New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-30
OBSERVING OCEAN TEMPERATURES.

An innovation recently introduced into the
British weather service Is the systematic col
lection of reports from the North Atlantic and
Mediterranean of the temperatures observed by
shipping This material is worked up into
charts showing the situation over marine areas
lying between ATTITUDES 80 and 90 degrees. As
far as possible, data are given for each section
of two degrees square. While it Is too soon to
say much about the practical results which
will attend this enterprise, ii is already APP
parent that the London Weather Office is going
10 have the hearty cooperation Of the ship mas
tiers in obtaining the desired information. They
realize, of course. that one purpose OF the bu-
reau is to increase the value OF the monthly
pilot Chart" publication which is got out
for the benefit of the mariner and which fur
nishes him with hints about the weather condi-
tons to be expected from time to time, as well
as the existence of such dangers to navigation
as floating wrecks. 1t is for the interest of ship
captains, therefore, to help the scheme.
1t is not unlikely that the attempt will also
be made at the central office of the bureau to
detect any correlation between abnormal tenn
peratures noted on the Atlantic and unusual
weather on land in the United Kingdom. 1t
has long been known, for instance, that the
climate of Great Britain is much mlder than
that of corresponding ATTITUDES the opposite
side Of the Atlantic. This geniality was once
attributed to the Gulf Stream. 1t is necessary
now to use phraseology which makes the effect
indirect, and not direct. photographers say
that the Gulf Stream, such, does not extend
all the way over from America. However
there is a steady drift Of warm water to the
eastward and nOrtheaStward and that warm
water flows up around Ireland and Scotland,
under the Influence of the prevailing westerly
and southwesterly winds of the North Atlantic
The temperature of this fluid is higher than
that which laves the shores of Labrador. and
from necessity the oceanic atmosphere in the
vicinity Of the British islands floats in over the
land more or less. Precisely how this phenome
non ameliorates the climate has not been fuIIv
determined, nor is the amount OF the Influence
accurately known. But it seems to be con-
coded that, in a general way, the monthly and
annual temperature means are higher hecausa
Of the existence of the Gulf Stream than if
there We're no such thing 1t now becomes do
sirable to ascertain how closely. if at all, anv
marked fluctuations in the conditions out AT sea
are followed by changes inland The inyestiaa
lions may possibly open the way for better
forecasts than the London bureau has hitherto
been able to formulate
The Japan current produces somewhat the
same effect on the climate of Alaska. British
ColumDla and the Pacific Coast of the United
States that the Gulf Stream does on that of
Northwestern Europe. The route is not unite
identical For this and other reasons the mean
temperature is not so high on the American
shole Oh the North Pacific as it is in the same
ATTITUDES between Lands End and the Hebrides
ms however, is matter of detail. There Is
no essential difference in the causes at work
it therefore becomes a matter of interest TO
know whether observations like those now he
ing collected for the British weather service
might not also be made on the other side Of
the globe for the benefit of Americans. Tn
fortunately the North Pacific is not traversed
so extensively and frequently by shipping as IS
the North Atiantc Moreover. the region which
would be affected by fluctuations in tempera-
ture at sea is not so densely populated in the
one case as in the other. The day will come
however when it will be feasible to initiate the
work recently undertaken by Great Britain
"hen that time comes it will doubtless be