The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-01-19
PROF. BAcAE ON the GULF STREAM.
IT'S HISTORY AND CHARACTER.
How the RhOdeIsland Merchantmen Used to Beat
the New York Packets o Fortnight.
DR. FRANKLIN AND THE HAHTUCKgT SKIPPER
THE HOT STREAM AND THE colo WALLS.
COAST EURVEYS-THEIR RESULTS.
Deaullful Tribute 70 Lieut.. Daehc,
10. &C., DC.
PROF. BAcAE ON THE GULF STREAM.
ITS HISTORY AND CHARACTER .


On Thursday evening, the annversary Of the Geo
graphical Society," Prof a,he delivered lecture ia
the chapel Of the New York University. Mr. Henry
Grinnel introduced the lecturer who, he said would
make some rmarks on the Gut Stream. DR.. BAcHE
then said
strange fruits grains of kinds which the earth in that
region did not prodnce and carefully preserved them
lGeogyaphic Botapique, Aiph De Casdolle,
p 616 Causes dc Transports &C. IN possession of
evidence that the waters Of those had ut lime
washed the shores OF the tropics. The fishermen Of the
coast Of Scotland had In hs logs OF cotton wood thrown
upon their thores the proof The rcnts by which
the fruit the tree in degree conf ctual
but the botanist knew that 1t had grown Ia more
genial cline than that to which tho current had brought
IT, Such facts were early known and commented upon,
and pressed into the service o. the ypothes Of
Northwest passage. [Ph Trans, {Loncou), abridged,
VOL (orig) 1871 They were, however, generally
cognized as proving the presence Of the waters Of
Southern North America upon the shores of Northern
Europe.
The great part which the heat Of the plays in dis
turbipg the equilibrium of the surface Of globe
well understood Wherever he shines upon the surface
the air resting upon it is get in motion that the circle
of the suns illumination as 1t advances over the earth
is circle Of disturbance.
It Ia beautiful, some calm summers morning just
as the day has begun to dawn to loot from the top Of
high hill upon the quiet of the plain bsow TIE air has
gradually cooled during the night and the valleys
filed with dense cool air, quite quiet with fog langiag
every stream and ase, aud poat, showing the
cret course Of the stream along the sad.sps aai the
hidden places OF the lake, Toe light stronger and
as the first Iays OF the touch this peaceful is
thrown into movement. The fog slvuds rise aud fsn
again; they spread covering the hill tops which juss
now were bare thinning out hey rise, With the rising
Of the sum- aud become at last tha haze spread
the whole scene The Of fog to show that
the air has bern In motion for they have risen and fallen
with it, The currents, mngng air II differ mt dsnstes
light no longer penetraes directly aud EARLY through
it, but objects seen waving to aud fro Dmness and
distortion the results, the tight lost ad
disappear entirely, as uniilumin.e In he belt
OF the earth within which the travels 10 his annual
course standing still and turning osck whea he
its limits this action has form All regularity which to
us OF the temperate regions hiss n, parallel The coaster
and the andsman Of the temperate regonsre used to
slider the wind uncertain tbs aw, Of Shich
to explore, but which may be I" past 6noing ~
Strange the emotions Of such men when In the tropics
they first end themselves hopeessy to eewsrd The
slant blowing Of the eastern trade i the pro-
gress Of the showing his position almost III hiods
of awatch the time-his daily, weekly mopthly annual
progress These currents sir carry waters for yard
with them from East 70 West, when they meet the
land great currents are produced AMI taking their d.
recion from the land carry the waters q the
regions to the North and South empea seas b.
