ? 



The area of a continent cannot be geographically and 

 scientifically regarded as limited to that portion which, at this 

 particular geological epoch is, or, indeed, at any geological 

 epoch was, uncovered by the sea and left dry. If a stone is 

 placed in a vessel, and that vessel be partially filled with 

 water, the stone does not consist of that portion still above 

 the surface of the water, but embraces the part covered down 

 to the base which rests upon the bottom of the vessel. Simi- 

 larly, a continent is not limited to the subaerial exposed land, 

 but includes its slopes and buttresses and base down to that 

 depth where it meets and rises from the bed of the ocean. 



Where, then, does a continent thus rise? Upon grounds 

 about to be stated it is here argued that Europe and Africa, 

 and piobably it may be said all continents, rise from the oceanic 

 bed at a depth of 1500 fathoms. If a good chart of the 

 eastern North Atlantic be examined * it will be found that 

 the abyss of the ocean ranges from 1500 to 3000 fathoms, 

 which latter depth is not exceeded north of lat. 28° N. 



W r emust first examine how far the theory here propounded 

 is borne out by evidence, and to what extent depths under 

 1500 fathoms are found in the North-east Atlantic. The 

 only cases as yet known of submerged areas not connected 



* Admiralty Chart, " North Atlantic Ocean, Eastern Portion." The 

 charts which illustrate the various British North Atlantic Expeditions 

 should also he consulted, together with ' JJen Norske Nordhavs Expe- 

 dition, 1876-78/ xviii. B (1887) ; H. Mohn, ' Nordhavets Dvbder, Tem- 

 peratur og Stromninger.' 



Similar conditions prevail off" the east coast of North America down to 

 Cape Ilatteras. Vide Verrill, " Physical Characters of the portion of the 

 Continental Border heneath the Gulf Stream " (Ann. Rep. Comm. Fish 

 and Fisheries for 1882, published 1884) ; also A. Agassiz, " Three Cruises 

 of the 'Blake,'" vol. i. (Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. vol. xiv.) cap. iv., "Topo- 

 graphy of the Eastern Coast of the North-American Continent." 



