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still unreduced, while the chemical analyses are
only commenced, and there has not heen time
even to unpack the natural history specimens,
to give anything like a detailed account of the
additional data which have heen acquired hy the
‘ Challenger ’ expedition, or of their hearings npon
the various problems of physical geography. Still,
from the presence of a competent scientific staff’
on hoard, a good deal was done during the voyage ;
and certain general results were arrived at which
are of great interest even in their present crude
form.
I propose in this chapter to summarize these
results, giving hriefiy a general outline of the conditions
as to the contour of the hottom of the ocean,
the nature of the deposits which are heing laid
down on the bottom, the general distribution of
temperature, tbe direction and force of surface and
submarine movements of the water, and the nature
and distribution of the deep-sea fauna, according to
my present impressions ; premising that these may
be modified to a certain extent by further study of
tbe materials in our bands : I will liowever confine
myself at present as far as possible to tbe facts
wbicb appear to be ascertained witb some approach
to certainty.
The eontour of the heel of the Atlantie.—Dwcin^ the
first few days of our cruise we verified many previous
observations to the effect that, after passing a comparatively
narrow, shallow belt, tlie water deepens
rather suddenly along the coasts of Europe and
North Africa, to between 2,000 and 2,500 fathoms, a
peculiar ridge, first observed hy tbe Swedish corvette