METEOROLOGY. 267 



spiration. Absolute calms or the lightest breezes, tip to 5 miles per 

 hour, occurred only during one huudrod and forty-one hours out of the 

 six months September to February; during the other half of this year 

 winds and storms prevailed so that the average wind velocity was 20 

 miles per hour. This very stormy weather necessitated extraordinary 

 care with reference to the security of the building. The first part of 

 the i)olar night belonge<l to the pleasantest period of the residence on 

 Jan Mayeu ; it brought cold dry weather and outdoor sports, such as 

 sailing with ice-boats, running with snow-shoes, skating, and many 

 other new, exciting, and refreshing changes in the otherwise monoto- 

 nous occupations. The health of the whole i)arty was excellent; neither 

 scurvy, nor catarrh, nor frost-bites were experienced. The prevailing 

 winds were east-southeast and south-southeast during the prevalence 

 of cyclonic storms, some of which occasionally became almost stationary 

 low pressures. During such winds the temperature rose to an average 

 summer heat, even in the mid^t of winter, and the snow melted rapidly 

 everywhere. Tlie monthly wind summary shows a slight percentage of 

 the southwest winds that prevail in more southern latitudes; these ex- 

 ceptions are explained as due to the formation of cyclones whose front 

 sides only attained complete development. On the other hand, the higher 

 currents were almost exclusively from the southwest, so that even the 

 cirrus clouds, almost without exception, came from this direction. Of 

 the cyclones that passed over Jan Mayen, only the front was well de- 

 veloped. The greatest wind force was nearer the outer limit of the whirl 

 than is the case in ordinary tropical cyclones. The storms did not sud- 

 denly stop on the advent of the lowest pressure, but after the passage 

 of the center still continued with all vigor. Frequently in the region of 

 a barometric depression light winds prevailed, the barometer was fluc- 

 tuating, the wind and sea were calm, and the brightest sunshine con- 

 tinued for many hours. (Z. O. G. M., xviii, p. 441.) 



30. The International Polar Conference held at Vienna April 17, 1884, 

 arranged for the publication and discussion of the vast mass of obser- 

 vations accumulated by all nations during 1882-'83. The chiefs of nine 

 expeditions were present. Each country will publish its own results in 

 full. The conference will publish the general results through experts, 

 to whom each question is referred. The protocol of the conference fills 

 the last of the Mittheilungen published by the Polar Commission. 



31. The American expedition to Lady Franklin Bay was rescued from 

 its position at Cape Sabine in June, 1884; only six survived out of the 

 original twenty- five. The objects of the expedition were fully accom- 

 plished, the observations and explorations being conducted with remark- 

 able success for two years, and the health of the party was perfect 

 the whole time. Lieut. A. W. Greely with perfect success accomi)li.shed 

 a most remarkable polar journey in the way of a retreat of the whole 

 party southwards to Cape Sabine, at which place, however, the Ameri- 

 can rescue party of 1883 having been wrecked, Greelj' found no pro- 



