drawn in different Latitudes^ and from various Dejoths. 181 
be little doubt of the ship being at this time 
just off the mouth of the Orinooko, rr 1.026? 
In calculating these specific gravities, I had carried them to 
several decimal places farther ; but I have suppressed these in 
the Table, because it might appear an affectation of accuracy 
which the case does not admit; for the difference of a single 
j^oth of a grain in weighing each fluid in the above experiments, 
would make a difference of nearly their specific gra- 
vities ; or would alter the last figure of the present decimal 
series. 
The inferences to which these experiments lead, are, 
1st, That the specific gravity of the waters of the Atlantic in- 
creases as we approach the Equator. 
2d, That the specific gravity of sea-water increases with the 
depth from which it is drawn. 
The only exception in the table to the first inference is No. 8. ; 
but the great diminution of density here observed, is undoubt- 
edly owing to the vast mass of rushing water poured into the 
ocean by the Orinooko, the stream of which is said to discolour 
the sea many leagues from land, and at a considerable distance 
from the shore to preserve the freshness of its current. 
The results of Captain Scoresby’s experiments on the spe- 
cific gravity of sea-water, seem to agree with the inferences 
above mentioned. This intelligent navigator found, that the 
density of the waters of the ocean, near the meridian of Green- 
wich, gradually diminished from Lat. 57° 42' N. to Lat. 66° 45' ; 
being at the former 1.0280, at the latter 1.0263. In higher 
latitudes, or in confined seas, we cannot expect to find a unifor- 
mity in such results ; for the influence of the ice in the one, 
and of situation in the other, are sufficient to conceal such mi- 
nute differences. On referring to his valuable work, an exami- 
nation of his experiments on the density of sea-water, at diffe- 
rent depths, will confirm also the second inference. The few 
exceptions to it in Captain Scoresby’s Table, may be explained 
by the influence of currents, and irregularities produced by the 
neighbourhood of ice, which is known to exercise a powerful in- 
fluence on the atmosphere, and on the waters. In the prosecu-. 
tion of this interesting subject, no instrument appears more ad- 
