The Hawaiian gazette., 1868-09-23
The Climate Of Alaska.

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The following extract from the interesting
report of the House Committee on Foreign
Affairs, General Banks, Chairman, gives US
valuable information about the climate of
Alaska:
The laws which govern the climate of
Alaska are, in many respects, unlike those
which control the climate of that part of the
American continent on the northern Atlantic
ocean. A great, warm, ocean current sweeps
from the south along the eastern coast of
Asia, crosses the Pacific to the northwest
coast of America, giving to that country
higher temperature and correspondingly
higher climate than could exist in the same
latitudes under other circumstances The
ancient and modern navigators of the Old
and New World have observed this current,
and noted the changes ii produces in the eli
mate of the Asiatic and American coasts.
The great northern equatorial current leav-
ing the coast and gulf of Lower California,
sweeps across the Pacific south of the Ha.
walian Islands, and moving northward grad
ually defects TO the northward and north
east, along the Asiatic coast. It combines
its waters with the monsoon current of the
Caroline ISLANDS, and those of the Japan
stream, which doubtless has its origin, also,
in the northern equatorial current, and the
waters of the three currents combined fol-
law the Asiatic coast, DETECTING to the north
ward and northeastward until IL Is divided
into two parts by the intrusion of the cold
polar current from the Arctic Ocean through
Behring Strait. The main body of the stresm
moves directly toward the coast of America
down the coast of Oregon and California,
and finally sweeps back Into the equatorial
current in which it originated, TO continue
its ceaseless course and mysterious changes.
The other branch of this great current, when
separated by the great polar current, called
the Kamtschatka current, passes through
Behring Strait, follows the northern Arctic
coast of America, and doubtless enters the
stream which escapes from the Arctic Ocean
through Davis Strait into the north Atlantic,
forming the icy polar current which ohills
the eastern shore of America, and continues
as far south as the peninsula of Florida. But
the whole of the waters of the Kamsehatka
current do not pass through Behring Strait
A part are thrown from the eastern capes of
the Asiatic coast, and the south shore of the
Island of st. Lawrence, eastward and south
ward upon the American coast and northern
shores of the Aleutian Islands. The warm
currents from the equator, whose waters
show an average temperature Of Sc, give
tropical vegetation to the japanese and Bo-
min Islands, in latitude 27' 40 north.
The warm currents from the equator which
wash the shore of western America produce
an exactly opposite effect upon the climate
of that country from that which is wrought
upon the eastern coast of America by the lev
currents from the Arctic ocean which wash
the northern and eastern shores of the conti-
nent. 1t is impossible for us to comprehend
the nature of the climate of the northwestern
coast from anything we know of that which
prevails upon the northeastern coast One
is modified by the grand, ceaseless currents
from the south; the other Is constantly
chilled by the icy streams from the northern
ocean.
These observations upon the equatorial
and Arctic currents enable us to accept the
otherwise incredible statements made by an
cient, as well as more recent explorers, of
the moderate temperature of the northwest
ern coast of America.
1t is milder than the western coast of Eu-
rope, and wholly Independent of the causes
which give to the northeastern coast of Amer
lea climatic conditions so unlike those of
western Asia, eastern Europe, or the north
west coast of America. These facts show,
also, that many of the extraordinary charac-
teristics of the climate of Alaska are excep-
tional peculiarities, and do not affect, much
less control, the general condition of the
climate. Thus the constant and dense fogs
that are met in certain localities in Behring
Sea are supposed to be due to the contact Of
the warm waters of the equator with those
of the Polar sea.
thor of the excellent work on American Gil
matology, says, in a communication address
ed to the Chairman of the Committee on
Foreign Affairs, that "the winters in the
territory of Alaska, fully up to Port Provi-
dence, near Behring Straits, are very mild.
At Sitka, they are nearly as mild as at Phila-
delphia, ,-milder than in New York harbor."
The winters of Alaska are miider than
those of the cities of Quebec, Portland, Bos-
ton, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and
nearly as warm as at Washington. The sum
mers are cooler The mean temperature of
the winter is 32' 30, that of summer is So
81. The harbor of Sitka is open during the
winter.
1t is stated by the officers of the Smith
sonian Institution, that from observations
made at Sitka, 1881, the longest frost lasted
only five days. In December, the temper
ature was at the freezing point only Two
days; in January, seven days; and in March,
it iroze only at night, never during the day.