Considérations physiques sur le passage Nord-ouest; by the same. Communicated by the Right Hon. the Earl of Minto, G. C. B. F. R. S

• Published in: Abstracts of the Papers Printed in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: The Royal Society 1837
• Subjects: Arctic; Coppermine River
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspl.1830.0300; https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rspl.1830.0300

The author of this memoir, considering that the practicability of a North-west Arctic passage must depend on the mean summer atmospheric temperature of the most northern point of the continent of America being above that at which the congelation of sea water takes place, applies himself to the determination of these temperatures. The results of his calculations are given in a table, exhibiting the extreme and the mean temperatures of the atmosphere for each of the summer months, from May to September, at all degrees of latitude, from 60° to 80° inclusive. According to this table, the temperature of zero, which is about the freezing point of sea water, prevails, at 60° of latitude, on the 10th of May; at 61° lat. on the 20th of May; at 63°, on the 1 st of June; at 65°, on the 10th of June; at 67°, on the 20th of June; and at 71°, during the whole of the months of July and August. The author concludes that navigators can reach, without danger of being obstructed by ice, the latitude of 71° during these latter months: and that since the American continent does not probably extend beyond 70° north latitude a passage to the North-west is then open. He recommends, however, that instead of attempting it by the dangerous navigation of the polar sea, a coasting voyage between the continent and the numerous islands which exist in that ocean should be undertaken; or, what he thinks still more promising of success, an expedition by land for exploring the country intervening between the Coppermine River and Hudson’s Bay.