THE JAPANESE STREAM. 



63 



Even in the vicinity of the equator, after the current has 

 already assumed a westerly direction, its mean temperature does 

 not exceed 20-5.° But as it advances towards the west, its tem- 

 perature gradually rises to 27° or 28°. 



On the western banks of the Pacific the equatorial stream 

 divides into several branches. Part of its waters flow to the 

 south, a greater quantity penetrates through the channels of 

 the south Asiatic Archipelago into the Indian Ocean, the re- 

 mainder turns to the north-east, on the confines of the Chinese 

 Sea, leaves the eastern coast of the Japanese Islands, and then 



Japan Junks. 



spreads its warm waters under the influence of north-westerly 

 winds over the northern part of the Pacific. Thus the Japanese 

 stream plays here the same part as the Gulf-stream in the 

 Atlantic, and exerts a similar, though less mighty influence 

 over the climate of the west coast of America, as it is neither so 

 large nor so warm, and, having to traverse a wider ocean, in 

 higher latitudes, naturally loses more of its heat during the 

 passage. 



It is owing to this stream that Sitcha enjoys a mean annual 

 temperature of + 7° E., while Nain in Labrador, situated under 

 the same latitude, is indebted to the Greenland current for a 

 summer of-f7 - 8°, a winter of— 18 - 5°, and a miserable annual 

 temperature of— 3-6°. On the west coast of North America 



F 



