466 REPORT — 1895. 



us that it would be worth while to try to ascertain the set of the chief 

 currents, tidal ^ or otherwise, such as the movement of surface waters 

 caused by prevalent winds. The Prince of Monaco started a few years 

 ago the system of distributing over the North Atlantic large numbers of 

 small floating copper vessels, with the object of finding out where they 

 drifted to. This plan we have adopted, with slight modifications, and in 

 September 1894 we started the distribution of what may be called ' drift 

 bottles ' over the Irish Sea. A small, strong, buoyant bottle, measuring 

 7"5 cm. by 1-8 cm., which seemed well suited for the purpose, and which 

 costs only 7s. per gross, was selected. A notice was drawn up, as follows,^ 

 to go in the bottles, and a large number of copies were printed and numbered 

 consecutively. 



Anyone who finds this is earnestly requested to write the 

 place, and date when found, in the space (on the other side) for 

 the purpose, place the paper in an envelope, and post it to 



Professor Herdman, 



University College, 



Liverpool. 



No 



Postage need not be prepaid. 



Turn over. 

 [other side.] 

 Please write distinctly, and give full particulars. 

 Locality, where found 



Date, when found 



Name and address of sender 



A paper was then placed in each bottle, so folded that the number 

 could be readily seen through the glass, the cork was well pressed down, 

 and dipped in melted paraffin. Some hundreds of these bottles have, 

 since September 30, been dropped into the sea in various parts of our 

 area, a record being kept of the locality and time when each was set free. 

 Many have been let off at intervals of a quarter of an hour from the Isle 

 of Man steamer in crossing to Douglas and back, and from our trawler 

 when dredging between Port Erin and Ireland. Some dozens have been 

 let off" from Mr. Alfred Holt's steamers in going round to Holyhead and 

 in coming down from Greenock. Mr. Dawson on the Fishery steamer 

 ' John Fell ' has distributed a number along the coast in the northei'n part 

 of the district, and others have been set free at stated intervals during 

 the rise and fall of the tide from the Morecambe Bay Light Vessel, and 

 Lieutenant Sweny has kindly arranged to have a similar periodic distri- 

 bution from the Liverpool North-west Liglit Vessel. Altogether, nearly 

 33 per cent., or about one in three of the papers distributed, have been 



' The tirial currents of the district are already to some extent known, and are 

 marked in the charts and given in books of sailing directions, as Admiral Beechy's 

 Tidal Streams of the Trinh Sea; but we desire to ascertain the resultant currents from 

 all influences which would affect the drift of small floating bodies. 



2 Afterwards printed stamped postcards were substituted for these papers, and a 

 slightly larger size of bottle was used. 



