INTERNATIONAL ICE OBSERVATION AND ICE PATROL SERVICE. 51 



had developed a big bight (see chart "P") to the northward and 

 westward of the Grand Banks, in the vicinity of the entrance to 

 Cabot Straits, and, meeting the resistance of the shoals and the cold 

 tongue of the Labrador Current (at that time about 40 miles wide 

 at the Tail of the Bank and extending southwestward to lat. 42° 

 05' N., long. 51° 35' W.), its current was diverted south until finally 

 overcome bv the eastward movement between lats. 41° 00' N. and 

 41° 30' N., in longitude approximately 51° 30' W. 



The unexpected appearance of a large number of bergs in June 

 (see chart "O"), under unfavorable local conditions, suggests the 

 thought that weather and other conditions of previous months in 

 far distant localities probably have a determining influence upon 

 ice movements toward the steamer lanes. For instance, an accurate 

 knowledge and intelligent coordination of weather and current 

 conditions observed in the Straits of Florida and off the coast of 

 Labrador or Greenland in the month of December might enable 

 one to predict with some approach to accuracy what may be ex- 

 pected off the Grand Banks of Newfoundland in the way of ice in 

 the following April, May, or June. 



In a general way, the present season has been a normal one with 

 regard to the positions and strengths of the two main ocean currents, 

 the Labrador Current and the Gulf Stream. The average drift 

 along the east side of the Grand Banks was 0.4 knot per hour, in a 

 direction paralleling the steep part of the slope. South of the Tail 

 of the Bank the drift of bergs indicated a set ranging from W. to SW. 

 with a strength of 0.4 knot per hour. (See charts ''D," ''E," ''F," 

 and *'Gr.") The fallowing exception was observed: One berg (berg 

 *'S") after passing the Tafl of the Bank and reaching long. 49° 30' W., 

 drifted nearly south. After reaching the vicinity of lat. 42° 30' N., 

 long. 51° 30' W., the berg ceased moving to the westward and turned 

 sharply back, influenced more and more by the current on the 

 northerly edge of the Gulf Stream, which was here setting easterly 

 at 0.8 knot per hour. There was very little ice on the Grand Bank's 

 during the season, but from other observations, the current, as in 

 previous years, was found to be tidal. Only two bergs were reported 

 west of Cape Race, indicating that there is not much westerly tend- 

 ency to the Labrador Current in that vicinity. At the close of the 

 patrol season, the Gulf Stream had pushed well to the northward 

 and rendered rather remote the probability of bergs reaching the 

 steamer tracks. In connection with observations as to the move- 

 ments of ice in the Labrador Current around the Tail of the Great 

 Bank, there were no indications of a flow of said current W. and SW. 

 of long. 52° 00' W. 



Whenever weather conditions and the primary duties of the 

 patrol permitted, the patrol vessel occupied oceanographic stations. 

 At these points the scientific observer collected material upon which 

 to base studies of the oceanography and plankton of the vicinity of 

 the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. This material consisted of 

 temperature observations and corresponding water samples from 

 several depths, in vertical series, obtained at each station oy means 

 of the Greene-Bigelow deep-sea, reversing-thermometer water bot- 

 tles; also of plankton, taken in vertical and horizontal hauls with 

 tow nets of different sizes and preserved in formalin. In general, 



