l8 



The first icebergs were reported south of Newfoundland in Feb- 

 ruary; the number increased in March. No bergs drifted south of 

 the Tail during April; few during the first half of May; but the latter 

 half of that month saw the greatest number of bergs for the season. 

 After June 6 no bergs of any size drifted south of the Bank. The total 

 number of bergs drifting south of Newfoundland during 1926 was 

 nearly normal but the seasonal distribution was not. (See p. 72.) 

 Three bergs drifted much farther south than the others, crossing the 

 westbound steamship lane route, known as track B. Due to the 

 presence of this ice in such menacing positions the tracks were shifted 

 to A, 60 miles farther south from June 5 to 30. As previously stated 

 there were reports of only two bergs of any consequence in June 

 around the Tail of theBank, one on the 12th and the otheron the 17th. 

 The last two weeks of that month these waters were free of ice and 

 under such conditions consequently it was considered safe to dis- 

 continue the patrol on June 30. 



A considerable number of bergs, it should be added, were reported 

 on the northern part of the Bank, from May on throughout the ice 

 season. 



The patrol was treated to an unusually long rough spell of weather 

 persisting to the latter part of April before the backbone of winter was 

 finally broken. This agrees quite closely with the seasonal change to 

 the westward over the United States when winter conditions prevailed 

 unusually late into the spring of 1926. Winter atmospheric circula- 

 tion of the ice regions dift'ers quite markedly from summer time condi- 

 tions. The Grand Banks south of Newfoundland are located on the 

 southern side of a cyclonic wind system caused by the normal winter 

 distribution of atmospheric pressures. The barometric gradients 

 are exceedingly steep, causing westerly gales to blow w^ith great and 

 constant intensity for several days at a time, though they are often 

 interrupted by low centers of marked disturbance, moving along a 

 northeasterly track to die offshore in the Atlantic. It can be imagined 

 that under such severe handicaps as prevailed this year, March 25 

 to AprU 22, little work of any value could be carried on. By the same 

 token it is considered unwise in any year to inaugurate the patrol 

 work so long as winter conditions persist. 



The scientific work carried on this season was under the super- 

 vision of Lieutenant Commander Smith, who returned to the patrol 

 after spending a year abroad on two of the most important natural 

 problems which have for some time confronted us, viz (a) information 

 regarding the probable drift of ice after arriving at the Tail of the 

 Grand Banks, and (6) advance information about the annual amount 

 of ice to be expected south of Newfoundland. The former subject 

 is discussed under the section devoted to oceanography; the latter 

 is taken up under the heading "Weather." 



