CURRENT OBSERVATIONS. 129 



and may be expected when the north-east trade wind fails and 

 gives place to southerly winds ; the southerly season is coincident 

 with the northern winter, but it. must be conceded that my records 

 tell of northerly and easterly currents, not only from October to 

 March, but at all times of the year. 



Continuing our voyage from the Hawaiian Islands to British 

 Columbia, the data in my possession at first sight appear to 

 supply evidence of a conflicting nature, but I shall hope to prove 

 that this is not in reality the case, but on the contrary, the direc- 

 tion and force of the current at different seasons of the year may 

 be predicted on this portion of the voyage with considerable 

 accuracy. The north-east Trade Drift in approaching the 

 Hawaiian Islands from the east-north-eastward is deflected under 

 normal conditions to the north-westward. It is probable that the 

 prevailing westerly winds of the north Pacific, between the thirty- 

 fifth and fiftieth parallels, produce the surface current setting to 

 the eastward which is augmented by the Kuro Siwo or Japan 

 Stream which has found its way thus far across the Pacific, and 

 mingling with the north-east Trade Drift deflects it to the north- 

 eastward, which direction it retains until near the north-western 

 shores of the American Continent, when it is again diverted to 

 the south-south-east and ultimately becomes the Mexico current. 

 This circulation roughly outlined, is reversed or modified in places 

 according to the season, changes in one way or another consequent 

 upon an alteration in the distribution of atmospheric pressure 

 having a marked effect upon it. The centre of the north Pacific 

 anticyclone, or area of high pressure, oscillates during the year 

 between the one hundred and thirty-fifth and one hundred and 

 fiftieth meridian of west longitude and between the thirty-eighth 

 and forty-second parallels of north latitude. This area of high 

 pressure is furthest north and west from May to October, attain- 

 ing its extreme north-west position in August. It is farthest 

 south-east from December to April, attaining its extreme south- 

 east position in March. During the former months the north- 

 east trade winds blow steadily from about the twenty -sixth degree of 



I— July 6, 1898. 



