ACEOSS THE EQUATOR. 481 



forced so far over to the West, though they should Hot care to go East of 

 longitude 25°. 



Vessels from as far North as the English Chanuel, should aim to cross 

 the parallel of 40° between the meridians of 20° and 25°; and for this 

 reason — besides that of winds a little more propitious — ^viz. : In crossing 

 the Calms of Cancer the navigator wants to be in such a position that he 

 may always be able to go on that tack which will carry him most rapidly 

 across this belt of calms. In other words, he wants to be in that position 

 where it is immaterial to him whether he be making Easting or Westing, 

 provided he be on the tack which will give him the most Southing. For 

 this reason he should aim to enter the Calm Belt between longitude 25° 

 and 30° W. 



The average crossing place of 30° is about the meridian of 19° W. 



The above remarks of Captain Maury will be found useful as a guide in 

 approaching the region discussed in the following section of our subject. 

 Captain Toynbee's remarks will, of course, supersede those above given, 

 relating to the Grossing of the Equator. 



3. Approaching and Cbossing the Equator. 



In the earlier editions of this work, we had only the experience of 

 American and Dutch shipmasters as a guide in forming an opinion as to 

 the best routes East or West of the Cape Verdes, and across the Equator. 

 However, since the publication of the valuable works of our own Meteoro- 

 logical Office, mentioned at the commencement of this section (page 475), 

 what formerly was the only guide, must be treated as a minor considera- 

 tion, and is therefore only briefly alluded to hereafter (page 493 et seq.). 



The works of the Meteorological Office, to those with leisure to properly 

 study them, will be found both interesting and valuable. In the adjoining 

 diagrams, of course, but a very brief description is given, compared witL 

 that in the elaborate charts which accompany the original works. 

 Reference should also be made to the diagram of the Passages accom- 

 panying this section, in which the routes over the Ocean are shown 

 graphically, for each month of the year. 



A warning is here given that the Direction of the Wind or Current is 

 only shown from that point at which it was most frequently observed, 

 and the Force of the Wind or Current from that direction alone indicated. 

 Captain Toynbee's remarks supply further detail, and will, we beHeve, 

 make what is here given from these valuable works quite sufficient for the 

 sailor's requirement. 



Square 3* lies so much in the highway of all ships passing to and fro, 

 between the North and South Atlantic Oceans, that it contains nearly 

 60 per cent, of the 125,000 observations from which the charts are con- 

 st ruc*^.ed. 



• The oceau was divided into 10'' Squares, at the suggestion of Mr. Marsden, formerly 

 Secretary to the Admiralty, and the numbers then given to the various squaree have 

 been adopted by the Meteorological Office in their marine work. 



JV. A. 0. 62 



