198 THE DEPTHS OF THE SBA. [chap. iv. 



ensuing summer, as well as the scientific preparations which 

 would be required for a new expedition, beg leave to report as 

 follows : — 



"The general course proposed to be followed, and the chief 

 objects expected to be attained in a new expedition, are pointed 

 out in the following extract from the letter of Dr. Carpenter, 

 read to the Council on the 24th ult., which was referred to the 

 Committee : — 



" ' The plan which has been marked out between my colleagues 

 in last year's work and myself is as follows : — 



" ' Having reason to hope that the " Porcupine " may be spared 

 towards the end of June, we propose that she should start early 

 in July, and proceed in a S.W. direction towards the furthest 

 point to which our survey was carried last year; carefully 

 exploring the bottom in depths of 400 to 800 fathoms, on 

 which, as experience has shown us, the most interesting collec- 

 tions are to be made ; but also obtaining a few casts of the 

 Dredge with Temperature-soundings at greater depths, as oppor- 

 tunities may occur. 



" ' The course should then be nearly due South, in a direction 

 of general parallelism with the coast of France, Spain, and 

 Portugal, keeping generally within the depths just mentioned, 

 but occasionally stretching westwards into yet deeper waters. 

 From what has been already done in about 400 fathoms' water 

 off the coast of Portugal, there is no doubt that the ground is 

 there exceedingly rich. When approaching the Straits of 

 Gibraltar, the survey, both Physical and Zoological, should be 

 carried out with great care and minuteness ; in order that the 

 important problem as to the currents between the Mediterranean 

 and Atlantic Seas, and the relation of the Mediterranean Fauna 

 to that of the Atlantic (on which Mr. Gwyn Jeffreys is of 

 opinion that the results of our last year's work throw an entirely 

 new light), may be cleared up. 



" ' Mr. Gwyn Jeffreys is prepared to undertake the scientific 

 charge of this part of the expedition ; and if Professor Wyville 

 Thomson should not be able to accompany him, it will not be 

 difficult to find him a suitable assistant. 



" ' The ship would probably reach Gibraltar early in August, 



