42 THE CLIMATE OF AUSTRALASIA 



east, or because we were in the ice at another 

 season (November and December)." * 



That the ocean currents and drifts occupy 

 different positions at the same time in different 

 years, is now well established, t and there is 

 good reason to believe that these irregular 

 movements of the sea are the main cause of the 

 irregular variations of the seasons. The power 

 ful effect that may be produced by comparatively 

 slight disturbances of the normal oceanic 

 circulation, may be illustrated by the following 

 case : Off the western coast of Australia, in 

 the latitude of 14 S., the surface temperature 

 of the sea is about 81 F.; the average land 

 temperature may be taken at about the same. 

 According to the soundings of the Vatdivia, 

 the temperature of the water at the depth of 

 654 fathoms was 69 F.; and at the depth of 

 1640 fathoms the temperature was 48 F. So 

 the upwelling of water from the depth of 650 

 fathoms would reduce the surface temperature 

 by 12, and from 1600 fathoms would reduce 

 the temperature by 33. Air at a temperature 

 of 81 can carry J /4 5 of its own weight of water. 

 At the temperature of 68 it will carry only 

 7 6o of its weight of water. The uprise of water 

 from 1600 fathoms to the surface would diminish 

 the amount of moisture, which could be carried 



* Geog. Journ., Vol. XV., 1900, p, 524. The Challenger was in 

 that area in the months of January and February. 



tRev. D. C. Bates, of Wellington, has kindly called my attention to the 

 numerous wrecks on the New Zealand coasts, e.g. , the recent loss of 

 the Ben Avon in December, 1903, due to vessels being carried out of 

 their course b\ the unusual set of the ocean currents. 



