, 1844-08-31
GULF STREAM.

none published in the Union in point o
literary and scientific excellence-w,
condense the following interesting par.
tIcuiars, relative TO the discovery ant
phenomena Of the Gulf Stream. AnC
here by thew way. we would remark, thar
The article TO which we have reference
Is emincntly calculated to sustain anc
add 10 the already high reputation &C.
CURED by the Messenger; ard we much
regret that our ~gleanings are necessarily
TOO brief TO give more than a faint idea
OF its merits-or rather those of a por-
ton Of the subject of which it treats:
"Ihe existence of the Gulf Stream
was not generally known 10 IA, ica-
tors-ttiough ii had been constantly
crossed by them for a period Of near
~ three centurie,-untII its warmth
was discovered by DIR. franklin a.
bout I775; and up 10 the present dav,
nearly all hat is known about it is
based upon information left US by
that philosopher.
In l77G, while in London. Frank
In was consulted in relation TO a me-
mortal which the Board of Customs
AT boston had sent 10 the lords OF the
Treasury, requesting that the FaI-
mouth packets might be sent t. Prov
idcnce instead oi 10 New York. IN
consequence Of the fact, that they
were generally Il fortnight longer to
New York, than common traders
were between London and Provi.
dencc. FMS appeared strange TO
the dHct0r, for London was much
father than Falmouth. and lrom Fal-
mouth the routes were the same. and
the difference should have been tic
other way. The difficulty. howev-
er, was explained 20 him by IA Nan
IGcket whaIer, who CHANGED then 10
lie in London. The difference was
shown To arise from The circumstance
that the Rhode Island CAPTAINS were
acquainted with tie Cult Stream.
whist those OF The English packets
wee not. Tie latter kept in it, and
were set back so or 20 days. while
tie iOrner avoided it altogether. At
the request Of the doctor he then
traced uHun = chart the course Of his
stream trcm the SIrdi,s of Florida
The course OF tie Cult Stream n
Laid down by that Fisherman. from
ms general recollection Of il. is re-
tanned 10 III charts ri the present
daY, almost without an altcra;ien.-
The chart was sent TO the Falmouth
Captains, but by them received lit
lie or no attention.
IN 1915. as ihas been stated, the
warmth OF the waters of The stream
was first detected. but for political
reasons the discovery was not pro-
mu'gated until 1890. It's immediate
effect in Navigation was 10 make III.
ports OF the uorIh as accessible in
winter as in summer. No part of the
world afforded amorc difficult or dam
gerous navigation than the approach
Of our Northern coast, before this
discovery. Thus had those acquaint-
ed with the stream and this peculIarl-
ty Of II, a double advantage over
navigators who were not so inform
ed; for, in summer, by avoiding its
strong current, their voyages were
greatly shortened. and in winter by
taking avantage of It's genial tempera-
ture, though their voyage might be
somewhat heightened, the dreadful
storms common 10 ournorthern coast.
at that season were avoided. The
extent OF the agency, which the ac-
cessibleness Of The northern ports ~
winter, had in the falling off Of the
direct trade Of the south. might al
ford, 10 the political economist, a sub
iect for curious and interesting specu-
lation. Whatever that agency might
have been, certain is if, that alter the
PRONUNCIATION of the discovery IN
question the direct commerce oil the
south with Europe began to decline
and that of the north to increase. BY
a reference to the commercial Stats
,;cs of the time it will be seen that in
1863. the commerce Of the two Caro-
linas equsIIed that of all the New
EnrIand states together: was more
hon double Than that of New York,
and exceeded tina. OF Pennsylvania
one-third. In 1892 the exports
from New York amounted to two and
a half millions; from Pennsylvania 10
s3,82O,Ooo; and from Charleston: >.
c.. alone 10 nearly 100000. BIT
in 1875. by which time the pecullarl-
lies Of the Gulf Stream began 10 be
understood by navigato:s, and the
from Europe to the Northern