SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 327 



EEPOET ON HYDROGRAPHIC OBSERVATIONS 

 MADE IN THE IRISH SEA DURING 1912. 



By Henry Bassett, Jun., D.Sc, 

 Professor of Chemistry, University College, Reading. 



It is pleasant to be able to report that, thanks 

 to a grant from the Development Commissioners, the 

 hydrographic investigations which the Lancashire and 

 Western Sea Fisheries Committee have been carrying 

 out for the past seven years have now been put on a much 

 firmer basis. It has become possible to make observations 

 monthly instead of only quarterly, and the S.S. " James 

 Fletcher," under Captain Wignall's able guidance, now 

 makes the necessary cruises as part of the regular routine. 

 The monthly cruises under the new regime began in 

 May, 1912, since which date Mr. W. Riddell has taken 

 over the actual collection of the water samples and all 

 necessary observations on the steamer. The samples are 

 forwarded to Reading for analysis. 



The number of Stations at which observations are 

 made has been increased to 24, with the object of 

 making a more detailed study of the area than has 

 hitherto been possible. The positions of the Stations are 

 shown on the accompanying chart. Surface observations 

 are made at all these Stations on the February, May, 

 August and November, or " quarterly," cruises. Bottom 

 and intermediate samples are only collected from the 

 three deep Stations V, VI and VII, since such 

 samples from the shallow Stations are of relatively little 

 value, owing to the fact that there the water either has 

 the same salinity from top to bottom or else shows erratic 



