Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-01-28
From the Baltimore american.

|
erence to the practicability of connecting the
shores of the Old and New World by a sub-ma-
rine telegraph, before the Maryland Institute,
on late occasion. After the applause with
which he was received had ceased, he proceeded
with the remarks the substance of which is Civ
en- below.
The paths OF the sea are very much the work
of chance and circumstance. When gold was
first discovered in California, and the tide of
population began to pour from the East TO the
West, our vessels sailed all the way round Cape
Horn; they were thenupwards ofone hundred and
eighty days on theirpassage. They passed through
new seas and by course as yet little known to
navigation; but becoming acquainted with the
winds and seas they made the passage in one
hundred and twenty days. So it was with Co.
lumbus; he sailed to the south and west, skirt
ing his way along till he reached this continent,
and that route was continued up to our decara
ton of independence By that route Charles
ton was the halfway house between us aud the
Old World-our commerce flowed through South
Carolina. The Carolnas were the chief COM
mercial colonies their exports were greater than
the exports of all New England. Columbus left
Spain and stood southwark till he met the north
west trade winds, and waited westward by them
he reached our shore. In ]775 Dr. Franklin
crossed the ocean to England, and during that
voyage discovered the difference of the temper
AZURE between the Gulf Stream and the sur
rounding sea- lie considered it of great impor-
lance, and would not, therefore, make it KNOWN
but kept it for political purposes. The influence
of this stream had often been felt, but its hature
had never before been known. When Cortez
came from Mexico, he put himself upon the Gulf
Stream and upon its current t1oated his ship out
of the Cult to the open sea. But the tempera-
ture of the Stream had never been known be-
fore it was discovered by DR.. Franklin. The
discovery was considered of great Importance,
for at that time the tables by which latitude and
Longitude were reckoned were very incorrect.
A very large reward was offered by the Brit
ish government for some correct and simple
method of calculating the position of ship at
sea. This stream, which stretched along our
coast like Il bordering band of ribbon, would tell
the navigator that he was approaching the shore
of a new hemisphere; and so, when outward
bound as he passed beyond it it would inform
4 him that he was far from the shore upon
the broad Atlantic. The lecturer here
traced the course of the Gulf Stream on the
map, saving, the stream is so distinctly marked
that the very line Gifts extent can be pointed
out. Sometimes you can see half of your ship
lying in the Gulf Stream and half without. In
comparing the paths of the sea used by the for
mer age to the paths now used, we should not
forget the difficulty they had to contend with
then. Their ships were very clumsy and could
not he well navigated or directed Such thing
as a barometer could never have been conceived
of.-now we are able to tell when storm is
coming on, though it is yet a long way of, by
the use of that delicate feeler of the atmosphere
which not only forewarns the mariner of its APP
proach, but frequently tells him whence it comes
and at how rapid speed, thus enabling him Of
tentimes to get way from-it entirely. One dis
covery, one invention, begets another, and none
is begotten before it is wanted Sea steamers
would have been of no use in those times, when
so little was known about navigation; but as
soon as O correct system of calculation was es-
tablished then the smoke of the steamers were
seen upon the sea. Indeed vessels used to get
SO far out of the way as not to know whether
they were in the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean. |
have well authenticated history where YES
sci, having sailed a long time and been driven
about by high winds, the captain thought she
had reached the Pacific Ocean, and so turned
north. The next day he met another ship and
asked where he was. The answer was, ''if you
keep south for day you will reach Cape Horn"
Qaughter) Columbus sailed from Spain in the
month of August; if he had attempted it i'll win
ter he would not have discovered Anerica-tor
instead of finding the trade winds to help him
westward he would have found strong north
westerly wind With that wind in large ships
he never would have arrived here in january
Indeed on returning in that month he was al
most shrpwrecked. The vessels that went west
and those that went east both kept their own
reckoning, and religiously noted their Sabhaths;
q, I'd tbn,- hot
paradox two Sundays coming together.
The Society Islands receive their reckoning
from Cape Horn and the Sandwich Islands from
the east of Asia; so ship in passing from one
to the other must either hitch back their time
one day or hitch it up day. + we had tele-
graph line stretched from Manila to California,
thence to this city, and another to India by the
Persian Gulf-the Atlantic line being also COM
pleted-then if you could serd telegraph mes
sage to correspondent in Manila by the Cali
fornia and Pacific line, and another to your
friend in China by the Asiatic line, and request
them to inform you of the exact time at which
they receive them-suppose You send the mes
sage at 10 NJ, on Monday-and your friend in
China will answer, ~ received your instructions
!, twelve hours after date, or at midnight on Mon
day." but your correspondent at Manila will re-
ply, IL received your message twelve hours be-
fore the date, that is at twelve o'clock on Sun
day night" 1t is to be hoped the third attempt of
the French government to lay their lines OF tel
egraph in the Mediterranean will be successful.
When that and tile Atlantic lie are completed
we will have the happiness of witnessing the
three old continents IN conversation with the
new. The mariner, as he reaches the trade
Winds finds himself waited along by air of the
sottest. sweetest.pu in the world there is no
skv more delicious, no heavens more beautiful.
In the Pacific ocean the trade winds are the
inest-they are perfectly developed-there is
nothing to change or defect them an open boat
might float upon them as easily and safely as up
on sunny rivers placid bosom. The breeze is
inst sufficient to keep the sails filed; it is con-
slant. and never rises or falls suddenly gale
is unknown. Of all the lovely scenes one meets
with at sea. the most enchanting are among the
islands in the South Pacific, along the course OF
the trade winds There sky, earth and air com
bine their splendor in such harmonious whole
as doubly to delight the mind and raise the heart
: aloft in alteration.
! The land and sea breezes are other character
istics of the sea. At Valparaiso, in the summer
! afternoon, there is always strong gale blowing
from the sea, the waves raise and beat against
f the shore, the ships drag their anchors, the
promenading in the streets is stopped and near
" every outdoor pursuit prevented; Suddenly
there is great caln--the fishermen launch theil
little boats upon the tide, which moment be-
fore was angrly foaming and breaking against
:. the shore but now as calm as if it had never
I known storm. The weather invites abroad
the ladies promenade the streets in ball costume
for now there is not wind enough to disturb the
slightest curl, and all this change is so sndder
that one cannot realize it. Presently, when The
E short twilight has scarcely passed, the stars
stand out as if held by invisible fingers, the con
stclatons are fixed in their places, and there il
{ beauty unsurpassed. Alone in the night watcl
after the sea-breeze has sunk to rest, have
r stood upon deck gazing admirngly upon those