Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-09-28
From the Boston Journal.
The GuIf Stream


An old seafaring correspondent of the Ma
tional Lstelligeacer advances the theory that
the waters of the Gulf Stream are neither more
nor less than the waters of the river Amazon.
He says
Il" The great Father Of Waters (he Amazon) is
bedded more than one thousand miles Immediately
under the equator and all its tributary streams for
many thousand miles are constantly pouring their
hot water into this mighty reservoir of water. AS
these waters are gathered in under the burning
sun ofthe equator, they are extremely warm far
more so than the Atlantic ocean waters under the
equator This great body of heated water shoots
ont into the Atlantic more than n hundred miles,
in the face of the eternal trade winds. The ANA
zon Is sixty miles wide, and after being belted in
its irresistible course, il curves off 10 the left and
scuds OH before The strong trade winds till out of
their reach. Driven along with great force, il
takes its course around the great bay formed be-
tween the two continents Of North and South
America. Dashing along the northern coast of
South America, and passing 10 the leeward of the
West India islands, II laves the shore Of Cuba
and proceeds along the shores Of Florida, the
capes OF Virginia, aud. passing The shores of New
foundand, ends its mission among the icebergs
which float out ofthe northern ocean Cut off the
Gulf stream, and IL would not be many years be-
fore the North Atlantic would be filed with ice
bergs that would be very destructive TO naviga-
tion. But wise Providence has provided an
eternal reservoir Of hot water constantly rushing
around over the back, of the cold Atlantic 10 its
destination, where, after spending its vital warmth
among the icebergs, it is hurried away by a new
supply OF native warm water from The great
Amazon"
The above theory,is evidently advanced by a
gentleman who has not investigated the sub
ject upon which he writes. A single fact is
sufficient to show its fallacy. The current Of
the Gulf Stream, upon the American Coast,
commences at Cape st. Rogue, about thou
sand miles below the mouth of the Amazon,
and flows to'oards and past it. Its volume Of
water, also, is immensely greater than the
volume Of that river, being estimated to ex-
coed that of the Mississippi by at least three
thousand fold. The most simple and satisfac-
tory method of accounting for the origin of the
Gulf Stream is as follows: In all equatorial
latitudes, both in the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans, there are trade winds, blowing almost
perpetually from east to west. These winds are
Of two kinds, the one blowing from the north
OF the equator in a southeasterly direction to-
wards the line, and the other blowing from the
south OF the equator in a northeasterly direc-
ton. The effect Of the combined forces of
these winds, uniting at the equator, is to pro-
duce strong westerly equinoctial current.
This current, in the Atlantic ocean, takes its
rise near the African coast, and trayeuing the
broad waste of waters which divides the eastern
from the western continents strikes the coast
of South America near Cape st. Rogue, its
westermost point.
Cape st. Rogue, acting as a wedge, divides
the stream, small branch of which chances
off to the southwark, and follows down the
coast while the main body takes northerly
direction, and skirting the northern shore Of
South America, passes through the Caribbean
sea and into the Gulf of Mexico. Here an
immense eddy, as it were, is formed, and the
waters, after seeking in vain for an outlet on
the northern or eastern side of that great nat
ural basin, bend sharply in their course, and
rushing through the narrow channel which
divides the Island of Cuba from the American
States, pass northward between the Bahamas
and the Florida shore, and thence along the
southeastern coast of North America, until
they are lost among the icebergs beyond New
foundland
The effect of the wind in forming currents
or IN driving the water in body before it, is
well known to navigators. In the Baltic sea
a continuous westerly wind for a period of
three or four days has the effect of raising the
water on the eastern shore to height Of FIVE
or six feet above the usual mark.
The waters of the gulf stream are not as is
suPPoseo ny many persons, warmer tnan the
ordinary tropical waters although so large a
body flowing northward must Of course, retain
ing much of its original heat be warmer than
the comparatively cold waters through which
it finds passage. North of the capes of East
Florida the difference in temperature is such
that navigators may, under ordinary circum-
stances; ascertain with precision the time Of
entering the gull stream, Of leaving it, and of
arriving upon deep water soundings. In lati-
tude 800 or 380, in the summer season, the
temperature of the water in the centre Of the
gulf stream is usually from 740 to 76o, and i'm
mediately after crossing it the thermometer
falls to Coz. Further south, however, of the
capes of Carolina, the difference is less marked
la the stream the temperature is about 790, and
upon approaching the shore the water is gene
rally found but few degrees colder.