PREFACE 



BECAUSE of the wide scope of this book, it has not been 

 possible to treat many fascinating aspects of the history 

 of the North Atlantic Ocean in as much detail as we should 

 have liked. This is particularly true in regard to the scientific 

 aspects of the Ocean River. At the present time because new 

 additions to our knowledge are being made so rapidly and 

 because the subject is so broad and unsettled, it has sometimes 

 been necessary to give more weight to the older established 

 theories than to the new ideas which are rapidly gaining 

 ground. 



We have been indebted to a number of experts in the fields 

 of oceanography and history for their kindness in reading 

 through portions of the manuscript and in offering their com- 

 ments and criticisms. Although we take full responsibility for 

 any errors in fact or interpretation, we nevertheless wish to 

 acknowledge the generous assistance given by Dr. Maurice 

 Ewing of Columbia University, Dr. Francis P. Shepard and 

 Dr. Walter H. Munk of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, 

 California, and Dr. Lionel A. Walford of the United States 

 Fish and Wildlife Service. 



We are particularly grateful to Dr. Hilary B. Moore, Dr. 

 Ilmo Hela, Dr. Charles E. Lane, Mr. Luis R. Rivas and Mr. 



vii 



