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A paper was read, entitled " A few Remarks on Currents in the 

 Arctic Seas." By P. C. Sutherland, M.D. Communicated by 

 Colonel Sykes, F.R.S. &c. Received April 16, 1853. 



The author states that, during a voyage lately made in the Arctic 

 seas, his attention was arrested by the power exerted by refrigera- 

 tion and congelation in separating from water any saline ingredients 

 it may contain, and of thus causing disturbances in the mean density 

 of the waters of the ocean, which, after being influenced by cur- 

 rents, can be overcome only by subsequent intermixture with water 

 from other localities where the disturbance in the equilibrium is of 

 an opposite character. He considers that evaporation, which is 

 so active within the tropical and temperate zones, obviously renders 

 the sea more dense by depressing its surface, and thus gives rise to 

 the necessity for currents from the tv/o poles of the earth, where de- 

 position of vapour predominates to a considerable extent over eva- 

 poration. This he illustrates by referring to the constant current 

 from the Atlantic into the Mediterranean, caused by the evaporation 

 in this sea preponderating over the supply of fresh- water. He 

 then points out the necessity also of a current out of this sea, in 

 order that its waters, by the constant influx of saline matters, may 

 not become a saturated solution of the salts of the ocean ; and 

 infers that counter- currents into the polar seas must also exist to 

 obviate the contrary tendency which the waters of these seas have 

 to become fresh. He calls attention to the importance of ascer- 

 taining the diff'erences that occur in many parts of the surface of 

 the ocean in respect to its saline contents, that we may be enabled 

 to determine to what extent the currents and counter- currents may 

 be influenced by the comparative freshness of the iced water of the 

 northern and southern regions, and the necessary saltness of the 

 equatorial and other overheated basins. On this point, with re- 

 spect to the Arctic seas, he refers to observations by Dr. Scoresby, 

 Sir Edward Parry, and those recorded in tables appended to this 

 paper, which have been extracted from the Meteorological Journal 

 kept in the North Atlantic and Davis's Straits during the late voyage 

 in the Isabel. 



The author next refers to the remarkable difference occurring in 

 the climate of the east and west sides of Davis's Straits, that of the 

 latter being much the colder. In the absence of thermometric re- 

 gisters for the west, to compare with those on the east side, he points 

 out how the appearance of the land and development of plants and 

 land animals on the two coasts enable us to determine which has 

 the warmer climate. Looking from the top of Bafl[in's Bay, which 

 commands a good view of both shores, the east side at the sea-coast 

 has many portions of land free from snow, whereas the opposite, by 

 its snowy and icy covering, presents an appearance altogether un- 

 congenial. On the former are found a tolerably abundant flora, 

 hares and deer ; on the latter, there scarce appears to be a spot to 

 receive the roots of plants or the feet of these animals ; and in the 

 productions of the sea, both vegetable and animal, the same dispro- 

 portion is met with. Upon the whole, he considers complete the 

 analogy that exists between the North Atlantic and Davis's Straits, 



