ADVANTAGES ON SEA-COAST 5 



The direction and force of winds naturally 

 exercise important influences on atmospheric and 

 soil temperatures and humidities. The climate 

 on the eastern coast is colder than that on the 

 west ; on the eastern shores of Great Britain, the 

 north winds sweep down from the colder oceanic 

 regions, the easterly winds in winter and spring 

 come over the German Ocean from the vast ice- 

 clad northern parts of the main continent, added 

 to which the warm westerly winds are largely shut 

 off by the high ranges of hills which intervene in 

 different parts of the country inland. 



The south-westerly winds sweep over the land, 

 and bring with them the temperatures and humid- 

 ities of the vast Atlantic Ocean from which they 

 come. The Gulf Stream, which bathes these 

 shores, brings with it much of the warmth from 

 the tropics. This as it reaches this country serves 

 to render the temperature mild in character, more 

 especially on those parts of the coasts of Ireland 

 and Scotland which, from the direction of its 

 main currents, are more directly under its im- 

 mediate influences. The temperature of the 

 German Ocean in January is about 41 Fahr., or 

 2 warmer than the air ; while the temperature 

 of the Atlantic on the north-west of Scotland at 

 the same time of year is 45, or 5 warmer than 

 the air. 



It has been clearly demonstrated, by experi- 



