433 



from west-north-west on the 30th to oust by south on the 31st, increasing in force at the same time. On 

 the 1st August the mercury had fallen as low as 27 '82 inches, and a whole gale was blowing from east by 

 north. The temperature hud risen 10 since noon, G.M.T., of the preceding day. 



A diminution of pressure and decrease in wind force recorded at Kerguelen Island and on hoard ships in 

 the neighbourhood of the island, on the 6th and 7th August, appear to have been associated with a 

 diminution of pressure, rise of temperature, and increase of wind from east by north to gale force, recorded 

 on board the " Gauss " on the 7th and 8th of the month. 



Reduction of pressure at the island, again, on the 15th to the 17th of the same month, was followed at 

 the "Gauss" station by a rise of temperature between the 16th and 17th of 25, and a fall in the 

 barometer of 0-74 inch between the 17th and 18th, together with an increase of wind from east by north 

 on the 18th to storm force. 



Diminishing pressure, accompanied by increase of wind, recorded at Kerguelen Island and by ships in 

 the neighbourhood of the island on the llth and 12th October, and again on the 20th and 21st of that 

 month, was followed at the German Antarctic station by decline of pressure, rise of temperature, and 

 increase of wind to whole gale force. 



On the llth December a fall in the barometer of more than half an inch had been recorded at Kerguelen 

 Island for the previous 24 hours, and the ship " Niagara," some 250 miles north-eastward of the island, was 

 experiencing a strong gale from north-north-west. On the following day the centre of disturbance, 

 progressing eastward, had passed the meridian of the station at Kerguelen, and the S.S. " Salamis," in the 

 immediate neighbourhood of the island, had a strong wind from south by west. At the German station in 

 the Antarctic pressure was then giving way, but the wind, from east-north-east, was light. About 

 1300 miles due north of the "Gauss " the " Loch Torridon" recorded a strong wind from north by west 

 and a barometer reading of 29 -56 inches, which was 0'28 inch higher than the reading recorded at the 

 same time on board the " Gauss." 



The "Niagara," then in about 45 S. latitude, 81| E. longitude, still had the wind from northward, and 

 was therefore in front of the trough of the depression. On the 13th the "Loch Torridon" and the 

 " Niagara " carried a westerly wind, and the latter, in about 45 S. latitude, 86| E. longitude, was running 

 before a fresh gale, with the central low to the southward of her. 



The Antarctic station, where pressure had continued to give way, was now under the full influence of 

 the disturbance, and a fresh easterly gale was blowing there, but the wind moderated next day. During 

 this gale temperature appears to have changed very little. 



A diminution of pressure recorded at Kerguelen Island and on board ships in the neighbourhood of the 

 island , between the 6th and 8th February, 1903, which was accompanied by an increase of wind, was 

 followed on the 9th by a diminution of pressure and a strong gale from east, in 65 53' S., 89 21' E., the 

 position in which the " Gauss " was situated. 



Other instances furnished by synchronous G.M.T. observations could be cited to show how the gales 

 experienced at Kaiser Wilhelm II. Land, during the sojourn there of the German Exploring Expedition, 

 frequently owed their origin to systems of low pressure travelling eastward, which had previously affected 

 the weather conditions of Kerguelen and ships in the neighbourhood of the island, giving rise to strong 

 winds and gales in those localities. 



At Snow Hill, during the four months May to August, 1902, the mean pressure at 8 a.m. was Snow Hill, May- 

 29 '21 inches. The highest 8 a.m. reading of the barometer during the time was taken on the 16th 

 August, and was as high as 30 '01 inches, which is the highest 8 a.m. barometer observation recorded by 

 the Expedition in that year. There was no wind at the time of observation. The lowest 8 a.m. reading, 

 28'45 inches, was taken on the 16th May, when there was a moderate breeze from south-west. 



The mean temperature at 8 a.m. was - 5 1 F., the lowest mean temperature for that hour experienced 

 by the Expedition. The maximum 8 a.m. temperature, 36 F., registered on the 12th May, was associated 

 with a moderate breeze from south-west; the minimum 8 a.m. temperature - 35 F., registered on the 7th, 

 with a light air from the same direction. 



Dr. NORDENSKIOLD has laid stress upon the severity of the weather in July and the first half of August, 

 1902, and states that the temperature fell as low as - 42 F. 



3 K 



