336 



H. C. RUSSELL. 



CURRENT PAPERS, No. 6. 



By H. C. Russell, b.a., c.m.g., f.r.s. 



[With Diagram.] 



[Bead before the Royal Society of N. S. Wales, November 6, 1901'] 



The ii)terest taken in these current papers is steadily increasing 

 and becoming more and more valuable as an index of the chief 

 currents, as well as some unusual currents; as for instance a current 

 paper thrown over, off the south coast of Africa was found in 

 latitude 31° south, on the coast of South America. All previous 

 drifts in that ocean which have come before me have been to the 

 east — current papers and also icebergs. I am beginning to find 

 evidence of most important and great currents of water and 

 atmosphere, that are of the greatest value for meteorology. 



For instance, in 1895, persistent north-west winds over Australia 

 altered the ordinary drift of current papers, and at the same time 

 did great damage on shore. On the east coast of Australia strong 

 currents from Tasman Sea and New Caledonia have taken the 

 bottles into the neighbourhood of Torres Straits; the same drift 

 is evident in the track of the steamers from Sydney to Canada. 

 This proves the existence of the same general drift as that I 

 have been recording in the Indian Ocean for several years; and 

 is the evidence of the great westerly drift in equatorial regions 

 hitherto unknown in the Pacific. It is much to be regretted that 

 there are no current papers distributed over the Indian Ocean, 

 between Java and Australia. Current papers (on chart) numbers 

 652 (11*2 miles per day) and 671 (19*5 miles per day) indicate a 

 current similar to that in the Indian Ocean. The slower drift of 

 other current papers in that sea, may, I think, be attributed to 

 the slow exchange amongst the islands, and I fear that very many 

 get lost amongst the islands. It is much to be desired to know 

 which way the main currents traverse the Pacific Ocean, and this 

 pamphlet shews a number of current papers. Many more how- 



