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west is well known to raise the whole level of the German Ocean, and then a strong current sets into the Baltic and through the Straits of Dover; and on some of the Lakes of America, during the long continuance of wind blowing in the same direction, vessels have been left nearly dry in a harbour at one end, whilst at the other the water has risen several feet above its usual level. So that I think the prevalent north-west winds on the west coast of Japan will in a great measure account for the easterly flow through the straits of Tsugar and La Perouse during winter. But, in addition to this, the fact that, in the Gulf of Tartary and North part of the Japan sea, the precipitation is very great during the winter, while the evaporation must be small, makes its clear that the result could not be other than it is.
In contra-distinction to the Japan Stream there is a cold current which comes from the North and is called the Oya-siwo. It is comparatively of small breadth and volume, but it nevertheless produces a very great effect upon the climate of the shores contiguous to it. The south of Kiusiu is washed by the strength of the Kura-siwo and in consequence has almost a tropical climate during the whole year; while the Oya-siwo runs along the East coast of Yezo, which coast is fast bound in ice for twenty miles off the land during the whole winter.
The Oya-siwo has its source in the sea of Okhotsk, one part of it is supposed to run southward along the western shores of Kamchatka and the remaining part down the east of Saghalien. Is then passes out into the Pacific through the various channels between Yezo and the Kurile Islands, and there meets that the branch of the Kuro-siwo which is called the Kamschatka Current. The result of this meeting of hot and cold streams is, that those Islands are almost constantly enveloped in fog; this is very similar to what is experienced on the Banks of Newfoundland, where the cold water from Baffin’s Bay meets the Gulf Stream.
The Oya-siwo then flows in a S. S. W. direction along the coast of Nambu towards Inaboye-saki. Between