turned in those great systems Of circulation Of
which have long been known to nsyg and 9sogra
yeloped. (Carts Theomsle des Globe par H Ni,olet-
Project Dlerne Carte des Courant Mstas, pr Duper
s1s & Of sss 4ss tho
other Of the North PaciGo-wi form the 3ects to be
brought before you on successive svsons tbs one the
American Calf Stream and the other tbs Asstic esm
the first maAirg, is most prohanls crcuis Of he
Gufo Mexico is name indicating the visw q geocra
Fords gradually savog our coast, and seeking that Of
Europe, the main to return by soant
TO the tropical regions in which It rs produced the
branches recognizable in the Northern Of ,th Ame
rics and Europe. The second traced by Lieut. Dent
from the o. Of our Japan expedition under C,nm,
mose passing slopg the 10 and East
ward and leaving 1t at the projecting portion Of the
coast Of Japan as our stream does the coast Of North
DO mot propose in this I'D ress to attempt complete
history Of the progress Of discovery regard the
Guh Streams nevcrthe ess brisf notice OF I; Is almost
Ponce De Leon in 1872 sailed through the channel be-
solowed the Gulf Stream Is high a. b. Ausu,tns. In
1872 the famous pilot Of Cotez Antonio de Alaminos
passed By tho same route and keeping for the greser
the real dscovesr of the Cult Stream great ocsnic
nighw sy" Letter Of Dr. j. g. Kohl TO supsrin endsnt
The first delineansn Of which I have any know
ledge though 1t is altogether probable that there
franklin, in l76s-70, from the Information con-
ing whaling vessel from that port The de ,as are so ia.
terestipg that insert It remarkable instance Of
practical ssgsciy on the part Of the fisherman and the
"vessels sometimes retarfes and sometimes tor.
wsrdsd II their voyages BY currents =. ss .aich are
an Applicant made by the Board Of Customs at Boston
to the LORDS Of the Treasury In London complaining that
the packets between Falmouth aud New York gene
rally fortnight longer In their passages than mershaut
ships from London to Rhode Island, and proposing ia
stead Of New York. that for the future they should be
oroered to Newport. Being then .erned In the
pagement Ct the American Post Onse. happensd t, be
consulted the OCCASION and 1t airing strange to
that tbore should he such difference between two
a hen thc
merchants shics are generally deeper laden aod more
weakly manned than The packets and had from London
the whoe length OF the river and Chanuel t bfJre
they eft the land OF England while the packets had only
to 80 from Falmouth could not but think the fact mis-
understood or misrrpresenied. There happened thsa
to be in Londsn q Nantucket sea csptsia Of my &C
quantance, to whom com annssed the affair He told
me he believed the fact to be rue but the difference
owing to this that the Rhode ss7d captains we're ac
quainted With the Gulf Stream which those of the Eng
lish packets were not. We we'll acquan ted With
that stream ssid rs because In pursuit Of VIII .cs
which keep near The sdss Of It, bd. not to be
with in It, We down along the sides and frequently
some lines met and spoke With those packet v3 Wsrs
In Vie midst CT IT, sud stemming It. We have informed
them that they were semming current that against
them 10 the value Of three miles hour and advised
them to It and &c. out Of IT, but they wise
70 be eognselcd BY simple American fishermen. When
by the current more than they forwarded ny the
Wind the wind be good the con Of seventy
then Observed that Il pity notice taken Of
this current the charts and requested him to mark
1t ont for me, which he readily complied wth adding d.
recfons for avoiding II In sailing from Europe North
America. procured IL to b engraved by order from
the General Post Office the old yhart Of the Atlantic
at Mount Psgcs, Tower HILL and copies sen. 70
Falmouth for the captains Of the packets Who slgaed H.
however, but II has been since printed in France Of
which edition hereto annex Q copy.
This stream Il probably generated by the great aci-
mutation Of water tho eastern coast OF America be-
tween the tropics by the trade winds which constantly
blow there. It Is known that large stream of water
ten miles broad and generally only three feet deep has
by strepg wind had its water driven 70 side and
sustained, as TO become six feet deep, while the wind
ward side WAS Mid dry This may give idea OF ths
quantity hespeA upon the American coast and The eea
son Of a running down in strong current through tho
Islands IN 70 the bay Of Mexico and from thence ssuny
through the gulf Of Florida aud proceeding along tbs
coast to the banks Of Newfoundland where II turns of
towards, and down through the Western IsIaods
Having aimee crossed the stream several times In passing
between America and Earope have been alton
I'VE 70 sundry circumstance relating to H. by whi,h
TO know when one Is Ia It; and, beside the Gulf
always than ths sec each side OF H. and that u