its deeply indented shore line occupies by far the greatest section of
its coasts. Thus the title has finally come into general use and
acceptance in modern times. Apparently it was first officially proposed
and used by the Edinburgh Encyclopedia in 1832 [5] and later was adopted by
the United States Coast Survey.


[Footnote 4: "All that parte, purport and porcion of the Mayne Land of New
England, we doe name, ordeyne and appoynt shall forever hereafter bee
called and named The Province and Countie of Mayne."]

[Footnote 5: Edinburgh Encyclopedia, Philadelphia edition, by Thomas
Parker, Vol. XVIII, p. 263.]




DESCRIPTION

A very striking and peculiar body of water is this Gulf of Maine,
markedly different in character from any other of the bays on the coast
line of the eastern United States. Especially does it differ in the
depth of its coastal waters, where in all the others, except the much
smaller New York Bay, the shoal water is found extending far out from
the land.

In the Gulf of Maine, however, with the single exception of the vicinity
of Ammens Rock on the eastern part of Cashes Bank, the entire central
area presents navigable deep water having a mean depth of 100 fathoms,
out of which rise the various underwater plateaus, whose depths average