TBACKS FOE STEAMEES. 557 



In 1883, the Eoyal Meteorological Institute of the Netherlands published 

 the results of an investigation by Baron van Heerdt, into the routes taken 

 by the large ocean mail and other steamers between the English Channel 

 and New York, the data being obtained from many hundreds of logs. It 

 is unnecessary here to enter into more than a resume of the results, as the 

 differences in the duration of voyages, according to the route taken, do not 

 amount to more than a few hours. 



Bound Westward. — In December, January, February, and March, those 

 vessels which crossed the meridian of 30° W. to the Northward of lat. 50"*, 

 but which on the meridian of 50° W. kept to the South of 46° N., made 

 quite as long voyages as those which kept to the Southward on both 

 meridians. Those which crossed 30° W. South of lat. 50°, and 50° W. 

 North of 46° N., made very good voyages. Those which crossed 30° W. 

 North of 50° N., and 50° W. North of 46° N., gained an average advan- 

 tage of twenty-one hours on the whole voyage. 



In April and May, the most favourable route is found farther to th* 

 South. On long. 30° W., the best crossing is found to be between lat. 47-^° 

 and 50° N., and on 50° W. it is advisable to cross 50° W. South of 44^° N. 



In June, July, and August, a more Northerly route gave the best times. 

 Crossing 30° W. in lat. 49°, or farther Northward, and 50° W. in lat. 45°, 

 or farther Northward, was found to give a considerable advantage over a 

 more Southerly route. 



In September, October, and November, it seems that a course to the 

 South of lat. 50° N. is to be preferred in crossing 30° W. Vessels which 

 crossed 60° W. in lat. 45^°, or farther Northward, made the best passages. 



Bound Eastward. — In January, February, and March, the best passages 

 were made by crossing 50° W. between lat. 44^° and 46^° N., and 30° W. 

 between 48|° and 49^° N. 



In May and June, the best routes crossed 50° W. in lat. 42^°, or farther 

 Northward, and 30° W. in or to the Northward of 48° N. 



In July, August, and September, the best routes crossed 50° W. in lat. 

 43^° N., or farther Northward, and 30° W. in or Northward of lat. 48^°. 



In November and December, the best passages were made by crossing 

 60° W. Northward of lat. 45|° N., and 30° W. in lat. 49°, or farther 

 Northward.* 



• " Boute voor Stoomschepen van het Kanaal naar New York en terug," Utrecht, 

 1883. The general results of this enquiry will be found translated in the Nautioti 



Magazine. November, 1888. 



