White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1857-09-24
dsefnI alts Gurious.
An Ocean River in the Pacific.

AN Ucean River In the Pacific.
Lieutenant Bent, Of the United States Navy,
read an interesting paper befoIe the geOgiaphI-
cal and Statistical Society, last evening, On The
existence Of an ocean river in the Pacific, dow
ing to the nOrthvard and eastward along tie
coast Of Asia, and corresponding, in every e.
sential particular, with the Gulf stream Of the
Atlantic. By series Of careful observations
with barOmeters and air and water thermoms.
tiers, together with abstracts from the logs Of
the winds, currents and daily positions Of the
ships Of the Pacific squadron, the data fton
which were made diagrams Of various passages
between the different points on the Asissis
coast, and the eastern half of the Pacific ocean,
were obtained.
These diagrams show an increased tsmpsrs.
ature Of both sea and water the moment this
stream is entered, but that of the water IL gen
orally the greater, and 50 continues until the
stream is left On the northwestern edge, the
transactions are comparatively abrupt, but less
so on the southeastern and along the whsls
line Of the stream, as well as In the middle Of
it, strong tide rips, resembling heavy breakers
on shoals or reefs, are constantly encountered.
The existence Of a strong North East current
on the coast of Japan was noticed by Cook and
other early navigAtors, and the japanese have
given it the name Of the "Kuro-Siwo," or
"Black Stream" from its dark blue color, -
compared with that Of the adjacent ocean
spinging from the great Equatorial current Of
the AL H.
the Tropic Of Cancer on the north to Capricorn.
With a width on the south Of three thousand
miles, and velocity of from twenty TO sixty
miles 4 day.
Upon reaching the coast Of Asia, it is divert.
ed to the West, and 10 passing through the
great Polynesian Archipelago, IL split into In.
Vulnerable streams, which difuss fsrtilixinK
warmth over all that portion Of the globs. The
"Kuro-Siwo," which extends from the southern
end Of the Island Of Formosa to the Straits Of
Sanger, is, consequently, an OF shoot Of the
parent stream. It washes the whole coast Of
Japan as far as the Straits of Sanger, separat-
ing Nippon from Jesse, With an average velocity
Of from IS to 40 miles, and q width varying
from 100 to 500 miles. At this point currsns
Of cold water, running counter, and intsrvsnha&
between it and the southern and eastern soast
Of Jesse, il encountered. Il Il supposed 70
proceed from the Arctic Ocean, and Ia 50 pow
erful that vessel attempting to make headway
against it, is almost sure 10 be drifted 70 the
southwest.
Striking resemblanees between the "Kuro-
SiWo" and the Gulf Stream may be traced
such as the condolences in their recurvation,
and in the strata Of cold water lying In the lon
gitudinal direction of each Of them.
The influence of the Kuro-SiWo upon the
climates Of Japan and the west coast Of North
America, is, as might be expected, a. striking
as tina, Of the Gulf Stream on the coast border
ing the North Atlantic. From the insular DO.
sition of Japan, with the intervening sea be-
tween it and the continent Of Asia, il has
more equable climate than We enjoy In the
United States and since the confinement
Of the Kuro-Siwo does not make Is appearance
on the eastern shores Of the islands south Of.
the Straits Of Sanger, and as these islands, In
geographical position, have more eastwsrdIy
direction than our coast, the Kuro-Siwo, unlike
the Gulf Stream, sweeps close along It's shore,
giving mider climate to that portion Of The
empire, than is enjoyed in corresponding lasi-
tudes in the United States.
The softening influence Of the Kuro Sixois
felt on the coasts of Oregon and California, but
in less degree, perhaps, than those Of the Gulf
Stream on the coasts of Europe, owing 70 the
greater width Of the Pacific ocean ever The
Atlantic
Still, the winters are 50 mild in Puget's Sound,
n lat. AZ deg. North, that snow rarely falls
here. and the inhabitants are never enabled 10
I'll fill their ice-houses for the summer, and YES
'els trading to Petropaulowski and the coast Of
Kamtschatka, when becoming unwieldly from
Of ice on their bulls and rigging,
-un over to higher latitude on the American
,oast, and thAW out, in the same manner that
Tessels frozen upon our own coast, retreat again
INTO the Gulf Stream until favored BY IN east
,rly wind.
Commodore Perry, and several Of our leading
Ihipmassen engaged IN the Pacific commerce.
Eere present during the reading Of Lieut. Bent's
,aper.-N Y jour. Of Com.