644 Proceedings of the Royal Society 
Commissioners of the Admiralty, with the result that the “ Knight 
Errant ” — a hired surveying vessel employed on the west coast of 
Britain — was instructed to carry out this service. 
The object of this cruise was (a) to ascertain by actual soundings 
(over the space between the positions, where warm and cold 
bottom temperatures had been obtained in the “ Lightning ” and 
“ Porcupine ”) whether a submarine ridge existed, (b) to extend our 
researches to those portions of the Faroe Channel hitherto unex- 
plored, and ( c ) to obtain a few serial temperature observations and 
trawlings in each area. 
The plan we proposed to follow in searching for this ridge, w r as to 
run sectional lines of soundings at given intervals across the channel 
N.E. of the warm bottom temperatures previously obtained, and 
southward of those in the cold area. 
In this way the bottom temperature would be ascertained at each 
depth, and we should then gradually narrow the locality to be 
sounded over in looking for the ridge itself. 
If we obtained a sectional line in which the bottom temperatures 
were all warm, we should be, according to our theory, S.W. of the 
ridge, but if the bottom temperatures were cold, N.E. of it. 
Thus we hoped to draw the sectional lines nearer and nearer, until, 
either we proved the existence of the ridge, or ascertained, what 
appeared to us to be most improbable, that a bank of cold water was 
in contact with water of a much higher temperature. Having 
ascertained whether the ridge existed or not we proposed to devote 
the rest of the time to taking some serial temperature observations, 
dredgings, and trawlings, both in the warm and cold areas. 
III. Narrative of the Cruise. 
The “ Knight Errant ” arrived at Stornoway on the 24th of July 
1880, and left that port again for the south on the 20th of August. 
During this period she made four trips to the Faroe Channel. 
The original intention was to confine our attention to sounding 
operations. We did not, however, like to allow the opportunity to 
pass of taking a few dredgings and trawlings — consequently Sir 
Wyville supplied the ship with dredging rope, trawls, and dredges 
at his own expense, and Messrs. D. & W. Henderson, Engineers, 
