272 Capt. Sabine on the Presence of the Waters of the 



found to extend to the eastward of the Azores. Vessels na- 

 vigating the ocean between the Azores and the continent of 

 Europe, find, at all seasons, a temperature progressively in- 

 creasing as they approach the sun ; the absolute amount va- 

 ries according to the season, the maximum in summer being 

 about 14° warmer than the maximum in winter; but the pro- 

 gression in respect to latitude is regular, and is nearly the 

 same in winter as in summer, being an increase of 3° of Fah- 

 renheit for every 5° of latitude. It is farther observed, that 

 the ordinary condition of the temperature in that part of the 

 ocean under notice, is little subject to disturbance, and that 

 in any particular parallel and season the limits of variation in 

 different years are usually very small. After westerly winds 

 of much strength or continuance, the sea, in all the parallels, 

 is rather colder than the average temperature, on account of 

 the increased velocity communicated to the general set of the 

 waters of the North Eastern Atlantic towards the southward. 

 To the heavy westerly gales which had prevailed almost with- 

 out intermission in the last fortnight in November, and during 

 the whole of December, may therefore be attributed the 

 colder temperatures observed in the latitude of 471°, and in 

 those between 26° and \d\° 



If doubt could exist in regard to the higher temperature 

 between 441° and 33§°, being a consequence of the exten- 

 sion in that year of the gulf-stream in the direction of its 

 general course, it might be removed by a circumstance well 

 deserving of notice, namely, that the greatest excess above 

 the natural temperature of the ocean, was found in or about 

 the latitude of 39°, being the parallel where the middle of the 

 stream, indicated by the warmest water, would arrive by con- 

 tinuing to flow to the eastward of the Azores, in the prolon- 

 gation of the great circle in which it is known to reach the 

 mid-Atlantic. 



One previous and similar instance is on record, in which 

 the water of the gulf-stream was traced by its temperature 

 quite across the Atlantic to the coasts of Europe ; this was 

 by Dr Franklin, in a passage from the United States to 

 France, in November 1776.* The latter part of his voyage, 



* Franklin's Works, 8vo, London, 1806, vol. ii, pages 200,201. 



