194 Gfovemor Reid on the Winds, <^c. 



posite side far out in the Atlantic. In sailing from Halifax 

 to Bermuda, it is desirable for this reason to keep to the 

 westward, as affording a better chance of having a wind blow- 

 ing at north, instead of one at south ; as well as because the 

 current of the Gulf Stream sets vessels to the eastward. 



When vessels coming from Barbadoes or its neighbouring 

 West India Islands, sail to Bermuda on a direct course, they 

 sometimes fall to the eastward of it, and find it very difficult 

 to make Bermuda when westerly winds prevail. They should 

 therefore take advantage of the trade-wind, to make the 68° 

 or 70"" of west longitude, before they leave the 25° of latitude. 



On a ship leaving England for Bermuda, instead of steer- 

 ing a direct course for the destined port, or following the 

 usual practice of seeking for the trade-winds, it may be found 

 a better course, on the setting in of an easterly wind to steer 

 west, and if the wind should veer by the south towards the 

 west^ to continue on the port-tack, until by changing, the ship 

 could lie its course. If the wind should continue to veer to 

 north, and as it sometimes does even to the eastward of north, 

 a ship upon the starboard-tack might be allowed to come up 

 with her head to the westward of her direct course. On both 

 tacks she would have sailed on curved lines, the object of 

 which would be, to carry her to the westward against the pre- 

 vailing wind and currents. There is reason for believing 

 that many of the revolving winds of the winter season origi- 

 nate within the tropics ; and that ships seeking for the steady 

 trade- winds, even further south than the tropic, at that period 

 of the year, will frequently be disappointed. How near to 

 the equator the revolving winds originate in the winter sea- 

 son, is an important point not yet sufficiently observed. The 

 quickest voyage from England to Bermuda therefore, may 

 perhaps be made, by sailing on a course composed of many 

 curved lines, which cannot be previously laid down, but which 

 must be determined by the winds met with on the voyage. 

 This principle of taking advantage of the changes of revolv- 

 ing winds, by sailing on curved lines, is applicable to high 

 latitudes in both hemispheres when ships are sailing westerly. 



GOVEENMENT HOUSE, BERMUDA, 



21« March 1846. 



