OCEANIC CONTROL OVER CLIMATE 39 



eddy, the water moves as a drift from west to 

 east ; on the eastern side the water flows north- 

 ward as a current, along the western coast of 

 the continent ; on the northern side the water 

 drifts eastward ; and then on the western side 

 of each ocean the water completes the circuit 

 by flowing southward as a current down the 

 eastern coast of the other bounding continent. 



CHAPTER IV. THE EFFECTS OF OCEAN 

 CURRENTS ON CLIMATE. 



We have now to consider the effects of these 

 ocean currents upon the climate of the adjacent 

 lands. A cold ocean current flowing along the 

 shore of a warm land, has a drying influence. 

 A warm current beside a cold land produces a 

 very wet climate. An off-shore wind has a 

 powerful effect in reducing the local temperature 

 if there be very deep water off the coast ; for 

 deep sea water is always very cold, and a wind 

 blowing off shore drives the surface waters out 

 to sea, and thereby causes the uprise of cold 

 water from below. If, therefore, the water off 

 a coast is deep, the temperature of that coast 

 will be chilled by an off-shore wind. Thus is 

 explained the coldness of the Pacific water off 

 Chili and Peru, and the almost unrivalled 

 dryness of some parts of the adjacent coast. 



