424 Rerieics — Dr. Namen^s NortJi Polar Sen. 



steepest portion of the declivity being situated between depths of 

 200 and 1,000 metres. Thus it will be seen that there is a remarkable 

 similarity in the bathymetrical conditions of the polar regions and 

 those of the North Atlantic ; in both thei'e is <he continental shelf, 

 and the steep exterior slope or declivity, leading down to the floor of 

 the outer ocean at depths of about 2,500 metres (8,140 feet). But 

 another point of similarity is the existence of channels or 'fjords,' 

 traversing the platform and opening out on the ocean at great 

 depths. Some of these submerged fjords decrease in depth towards 

 their outlet on the deep ocean, as for example the Vardce Murman 

 Channel along the coast of East Finmarken, resembling in this respect 

 the Norwegian fjords. The cause of this shallowing of the sub- 

 marine fjords is necessarily obscure, but is in all probability partly 

 attributable to glacial moraine matter piled up at the Glacial Period 

 upon the melting of the ice. On a former occasion I have dwelt 

 upon this remarkable feature in the case of the Norwegian fjords. * 



In addition to the continental shelf, there occurs a feature not 

 generally recognised on the Atlantic border, called by Nansen 

 " the coast platform " (strand fladen), descending to only a few 

 metres (10 to 15) below sea-level and covered by numerous shoals 

 and sunken rocks. The coast-platform is often incised by channels 

 parallel to the coast or outer margin of the platform itself. The 

 formation of the marginal shelf is discussed by the author, who 

 regards it as " a comparatively young formation, the greater part 

 of which must have been formed after the Norwegian Continental 

 Shelf" (p. 112). If this be so, the coast-platform would appear 

 to be a "raised beach," formed after the continental shelf during 

 the period of the rise of the land at the close of the Glacial Period. 



Those who doubt the existence of suboceanic river valleys will 

 not find support from Dr. Nansen. According to this author, the 

 Europasian continental shelf is seamed by numerous submerged 

 channels. The Norwegian fjords are often continued under the 

 waters of the outer sea, descending to depths of 400 metres (1,312 

 feet) or more. In the neighbourhood of the Franz Josef Islands 

 good examples of submerged valleys are indicated ; others occur 

 north of Andoe. At the same time the author considers that in 

 some cases the deep channels may be due to faulting. The sub- 

 merged valleys are not shown on the bathymetric map, which is on 

 too small a scale for the purpose, but they are shown on the sections, 

 of which there are many in the volume of great interest. It is to 

 be regretted, however, that Dr. Nansen has adopted a scale so 

 exaggerated as 1 in 50 for the vertical ; the result of which is to 

 cause the hills and elevations on the land side to take the appear- 

 ance of the spires of churches ! A scale of 1 in 10 would have been 

 sufficient for the delineation of the features, and would have 

 appeared less unnatural. 



The volume is accompanied by a fine geological map of Norway, 

 and the isobathic contours by which the features of the submerged 



^ " The Physical History of the Norwegian Fjords " : Trans. Victoria Institute, 

 Yol. xxxiv (1902). 



