156 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



It has been discovered that the trade-winds in the North Atlantic 

 blow with more regularity on the American than on the African side of 

 the Atlantic, owing, probably, to the feet that in the latter case the 

 sands and deserts, which heat and rarefy the air, are to the windward, 

 while in the former they are to the leeward. It is also shown that 

 the so-called northeast trade-winds prevail more from the northward 

 on the American than they do on the African side of the ocean, and 

 that calms are much less frequent on this than on that side of the 

 ocean. 



After carefully comparing the log-books of many thousand vessels 

 sailing between the United States and Brazil, China, the Indies, the 

 Cape of Good Hope, and Cape Horn, the author of these charts has 

 been led to the important discovery that the circuitous course usually 

 taken to these places may be avoided. It may here be remarked that 

 the usual route of vessels bound from our Atlantic coast to the parts of 

 the world named is nearly the same until they reach the equator. But 

 these charts indicate an entirely new route thither. The usual course 

 of our vessels bound to Rio Janeiro, or the Cape of Good Hope, is across 

 the Atlantic Ocean to the shores of Africa, thence to the coast of Brazil, 

 and, if bound to the Cape, a third time across the ocean. This zigzag 

 course has been hitherto pursued, in the belief that, in following it, better 

 winds have been found than if any other had been taken. The fects 

 derived from the log-books and records of a thousand ships show this 

 belief to be unfounded. 



It has been made to appear that monsoons, or trade-winds, prevail in 

 that part of the Atlantic through which a part of the old route to the 

 equator lies, where no such winds have been thought to exist. From 

 June to November, inclusive, these winds prevail from the southward 

 and westward. And they are exactly in that part of the ocean where, 

 strange though it may appear, vessels, ever since the days of Cook and 

 Cavendish, have been in the habit of going, with the expectation 

 of finding winds favorable for a course to the southward and west- 

 ward. 



In consequence of results like these, Lieut. Maury was led to ex- 

 amine the materials his industry had accumulated, in order to find a 

 better route. Accordingly, one was discovered and announced, which, 

 besides being several hundred miles nearer, lies also through a region of 

 more favorable winds ; insomuch that the average passage of a number 

 of vessels which have tried this new route during the last year is ten 

 days, or about 25 per cent., less than the average by the usual course to 

 the equator. 



In consequence of his investigations, Lieut. Maury was induced to 

 recommend a more northerly route than the one usually taken by 

 vessels in the European trade. The ship Wisconsin followed this 

 recommendation on her voyage from Liverpool to New York with 

 great success. She arrived at her port of destination twelve days 

 before two other ships which sailed in company, but which went farther 

 to the south. It is not claimed that such a difference will invari- 

 ably occur in the length of passage by the two routes, but the result 

 is nevertheless full of significance, and indicates the great importance 



