Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-08-31
The Gulf Stream,

The warm weather PUSHES out of the great MeXi.
can cauidron through the Strait of Florida-having
temperature 80 degrees, equslling that of the hot
springs of Matlock, and whose width Is hundred
mes-with 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 ano, becoming divided, one
the Azores and finally merges into the great equa-
torial current; while the other portion runs N. E.,
or N. N. E., until it impDges against the western
shores Of the British Isles, where it has the effect
of charging the air with moisture, and rendering
their winters considerably mlder than Those of the
eastern coast. The Gulf Stream, in its course
across the Atlantic brings with it West India seeds,
(Mimosa scandens, Dolichos urens, &c;,) and doubt
less portions Of trees. throwing them on the
of Devohshire, the west of Ireland, the Hebrides
and the Orkney Isles 1t contributes to give Ire.
land its perpetual verdure aud 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, off Cape, Horb
1887, which, after floating about the Atlantic for
some years. was at last picked up in haven on his
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
lantic the parallel, the surface temperature
ranging from 81 deg on the average Of fifty seven
and half deg. On the Newfoundland coast about
deg. Of latitude fuFiher south, the temperature
ranges between 40 fsg and 50 deg. averaging As
deg. in the same Ahpnths. The influence of the
Gulf Stream extends much farther north than Cape
Wrath, in Scotland Slowly continuing its western
this great aalser of our climate passes the
Orkneys and the Shetlands in the former the pools
are said not to be frozen in winter. Next itsweeps
along the coast Of Norway to Hammerfesf C71 deg.
north latitude the qerthernmost town in the world
WHERE as we leaTaf from Lord Duferin's Letters
from High Latitudes, the water on . July day, in
1856, was actually 50 deg. exactly the same tenn.
perature which he had registered at 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 Sptzbergen, stu.
sted in north latitode 70 deg 20 min. (only about
six hundred and thirty miles from the north pole,)
where he found the temperature of the water, in
August to be 81 deg. The nutlike seeds of Mimosa
scandens have also been found thrown on the shores
of Spitzbergen- -Frassr's Magazine.