1869.] on the Scientific Exploration of the Deep Sea. 399 



of a suitable vessel, provided with the requisite appliances, between the 

 middle of May and the middle of September. The Ship should be of 

 sufficient size to furnish a Crew of which each 'watch' could carry on the 

 work continuously without undue fatigue, so as to take the fullest advan- 

 tage of calm weather and long summer days ; and should also provide 

 adequate accommodation for the study of the specimens when freshly ob- 

 tained, which should be one of the primary objects of the Expedition; As 

 there would be no occasion to extend the Survey to a greater distance than 

 (at the most) 400 miles from land, no difficulty would be experienced in 

 obtaining the supplies necessary for such a four months' cruise, by run- 

 ning from time to time to the port that might be nearest. Thus, supposing 

 that the Ship took its departure from Cork or Gralway, and proceeded 

 first to the channel between the British Isles and Rockall Bank, where 

 depths of from 1000 to 1300 fathoms are known to exist, the Dredgings 

 and Temperature-Soundings could be proceeded with in a northerly di- 

 rection, until it would be convenient to make Stornoway. Taking a fresh 

 departure from that port, the exploration might then be carried on over 

 the area to the N.W. of the Hebrides, in which the more moderate depths 

 (from 500 to 600 fathoms) would afford greater facility for the detailed 

 survey of that part of the Ocean-bottom on which a Cretaceous deposit is 

 in progress — the Fauna of this area having been shown by the ' Lightning' 

 researches to present features of most especial interest, while the careful 

 study of the deposit may be expected to elucidate many phenomena as yet 

 unexplained which are presented by the ancient Chalk Formation. A 

 month or six weeks would probably be required for this part of the Survey, 

 at the end of which time the vessel might again run to Stornoway for sup- 

 plies. The area to the North and N.E. of Lewis should then be worked 

 in the like careful manner; and as the 'cold area' would here be encoun- 

 tered, special attention should be given to the determination of its boun- 

 daries, and of the sources of its climatic peculiarity. These would pro- 

 bably require the extension of the survey for some distance in a N.E. 

 direction, which would carry the vessel into the neighbourhood of the 

 Shetland Isles ; and Lerwick would then be a suitable port for supplies. 

 Whatever time might then remain would be advantageously employed in 

 dredging at such a distance round the Shetlands as would give depths of 

 from 250 to 400 fathoms, Mr. Gwyn Jeffreys's dredgings in that locality 

 having been limited to 200 fathoms. 



" The Natural-History work of such an Expedition should be prose- 

 cuted under the direction of a Chief (who need not, however, be the same 

 throughout), aided by two competent Assistants (to be provided by the 

 Royal Society), who should be engaged for the whole Cruise. Mr. Gywn 

 Jeffreys is ready to take charge of it during the first five or six weeks, say, 

 to the end of June, when Professor Wyville Thomson would be prepared to 

 take his place ; and Dr. Carpenter would be able to join the Expedition 

 early in August, remaining with it to the end. It would be a great ad- 



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