152 



REPORT — 1887. 



Second Report of the Committee, consisting of General J. T. 

 Walker, Greneral Sir J. H. Lefroy [Reporter), Professor Sir W. 

 Thomson, Mr. Alexander Buchan, ]\Ir. J. Y. Buchanan, Mr. 

 John Murray, Dr. J. Eae, Mr. H. W. Bates {Secretary), Captain 

 W. J. Dawson, Dr. A. Selwyn, and Professor C. Carpmael, 

 appointed for the p)urpose of reporting upon the Depth of Per- 

 manently Frozen Soil in the Polar Regions, its Geographical 

 Limxits and Relation to the present Poles of greatest cold. Draivn 

 up by General Sii- J. H. Lefroy, R.A., K.G.M.G. {Reporter). 



The Committee have received a valuable commnnication from Dr. Percy 

 Matthews, LL D., coroner for the North-west Territories of the Dominion 

 of Canada, and resident medical officer at York Factory, on Hudson's Bay, 

 of which an analysis is subjoined : — 



York Factory, lat. 57° N., long. 92° 26' W. (No. 9 of Report of 1886). 

 Surface about 61 feet above sea-level. 



I. Positive Evidence of the Depth of Penetration of Frost. 



(1) 1879-1886. By the mean of seven measurements in the channel 

 of Hayes rivei", at the mouth of which the factory is situated. Thickness 

 of ice in January, February, and March, 6 feet 6 inches. Hayes river has 

 been, on the average of the last thirty years, closed to navigation on 

 November 26, and reopened on May 17. 



' The MS. gives ' frost penetration 3 inches,' with the explanation, ' a lodgment 

 of 3 inches of frozen water over clay bed at 65 inches.' Evidently, therefore, the frost 

 had got down 68 inches. The boring was continued to 18^ feet. 



- Dr. Matthews adds the following note to this observation : — Taken in a cleai'ing, 

 the bareet^and most bleak in the neighbourhood of York. It is nearly at all times 



