WATER A N D T H E OCEAN. 



5S 



we wi 



eommunicate them 



they may ferve 



COR 



firm fome known pofitions. 



The Depth of the Ocean.. 



'T 



The Depth of the ocean is certainly one of the moft remarkable 



mftances. We now and then 



of light of any land 



tried to meafure this depth 5 for inflance in the year 1772 Sept. 



h 



cth. being near the line in oc 



ground witn 250 



ith 



52 North latitude, we could find no 

 fathom. On February 8th. 1773, when we 

 were in fomething more than 48° South latitude, a little to the Eafl 



of the meridian of the ifle of Mauritius, we had 210 fathom line 



but found no ground 



O 



November the 



d 



774 being 



in the middle of the pacific ocean, we founded with 150 fathom and 



■ 



found no ground. 



r 



It has been laid down as^ a maxim by the learned and in- 

 genious Count DE BuFFON * " that the depth of the fea along 

 " the coafls is commonly fo much greater as thefe coails are more 

 ** elevated, and again fo much lefs as they are lower, and that the 



K 



w 



'* inequality of the bottom of the 



the inequality of the furface of the foil of the coaft ;" and Dam- 



pier is quoted in confirmation of this aflertion. Though the learned 



fea generally correfponds with 



(( 



author 



* Hlftorle naturelle torn 2d p. 199 U 200, Ediu in 1 2:no» 



OCEAN* 



/ 



■^ 



