Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1855-12-15
Cor National Intcigencer
The Open Sea around the North Pole.


MEssRs. EDITORS: Permit me through the col
umns OF your paper to offer IN hypothesis res
pecting the cause of the open sea recently seen in
the regions of the North Pole by DR.. Kane.
Shall not trouble you with notices or criticisms
of other theories respecting the curious phenom-
enon, but simply offer my own, which | think is
the true one, for believe it is consistent with
known facts.
We know that the earth, by its revolution on
its axis, has tendency, by the centrifugal force
thus acquired, to cause u flow of the waters of
the ocean from the polar to the equatorial re-
gions; which flow is also much augmented by the
great evaporation constantly going on in this
part Of our globe. Now, this equatorial ten
dency Of the waters of the ocean must be kept
up by waters coming from the North and South
Polar Seas AS respects that running from the
south, there is nothing to obstruct its flow, and
concerning it at present, we have nothing fur
Their to say. But in regard to the current flow
ing from the North Polar Sea the state of things
is quite different. The only egress from that
sea southwark is through the North Atlantic
and the straits Davis's) leading into it, and
through Behring's Strait into the Pacific. In
this case how will the flow southwark take place?
In order to make its way into the equatorial re-
gions of the Atlantic, the current must pass
through Bafins Bay and Davis's Strait On the
western side, and through the comparatively
wide expanse of ocean between Greenland and
Northern Europe on the east side of the North
Atlantic-these wide outlets in both positions
favoring the flow in this direction.
Is there, then, such current setting in this
direction, that is, from the North polar basin
through these channels, into the southern lati-
fu1oo IF Atlopt;o2
is. The vast masses of ice-f fields and huge ice
bergs, carried by itconstantly and regularly in
to the middle and even southern ATTITUDES of the
Atlantic, fully prove it.
Further: Why is it that these masses Of ice
always find their way into the Atlantic, while
none, to my knowledge, pass through Behring's
Strait into the Pacific? We answer, they must
go ctth the drift; and hence we conclude that
the current southwards from the North Polar
Sea sets through the openings leading into the
Atlantic, and not through Behring's Strait into
the Pacific. The consequences is that as there
is constant drain from the North Polar Sea in
to the Atlantic, SO there must be an equally con-
slant supply kept up from some source flowing
into the Polar basin, and that can only be
from the Pacific, through Behring'S Strait.
And now for the open sea round the North
Pole. This vast mass of water, ever flowing
from the comparatively warm regions of the Pa
cifc through the narrow strait, carrying with it
its elevated, almost inter-tropical, temperature
into the polar regions, is not at once cooled down
to the freezing point, but remaining, as it must
necessarily do till such time free of ice, produ-
ces perpetual open sea around the North Pole,
the "lashings Of whose surf against its frozen
beach" DR.. Kane describes 'sas impressive be-
yond description"
1t is thus, in my opinion, we can account for
that "mysterious sea-"
There are interesting questions relating to the
flowing of currents of the ocean, with the dis
cussion of which shall not now trouble you,
but shall close this article by making one or two
suggestions: LIST. If my theory respecting the
open polar sea be correct, land l feel pretty
confident it ISL the question very naturally arr
SEES, how should navigator attempt to reach
those northern ATTITUDES? We answer, surely
not from the Atlantic, where every thing is a.
gainst him, since the currents are drifting him
back and carrying with them immense fields Of
ice and mountainous icebergs, which obstruct or
entirely block up his passage northwards. For
many long years, and ut q vast expense of suf-
fering, of treasure and even of life itself, wit
ness the melancholy fate of Franklin and his
associates, this approach to the north polar re-
gions has been tried, and with what success the
world knows. But let the approach be made
from the Pacific, through Behring's Strait; and,
having entered the Polar Ocean, the explorer
should steer boldly forward and "northward,
and by thus keeping in the "unfrozen" waters
Of the Pacific current he will, without doubt, be
able to explore that "mysterious open polar
sea" and very probably be the discoverer Of the
exact locality of the North Pole.
3D. Provided DR.. Kane wishes to pursue fur
Their his Arctic discoveries, which he has so no
bly, commenced and perseveringly continued,
we trust that our Government will supply him
with the necessary vessel, (which should be
steamer and direct him to continue his explo-
rations in the north polar regions by the way Of
Behring's Strait Starting from San Francisco
as early in the spring as possible, the voyage can
be nearly or quite completed in one season; and
should he succeed, (Which I am convinced he
would, at least in part, even the first year, he
will worthiy finish in the cause of science those
severe and self-denying labors which were un-
lertaken in the cause Of humanity.
We confidently predict that within the next
ten years, probably within five the old problem
Of "the northwest passage" and the now new
one of ''the open north polar sea" will be fully
solved. Some bold navigator, by sailing in the
direction indicated, will before long win fame
for himself by exploring and naming that sea,
and by being the first to raise his banner over
its hitherto undisturbed waters, and possibly
hosting it even at, if not on the North Pole it.
self. Very respectfully, J. NJ. N
New Orleans, November "a, 1856.
BABIEs.-In an article in the London Quart
erly Review, on "Physiognomy," occurs the
following quaint paragraph on the subject of
babies: