TEMPERATURES. 239 



of the island of Eleuthera, the tmnperature appears to fall fully 

 as fast. This would indicate that the whole mass of water be- 

 tween the Bermudas and the eastern shore of the Atlantic coast 

 of the United States is movino; northward under similar ther- 

 mic conditions, disturbed only by the cold stream which forces 

 itself southward from George's Bank, along the edge of the 

 continental shelf, the exact limits of which are not yet ascer- 

 tained. 



The presence of a large body of cold water close to the east 

 coast of New England ^ and the Middle States is shown by an 

 examination of the sections which extend from the vicinity of 

 Cape Hatteras to the northeastern end of George's Bank. The 

 surface waters become gradually warmer as we pass to the east- 

 ward, rising, from temperatures of 55° at the surface and 42° at 

 a depth of 71 fathoms, to a surface temperature of 68° and 

 a bottom temperature of 38° at a depth of 980 fathoms. A 

 similar but somewhat less increase in surface temperatures is 

 traced in the lines run ofE Newport, of from 70° to 72°, and 

 off Montauk, of from 74° to 76°, in passing from 129 to 1,394 

 fathoms, with bottom temperatures of 51° and 38°. Off Cape 

 May the difference at the surface is still less, 77° to 78° while 

 falling from a depth of 89 to 1,200 fathoms, with bottom tem- 

 peratures of 56° and 39°. On the line immediately north of 



1 The recent explorations of the United the shallower part of the plateau nearer 

 States Fish Commission cover a belt about the shore; in 30 to 60 fathoms. The Gulf 

 160 miles long and from 10 to 2-5 miles Stream itseK is usually limited in depth 

 wide, along the coast of southern Xew to about 1.50 fathoms, and often even less, 

 England, at a distance of 80 and 110 in this region ; below this, the temper- 

 miles from the coast line, in depths be- ature steadily decreases to the bottom of 

 tween 65 and 700 fathoms. Tlie sound- the ocean basin, becoming about 38°-37'' 

 ings and dredgings show the southern iu 1,000 to 1,500 fathoms, and falling to 

 continuation of the inshore cold belt, as 37°-35° in 1,500 to 2,500 fathoms. We 

 well as the warm belt outside of it, and may, therefore, properly call the upper 

 the cold deep-water belt. Professor Yer- part of the slope, in about 65 to 150 f ath- 

 rill says, speaking of the Gulf Stream oms, the warm belt. According to oui- 

 slope : " The bottom along the upper observations, the bottom temperature of 

 part of this slope and the outermost por- the warmer part of this belt, in 65 to 125 

 tion of the adjacent plateau, in 65 to 1-50 fathoms, is usuall}^ between 47^ and 53^ 

 fathoms, and sometimes to 200 fathoms F. in summer and early autumn. Be- 

 or more, is bathed by the waters of the tween 150 and 250 fathoms, the temper- 

 Gulf Stream. Consequently, the tem- atures, though variable, are usually high 

 perature of the bottom water along this enough to show more or less influence 

 belt is decidedly higher than it is along from the Gulf Stream." 



