464 PASSAGES OVER THE ATLANTIC. 



It seems that the wind generally draws up and down the Channel more 

 or less, and does not blow true as in the open ocean. Thus, a Westerly 

 wind in the offing may become a W.N.W. wind in the English Channel, 

 and a N.W. wisd in the St. George's Channel; and the same with the 

 Easterly winds. By referring to (135) to (139), pages 203 — 205, and the 

 illustrative diagram, the leader will see some exemplification of this in the 

 case of Liverpool, and in (141), pages 206-207, those of the English 

 Channel are discussed, where it will be seen that the Western pre- 

 dominate over the Eastern quarters as 229 to 132. The reason for the 

 prevalence of these Westerly winds, will be found discussed in (128), 

 page 199. 



Some statistics are given in (134), page 203, of the observations for 

 49 years at Greenwich Eoyal Observatory, and as a further illustration of 

 the direction of the wind in the upper part of the Channel, we may 

 adduce the result of 10 years observations made by the Eoyal Society at 

 their premises in London. It was found that the mean tor the 10 years 

 was 101 days of Easterly Winds against 186 of Westerly Winds ; or, sup- 

 posing a feather to have been abandoned at the beginning of each of the 

 years, the mean direction and number of days, for the 10 years, the 

 feather would have advanced, was N. 85° E. 66 days per annum. This 

 shows how far the Westerly predominate over the Easterly directions. 

 North-Easterly winds are at a maximum in May and June. 



Homeward.* 



The Bristol Channel I consider safer to approach than either the 

 English or St. George's Channels. The parallel of Trevose Head, on 

 which stands a lighthouse, has been generally recommended, and that of 

 Lundy Island, with its lighthouse, may be used according to circumstances, 

 direction of the wind, &c. In thick or dark weather, the soundings will 

 indicate when you have passed a line cutting Scilly and St. Ann's lights 

 near Milford Haven, and also on nearing the shores on either side. The 



South side of Lundy is preferred, as you can go safely round it, taking 

 care to keep the light in sight above the land ; and as there are generally 

 pilots lying under the island, you are sure not to miss them in pursuing 

 this route. 



For approaching and proceeding up the Bristol Chamiel, various direc- 

 tions have been given. Ist. Soundings. — The great difficulty is that the 

 soundings are very deep, and the same water may be got in different 

 positions, both in latitude and longitude, so that a false position by dead- 

 reckoning in the longitude, or in the latitude by the want of observations, is 

 almost as likely to be confirmed as detected ; I mean by detached casts of 

 the had. As a precaution against this, I would advise ships (particularly 

 those navigating by dead-reckoning) to "seek the ground early," so that 

 by striking the edge of the bank they may obtain, as it were, a departure, 

 and then take frequent casts of the lead, and make with them a Table in 



• " General Notes on the Approaches to the Channels, and for Navigating the English 

 Channel," bj Captain Richard Leighton. 



