ABSTRACTAbout 4100 samples of suspended matter were collected by filtration of surface ocean waters in three large regions on the western sides of oceans and two on the eastern sides. Comparison of results shows that the non‐combustible fraction (chiefly detrital clays and silts with some siliceous and calcareous skeletal debris) generally dominates along the western sides of oceans, where large contributions of solid detrital sediment are made by rivers that drain much of the adjacent continents. The combustible fraction also is important off these rivers, but it is more important (both relative to the non‐combustible fraction and in absolute terms) along the eastern sides of oceans, where upwelling is inte