The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-12-18
Interesting Meeting Of the Geographical
Society.

PAPER FROM LIErrEsAST BERGMAN on suBaA.
RrSE GEOGRAPHY.
meeting OF the American Geographical and Statistical
Society held the small chapel Of the University las,
evening the audience being secc, but not large After
the minutes Of the previous meeting read Prcs
dent Dr. Hawks thanked the society Tor notonly reflect
ING him to the presidency, hu; selecting him chairman
9th Committee Oh Hydrology. On motion tho regular
business Of the meeting dispensed with an the lres
cent proceeded 10 read paper On aSgbmsrme Geogra
ply" furnished by Lieutenant Berryman. e. s n In
bis preparatory observations he said that the dSiin us
ed scientific gentleman who had furnished the paper pgr
posey avoided anhirg technical and made the subject
ntelsable TO every capacity The profile Of the bed Of
the Atlantic ocean from Ireland 10 Newfoundland
veycd by the Artic ficutant Commander q. " Berry
man together with model OF the apparatus used By him
% make soursdingS, exhibited.
The paper rstreatei Of the various unsuccessful
emps that had been made 10 sound the and then
gave an interesting history Of Lieutenant Berrymans ex
petition to make the Atlantic soandings, which have
HKRAiD. The Lieutenant stated tina, the result of
Captain Denhams survey, the details Of which
we're not yet made public, confirmed every material
detail Of the survey Of the Arctic reuted the asser
tons made by high scientific authority QAeut Maury at
a = cent meeting og the soslcty.
The latter part Of the communication was devoted 10 an
account 81 The survey or the gulf stream by Marty under
,he command 81 Lieut. Brryman. which commenced
10 July last He says-Durng tho last several months
have been engaged In explorations connected with
an elaborate examination q the euf stream c1nduced by
our Coast Survey department The results OF this papr
will hot admit Of even aiuson to the abor or those
engaged it, other sections. the following pages will
be confined TO an analysis OF our gn returns Tho A.
sign was 70 make examinations relative the DEPTH
temperature and character Of bottom al the mouth A. Il
were, Of the gulf stream. our work was divided into
two portons-one on our passage at the first sounings
being in the gulf stream, and afterwards on ts northern
edge, gradually leaving II the last sounding Of isl IA
hons being used bet Ween Sable Island and the edge Of
The stream, and she latter half being on the line bet
Halifax and Bermuda. The loss Of seven miles or sound
pg wire ana INC dusng one single day-t having be
come chafed and worn oui-dcfeated, in measure the
fulflment OF plans; stu some interesting results
we're ColleSted Five hundred miles north OF bermuda
we found the greatest reliable depth ever obtained n
var
motcal observations Of a singular Character indicating
phenomenon never before discovered or conceived and
which at this moment unsolved problem Ia tho
scientific world In png series ~ experiments the TEN
peraturc Indicated existing To- rs and 20 degrees
below freezing point Ts may be owing 10 the defective
Instruments but II so consistency OF error were
preserved almost beyond the possibility of chance A
series OF temperatures taken nj various depths would in
dlcae gradually decreasing time from 20 degrees on the
surface TO but 10 Is degrees at depth Of one or tao
miles. Scientific men al home have pronounced this ex.
IRENE frgdy OF the waters 10 be Of the most unnc
countable natural phenomenon that has ever been OBJ
served. The Lieutenant stated that the few facts which
he mentioned were almost nothing compared with what
remained 10 be discovered
When 1T Hawks had finished reading the paper which
was lsiened'to with great interest Interesting discus
SION followed on the phenomenon referred 10 by Lieut.
Mr. Blunt In moving a vote OF tIants 10 Lieut.,
Berrymani remarked that he thought little injustice
had been done 70 that distinguished gentleman In report
that went out from the society last year, for ne had
~ his communication that special vote Of thanks was
due 10 him.
Mr. LEVERS in brief bu, eloquen, speech seconded
The resolution ana suggested The proprey Of reading
could be present lie desired 20 afford the pn bile The op
portunty ~ listening 10 the paper which had afforded the
society much pleasure. The resolution a. amended |
vas passed with aecauatiOp and the meeting adjourned