The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1916-07-19
1t Is Tropical, Sub-Tropi-
cal Or Temperate.
SHADE TEMPERATURE OF 105
Degrees Is Sometimes Recorded
Offers No TerrOrs For
American Troops.
HEIGHTS AND PLAINS ABOUND

Mexico extends through II de-
grees of latitude, and the climate,
according to locality and altitude. is
tropical, subtropical or temperate.
If there should ever be war with
Mexico our troops sooner or later
swould have to operate, it may be as
sumed, in every part of the country.
including the two coastal zones
down to the Isthmus of Tehaunte-
pee. and even in Chiapas, Campeche
and Yucatan, most of which region
comes under the head of tierras
calientes or hot lands. Here the
heat il what we call our summer
season is intense, and the rainfall,
except in Yucatan, is heavy. Sultry
conditions prevail in the wet season,
and at Vera Cruz, on the Gulf of
Mexico, and at Guaymas and Acap-
ulco, on the Pacific Coast, the shade
temperature sometimes rises to 105
degrees. While the climate is rated
facilitating and unhealthy for
Northerners, it will be remembered
that Funstons brigade in camp at
Vera Cruz never had "a long sick
list and came through the ordeal in
excellent condition. Sanitation has
become an exact science in the
hands Of American army surgeons,
even in tropical countries. The best
season for campaigning in the tier
ras calientes. say at Vera Cruz and
Tampico. is, of course. in the period
corresponding to our winter. At
any other time those seaports are
not to be recommended to people of
the North.
Above latitude %, which passes
through the States of Coahuila, Chi
huahua, Sonora and the territory of
Lower California, the four seasons
are about as we'll marked as in the
lJnited States, but it must be consid-
@red that altitude is prominent
factor in climatic conditions all
over Mexico back from the coasts.
Bearing this in mind. the country
porth of latitude 2S may be de-
Scribed as temperate. High up in
the mountains of Chihuahua and So
nora the heat is seldom excessive,
and the nights, even in summer. are
cool, if not cold. 1t is different in
the desert of the three northern
States. There the heat in July and
August, after the first freshness of
the early morning has passed. is al
most insupportable; yet blanket
may be needed at night. for after
sunset the temperature often de-
clines rapidly.
South of latitude 2S is the TERRA
templada, or subtropical zone, COM
prising parts of Coahuila, Chihua-
hua. Nuevo Leon, San Luis PotoS.
half of Tamaulipas. Western Vera
Cruz (the State) and districts in
Oaxaca, Chiapas, Guerrero, Jalisco,
Sinaloa and Sonora. In the high
lands, the altitude of which here
and there rises to nearly 5000 feet.
the night temperatures are refresh
ing; the days are hot, but not un-
bearably so If excuses are avoided.
Extending south from Durango to
the City of Mexico, the great table
land, the terra fra (altitudes from
$500 to $500 feet). Is salutorious
at all times of the year. and the eli
mate is especially delightful In our
summer months, although changes
of temperature are sometimes alb
rupt and at nights the lungs have
to be guarded. Even the rains on
the tableland-and south of latitude
28 there is a rainy season from May
to October-have seldom anything
of the deluge character. They may
be frequent. but they are generally
light. Elsewhere than on the table,
&and the best campaigning season 10
the dry. October to May; but. to sum
up. II may be said that except In the
tiarras calientes outdoors Mexico
sNuld have no climatic terrors for
American troops operating under
rules of sanitation laid down by a
competent medical corps.-lNew
York Sun. =
aG<l