ALA 
cause the snow prevents them from 
being warmed at the expence of 
the earth; and this is a striking 
proof of the use of the snow in pre- 
serving the heat of the earth during 
the winter, in cold latitudes. 
It is remarkable that these winds 
seldom blow from the poles directly 
towards the equator, but from the 
land towards the sea. Upon the 
eastern coast of North America the 
cold winds come from the north- 
west; but upon the western coast 
of Europe, they blow from the 
north-east. 
That they should blow towards 
those parts where they can most 
easily acquire the heat they are in 
search cf, is not extraordinary ; and 
that they should gradually cease and 
die away, upon being: warmed: by 
a contact with the waters of the 
ocean, is likewise agreeable to the 
nature and causes of their motion: 
and if I might be allowed a conjec- 
ture respecting the principal use of 
the seas, or the reason why the pro- 
portion of water on the surface of 
our globe is so great, compared to 
that of the land, itis to maintain a 
more equal temperature in the dif- 
ferent climates, by heating or cool- 
ing the winds which at certain. pe- 
riods blow from the great conti- 
nents. 
That cold winds actually grow 
much milder upon passing over the 
sea, and that hot winds are refresh- 
ed bya contact with its waters, is 
very certain; and it is) equally cer- 
tain ‘that the winds from the ocean 
are, in all climates, much more tem- 
perate than those which blow from 
the land. 
In the islands of Great Britain 
and Ireland, there is not the least 
doubt but the great mildness of the 
climate> is’ entirely owing: to. their 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1792. 
separation from the neighbouring. 
continent by so Jarge a track of sea; 
and in all similar situations, inevery 
part of the globe, similar causes are 
found to produce similar effects, 
The cold north-west winds, which: 
prevail upon the coast of North- 
America during the winter, seldom 
extend above 100 leagues from the 
shore ; and they are always found to. 
be: less violent, and less piercing, as 
they are further from the land. 
These periodical winds from the 
continents of Europe and North 
America, prevail most towards the 
end of the month of February and 
in the month of March; and I con- 
ceive that they contribute very es- 
sentially towards bringing on an 
early spring and a fruitful sammer, 
particularly when they are very vio- 
lent in the month of March, and 
if at that time the ground is well 
covered with snow. The whole at- 
mosphere of the polar regions be- 
ing, as it were, transported into the 
ocean by these winds, is there warm- 
ed and saturated with: water: and,, 
a great accumulation of air upon 
the-sea being the necessary conse- 
quence of the: long continuance of 
these cold winds from the shore, up- 
on their ceasing, the warm breezes 
from the sea necessarily commence, 
and, spreading themselves upon the 
Jand far and wide, assist the return- 
ing sun in dismantling the earth of 
the remains of her winter-garment, 
and in bringing forward into life all 
the manifold beauties of the new- 
born year. 
This warmed air which comes in 
from the sea, having acquired its 
heat from a contact with the ocean, 
is, of course, saturated with water ; 
and hence the warm) showers of 
April and May, so necessary to a 
fruitful season. 
The 
