Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-08-30
The Gulf Stream,

The warm weather rushes out Of the great Mexi-
can cauldron through the Strait of Florida-haVing
temperature 50 degrees, equalling that of the hot
springs OF Matlock, and whose width Is hundred
rnes-wth a velocity Of from three to five miles
an hour. Thence it passes through the Strait Of
the Bahamas, and right on to the banks of New
foundland spreading itself over the western half Of
the North Atlantic which is thereby heated in win
ter considerably above the temperature it would
otherwise have. Arrived at the banks of Newfound
land, the Gulf Stream, as it Is called, is suddenly
detected to the east ana, becoming divided, one
portion makes bend southwsrd in the direction Of
the Azores and finally merges into the great equa
torial current; while the other portion runs N. E.
or N. N. E., until it impinges against the western
shores of the British Isles, where it has the effect
of charging the air with moisture, and rendering
their winters considerably milder than those Of the
eastern coast. The Gulf Stream, in its course
the Atlantic brings with it West India Seeds
OdimOsa scandens, Dochos urens, &C., and doubt.
less portions of trees throwing them on the coast
of Devon> hire, the west of Ireland, the Hebrides
and the Orkney Isles 1t contributes to give to Ire
land It's perpetual verdure, and to make Butte the
Isle Of Wight of Scotland. A native of the Green
Isle might fancy there was something holy in, his
fatherland on learning that bottle was thrown
overheard by an American captain, of Cape, Horn,
in 1887 which, after floating about the Atlantic for
some years, was at last picked up in haven on his
own shores The water of the Atlantic on the
south and southwest coast of ireland is not only
warmed by the Gulf Stream, but its temperature
appears to be increased by another stream, known
as Kennels current, which flows due north from
Spain along the shores of France, and on to our
southern coasts. Hence it happens that the water
off Kerry, and somewhat futher north,. is in June
and July, warmer than that of aay part Of the At
antic on the same parallel the surface temperature
ranging from 54 deg. on the average Of ftyseyen
and half deg. On the Newfoundland coast, about
deg of latitude further south, the temperature
ranges between 49 deg. and SO 6eg. averaging 40
deg in the same months. The influence Of the
Gulf Stream extends much farther north than Cape
Wrath, in Scotland Slowly continuing its western
course this great genialser of our climate passes the
Orkneys and the Shetlands in the former the pools
are said not to be frozen in winter. Next it sweeps
along the coast of Norway to HAmmerfes6 C71 deg.
north latitude the northernmost town in the world
where as we learn from Lord Dufferins Letters
from High Latitudes, the water on July day, in
1866, was actually 69 deg exactly the same tenn.
psrature which he bad registered ct Stornoway IN
Scotland, in the previous month. Lord Duferin
was enabled By sailing along the "tail of the Gulf
Stream" to reach English Bay in Spitzbergen situ-
ated in north latitoIs 7S deg 30 min. (only about
six hundred and thirty miles from the mort b pole,)
where ne found the temperature of the water, in
August, to be 81 deg The nutlike seeds of fMimosa
scandgns hsyeals0 been found thrown on the shores
of Spitzoergen- FfaserS Asgdsine.