ICEBERGS AND FOG IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC. 629 



cause of the increase in the traffic, and in the number of passengers 

 transported. 



Every one who has sailed for any number of passages on the west- 

 ern route via 43 latitude and 50 longitude the track usually fol- 

 lowed in ice-months must have often experienced the sudden change 

 from a dense fog to fine, clear weather, and sometimes to an almost 

 cloudless sky. This change occurs most frequently to the westward 

 of the Grand Bank, and with the wind to the south of west ; the 

 clearing which follows a northerly wind taking place more slowly. 

 This sudden lifting of the fog is nearly always due to a change in 

 the temperature of the surface-water. In sailing from the 43d to the 

 41st parallel, between the Grand Bank and George's, 1 have occasion- 

 ally known the fog to clear and shut down again many times during 

 the twenty-four hours ; and almost invariably, upon trying the sur- 

 face-water, found that while the weather continued clear the surface- 

 temperature rose to between 55 and 65 Fahr., and, upon the tem- 

 perature of the water falling below 55 Fahr., the fog again closed in ; 

 to be again followed by clearer weather as the ship sailed into warmer 

 water thus alternating from a dense fog to a clear sky and pleasant 

 weather for hundreds of miles. 



In the summer of 1875, during which great quantities of ice were 

 encountered, I began to experiment on running south to clear the fog. 

 Probably the idea originated from my knowledge of the courses taken 

 by the old New York and Liverpool packets, nearly all of which, on 

 leaving Sandy Hook, in the spring and summer months, steered east 

 by south true until they were to the eastward of 70 longitude, and 

 crossed the 50th meridian very rarely to the northward of 43 lati- 

 tude, and generally in 42 or south of that parallel. In the course of 

 one or two seasons, on comparing our logs of previous years and 

 those of other steamers leaving about the same dates, with our logs on 

 the southerly route, the conviction became irresistible that crossing 

 50 west to the southward of 41 latitude was the safest course east- 

 ward bound. I am fully aware of the many arguments that may be 

 used against this southern route for both east and west bound steam- 

 ers ; among others, the Gulf Stream, the longer distance, the discom- 

 fdvt to passengers in a crowded ship, the excessive heat in the fire- 

 room, and probably many others ; but, after much attention to the 

 subject, I am convinced that these objections are more than counter- 

 balanced by almost certain immunity from fog and ice, or the assurance 

 that, if the latter is encountered, it will be in clear weather. I have 

 therefore continued crossing the meridians of 50 and 45 farther to the 

 southward every year during the ice-months, until in the present year 

 (1882), after having made ten passages east and west, from March to 

 August inclusive, only one hour and thirty-one minutes of fog has 

 been encountered between Cape Henlopen and Cape Clear on the 

 eastern passages, and that was experienced in 65 west in the month 



