William C. Redfield
Published: 2016-06-22
Total Pages: 28
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Excerpt from Drift Ice and Currents of the North Atlantic: With a Chart Showing the Observed Positions of the Ice at Various Times OF the various dangers which beset the path of the mariner, perhaps there are none which excite to more vigilance than the known or expected proximity of ice. In some frequented por tions of the Atlantic Ocean the ice appears almost every year, in the various forms of field ice, oes and massive ice-islands, drift ed from the arctic regions by the constant action of the polar cur rents. These ice-bearing currents, in owing towards the south, must necessarily incline towards the western limits of the owing to the increased velocity of the diurnal rotation of {the earth's surface as we depart from the poles; a law well under stood as regards the currents of air which form the trade winds. Hence it is that on and near the Banks of Newfoundland these ice-currents are found to cross the usual track of vessels bound from the ports of Europe to northern America. The quantity of ice which appears on this route of navigation in different years, is exceedingly various. It is sometimes seen as early in the year as January, and seldom later than the month of August. From March to July is its most common season. It is found most frequently to the west of longitude and to the eastward of longitude 52 but icebergs are sometimes met with as far eastward as longitude and in some rare cases, even still further towards Europe. Experience has shown that the proximity of ice is far less hazardous than rocks and shoals; and this oating danger would be still less formidable were it not for the fogs and mists which it often causes. The thermometer has been often held up as afford ing sure indications of an approach to ice, by the reduction of temperature shown both in the air and water, and these indica tions are important and should by no means be neglected. But there may be many cases of approach to ice where a reliance upon the thermometer alone could not afford security. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works."
