INTERNATIONAL ICE OBSERVATION AND ICE PATROL SERVICE. 57 



conditions found last year, when the packing up of the thermals upon 

 the southern boundary between the warm and the cold water indicated 

 that the current from the north was beginning to attain a definite 

 drift and an appreciable sot. The pushing southward of the area of 

 cold water of the temperature of about 32° F. during the latter part 

 of March was an early sign of the growing spring freshet of the 

 Labrador Current in this area. On February 14 three icebergs were 

 sighted off St. Johns, NcAvfoundland. Two of these bergs were again 

 sighted and identified on February 27 on the Great Bank, in lat. 43° 

 55' N., long. 50° 35' W. They liad thifted southeast at the rate of 

 0.4 knot per hour. On March 9 two small bergs were reported in 

 lat. 45° 13' N., long. 48° 33' W. It is beheved that these were the 

 same bergs as those previously sighted on February 14 and 27. Their 

 drift had changed to ESE., but the rate of drift remained about the 

 same. The prevailing winds during this- period had been north- 

 westerly. Later, bergs were reported drifting to the southward along 

 the east side of the Great Bank, and it appears logical to assume that 

 the two bergs traced from off St. Johns across the Great Bank followed 

 the same com-se and that their drift could be accounted for only by 

 the absence of the Labrador CmTent in this locality at that time. 

 Dm-ing the period covered by tliis report, however, the bergs had 

 begun to drift southward along the east side of the Great Bank. This 

 appears to be an indication that the Labrador Current had begun to 

 assume velocity. During the February cruise of the Seneca no cur- 

 rent was observed off the east slope of the Great Bank where a definite 

 set is to be found later in the season. The field ice which had covered 

 most of the Great Bank the first part of March had nearly all dis- 

 appeared by the end of that month. On March 31 field ice was pres- 

 ent only along the east side of the Great Bank in the Labrador Cur- 

 rent, which would appear to be the logical place for it. In the oceano- 

 graphical report for the first cruise of 1922 the field ice conditions 

 were described and discussed. 



The position of the first berg observed by the ice patrol this year is 

 shown by a '' A " on chart " I, ' which is connected by a dotted line to 

 other " As," which mark the path of its drift from March 19 to March 

 27. Since tliis berg, due to its high air-surface body, was unduly 

 affected by the wind, its drift was not considered a true indication of 

 the ocean current. A drift of 2 knots per hour was observed, which 

 undoubted!}' was due to favoring winds. The general southwesterly 

 drift of tliis berg around the Tail of the Bank was, however, believed 

 to be indicative that the Labrador Current prevailed at that time and 

 place. During April of last year the rate of drift along the east side 

 of the bank was 0.3 knot per hour, and this year the rate was esti- 

 mated to be the same. During the cruise it was noted th,at all the 

 bergs which came under our observation presented evidences of having 

 been under the influence of warm water and au-, and that they had the 

 same appearance as bergs that are in the final stages of disintegration 

 near the Gulf Stream. Hence it was assumed that they had drifted 

 southward during the latter part of the summer of 1921, but before 

 complete disintegration had been saved by the adveht of cold weather, 

 or perhaps had been set to the north by a countercurrent, where they 

 had been held fast by field ice. If this were the case, they naturally 

 would be the first bergs to put in an appearance this year. The 

 boundary line between the warm and the cold water was sighted on 



