THE NORTH EQUATORIAL CURRENT. 34/5 



In February the vast central area of the Atlantic Ocean appears to have 

 variable currents, judging from the very few observations recorded for 

 February. The Westerly Drift of the Tropics, if it exists at all, must be 

 very feeble, not averaging more than 8 or 12 miles daily. Between lat 30" 

 and 37° N., long. 42° to 65° W., the Drift seems to be Northerly, but the 

 observations are not numerous. (See, however, the remarks relating to 

 H.M.S. Challenger, on pages 343—344). 



In March it does not appear to extend beyond lat. 25° N. Between 

 27° and 55° W. observations fairly represent the general Westerly set, 

 while they give its rate at from 6 to 35 miles ; it has its greatest rates in 

 lat. 5° N. 



In April the Westerly Drift may be said to extend to 30° N. The obser- 

 vations differ greatly as to the rate, though they agree in indicating greater 

 strength in the lower latitudes. In mid-ocean, between 30° and 40° N., 

 the directions are variable, and the rates feeble. 



•In May, North of the Equatorial Current to lat. 30° N., and from 

 25° W. to the West Indies, the general movement of the ocean seems to 

 be to the Westward, at a rate of from 6 to 18 miles. In the Western 

 portion of this region observations are, as usual, deficient. 



In June it appears in mid-ocean and towards the Bahamas. It does not 

 extend Northward of 30° N. The rates are various, and the observations 

 are altogether scanty, as they are for July, August, September, and October* 



In November it exhibits a decided set to the Southward, between 25° 

 and 30° N., and 40° to 60° W. 



In December the Westerly Drift seems to maintain its usual gentle flow, 

 but from lat. 20° to 40° N., long. 40° to 70° W., there are scarcely any data. 



(306.) In the work (before mentioned in the note, page 136) by Captain 

 Toynbee, a very full discussion of the direction and strength of the Currents 

 between 10° S. and 20° N., and from long. 10° to 40° W., is given. Any 

 verbal description of this work would give but a poor idea of its utility, 

 and it has been thought best to give the information in the diagrams 

 relating to the Best Monthly Routes Across the Equator, given hereafter, 

 to which therefore the reader is referred. 



(307.) It will be scarcely necessary to recapitulate the evidence upon 

 which the mean rate was set down in the chart of the North Atlantic 

 Ocean, before referred to (see (48) page 128). The General Chart of the 

 Currents, at page 295, will, with the foregoing remarks, fully explain this 

 part of the subject. As the Current is well established, we need not 

 extract the numerous observations given by Captain Maury, as they 

 almost all tend to the same conclusion. But the Drift of Bottles is so 

 marked an evidence, that we give a number of instances which will be 

 very instructive. 



* Between September 4th aad 10th, 1887, in lat. 23° 30' N., loug. 34' to 48° W., Easterly 

 and South-Easterly currents, of 7 to 21 miles a day, were experienced by three ships of 

 the United States training squadron, where a decided Westerly drift is almost invariably 

 reported. On the 11th, this Easterly set was lost, and the usual drift (W.N.W., 18 

 miles,) met with. The Trades were fresh, with no unusual meteorological conditions. 



.V. A. 0. 4.5 



