Page:Polar Exploration - Bruce - 1911.djvu/182

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POLAR EXPLORATION

sequently by many other observers, among whom are Admiral Markham, Maury and Leigh Smith, and in more recent years by Nansen, the Prince of Monaco, the Duke of Orleans, the author, and many others. A century ago Scoresby said, "On my first trial, made in the summer of 1810, in latitude 76° 16′ N., longitude 9° E., the temperature at the depth of 1,380 feet (230 fathoms), was found to be 33.3° (by the water brought up), whilst at the surface it was 28.8°. In nearly twenty subsequent experiments, an increase of temperature was in like manner discovered on bringing water from below, or on sending down a register thermometer to a considerable depth. In one instance (the latitude being 79° N. and longitude 5° 40′ E.) there was an increase of 7° of temperature on descending 600 feet; and in another series of experiments, near the same place, an increase of 8° was found at the depth of 4,380 feet (730 fathoms)." Recent Scandinavian observers tend to claim this as a special discovery of their own, and have omitted any reference to the work of former explorers, and in the case of one man, Benjamin Leigh Smith, this is especially ungracious.

Leigh Smith was one of the first to carry out investigations on this intermediate warm layer in a systematic manner during his cruise in Spitsbergen seas in his 80-ton schooner Samp-