44 On the Temperature of the Sea, and its I>ifluencc 
It has in January a temperature of 57°, which is higher tlian that 
of the air in the month of May on the south coast of England. 
From this part of the ocean eastward, for at least a thousand 
miles in extent, the temperature of the surface water in Jan- 
uary is about 54^, it reaches its minimum of 52i^° in February, 
and its maximum of 59i^ in September, having a yearly range 
of only 7°. Over this thousand miles from west to east the 
lieat distributed through the water is in the various months 
remarkably uniform. There are, however, some slight thermo- 
metrical indications of a warmer current passing northward, 
about the middle of the Atlantic ; and there is also a narrow- 
belt of warm water with a somewhat higher temperature than 
that of the adjoining sea off the south-west coast of Ireland, 
v.hlch may be the tail of Rennel's current; but these indications 
are too faint to produce any climatic effect on these islands. It 
is however important, in reference to the formation of cloud 
and rain, to observe that the warmth of the winter sea decreases 
full 3^ on approaching the Irish coast. 
This wide expanse of superheated water is no superflciai 
stratum which any other element now in force can nullify or 
destroy ; its heat is the accumulation of years, supplied from an 
incxhaustable fountain in constant operation. " It is calculated 
that the amount of heat discharged over the Atlantic from the 
waters of the Gulf Stream in a winter dav, would be sufficient 
to raise the whole column of the atmosphere that rests upon 
France and the British Isles, from the freezing point to summer 
heat." t The surface temperature of this wide sea is uninflu- 
enced by the changes of day and night, by calm or storm ; and 
there need be no misgiving that the mighty Gulf Stream will lose 
its life giving energy, while the trend of the coast lliies remains 
the same as at present ; nor any fear that the climate of this 
country will be decreased in temperature by the chilling effects 
of the cold ice-bearing Arctic current, with 1500 miles of warm 
water between us and this benumbing stream. 
Indeed the storms of winter rather appear to develop more 
fully the Avarmth derived from the Atlantic. In January, 1852, 
the 'Niagara' steamed from Liverpool to New York, through 
a hurricane of wind, hailstones, and snow. The successive entries 
in the ]og:-book were — " Blowing: a hurricane." " Hailstones and 
lightening." "Dreadful weather" — " still a hurricane." "Awful 
weather." But the noble ship steadily held on in her prescribed 
course, and the meteorological record is perfect throughout. 
Before the storm commenced the temperature of the water was 
52^ to 53'', but throughout the duration of the storm, and across 
the Atlantic, to the very verge of the Arctic current, it was 58°, 
* ' Keith Johnston's Physical Atlas.' 
