A comparison between the cruise charts for the first and second 

 cruises (figs. 25 and 26) reveals still further proof of the very tem- 

 porary and abnormal character of the January ice distribution and 

 its lack of relationsliip to the existing current system. It will be seen 

 that the Newfoimdland east coast was clear of ice until February 8 

 (antl had been all through January) while after that date there was a 

 definite change in the distribution and movement which left the area 

 east of longitude 50° W. free of reports of any kind. This change 

 was preceded and accompanied by a strong flow of arctic water down 

 the Newfoundland east coast around Cape Race as evidenced both 

 by surface temperatures and the stronger and stronger tendency for 

 all the ice to move southward by that route. The situation at the 

 end of the second cruise, March 6, was substantially this: Field ice 

 and bergs were concentrated north of latitude 45° N., between longi- 

 tudes 52° W., and 55° W., with no reports whatsoever, east of longi- 

 tude 51°30' W. All tliis area showed surface temperatures below 

 30° F. (—1.2° C); consistently colder than anywhere else in the Ice 

 Patrol area. This distribution of bergs maintained itself almost 

 constantly until the end of the season. 



There is another aspect of the season which demands some explana- 

 tion. The discussion just preceding this seems to indicate that little 

 or no Labrador Current flowed down the eastern slope of the Banks 

 during the season. This is not strictly so. The current maps in 

 April, May, and June show southerly current flowing with approxi- 

 mately normal volume and velocity just east of the Banks between 

 latitude 46° N., and the Tail. (See figs. 34 to 36.) Also the isotherms 

 beginning with the fourth cruise chart (fig. 28) show a definite flooding 

 of the east branch of the Labrador Current at this time, the end of 

 March. This action, surprisingly enough, was not accompanied by 

 any general movement of bergs southward by this route. The ice 

 chart for April and particularly the fourth and fifth cruise charts seem 

 to belie tliis statement. (See figs. 5,^ 28, and 29.) All these charts 

 show bergs drifting southward along the eastern edge of the Grand 

 Banks in accordance with the current chart delivered April 11. As is 

 usual these charts give a greatly exaggerated picture of the number of 

 bergs present. This is because each day the successive positions of 

 the various bergs are plotted as they are relocated either by the patrol 

 ship or passing vessels. (When the contact with the berg is contmu- 

 ous, or its identity free of any doubt, the berg's drift track is indicated 

 by a dashed line between the various positions.) As a matter of fact 

 only 13 bergs drifted south of latitude 45° N. along the eastern slope 

 during the entire season. On March 29 and 30 the patrol vessel 

 found a large mass of field ice on the northeastern shoulder of the Grand 

 Banks and counted 10 large bergs in this ice. (See fig. 28.) The 

 subsequent breaking up and melting of the field ice released these bergs 



