Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-02-24
The Gulf Stream.

Prof. Maury, in lecture recently
/ delivered in New York, took some
new positions as to the Gulf stream.
With the aid of several large charts
and maps, he traced the equatorial
current of the Atlantic from the
western coast of Africa, and showed
how it formed the great commercial
highway known as the Gulf Stream.
This current, he claimed, is more
than 1000 times larger in volume
than the Mississippi river. 1t moves
across the Atlantic on the track OF a
great circle of the earth. Combating
the prevailing notion that the shores
and banks of Newfoundland defect
the current from its natural and nor
NAL path, evidence was brought to
show that it moved in obedience to
the diurnal rotation of the globe on
the one hand, and on the other, that,
being Of a different specific gravity
from the waters Of the Polar Sea, it
seeks TO find an equilibrium by
changing places with them.
Ife denied that the usual easterly
curve Of the Gulf stream (as the maps
give it,, By which it is made to sweep
toward the Azores and around TO the
shores OF Africa, have any existence.
There is a current-an Ofl5hOOt, appa-
rently-recurring in this direction,
bat it IS a mere DRIFT. This, he eX-
plained, is caused by the brave west
winds" or, more properly, southwest
winds, which, ne said, every
where on the globe, north of the
rropic of Cancer, are the same" The
true Gulf stream, however, flows on
in q mighty and resistless course.
Even as far north as Hammerfest, in
Norway. the most nOrtheriy town in
the world, il makes its genial and
balmy influence felt. In 1891, the
harbOr of 81. Johns, newfoundland,
1900 miles south of Hammerfest, had
been frozen up as late as the month of
June. Bat the harbor of Hammerfest
has never been known to be closed by
ice. even in mid-Wintef.
Mr.. Maury advanced the idea also
that the Gulf stream is much more
than its name puTpOTts. 1t is not a
mere stream from the Gulf OF Mexico,
but a volume nearly as large as the
great equatorial current itself. Though
the stream, as it comes through the
l'aTrOWs Of Florida, is a thousand
times as large rs the Father of
WsteFs " at New Orleans, it is after
ward reinforced by an immense shaw
ing 0f the main equatorial current
Known as the northwest branch. This
body Of water, being OF the same or
nearly the same temperature and spe-
Ciiic gravity as the Gulf stream proper,
readily uuites with it after the latter
has passed the Bahamas. The lecturer
Llea read a letter from Captain Silas
Brent, the c0-wOrker of Commodore
Perry in his Japan expedition, whom
he mad consulted on the views he en-
tertained, and who, in aclear and con-
else statement, iudOrsed his reason /
ing.
II this be true, the lecturer said, the
views now entertained by geOgraphers |
of the climatic power of the Gulf
stream must undergo a serious revis- !
lOn, if not a decided revolution. 1t
would no longer be regarded as the
comparatively small issue through !
the uarrOWs of Bemini, but stream |
more than double as large, and one |
which was fully equal TO the Office |
claimed for it, Of penetrating the re-
gions Of the extreme north, and /
breaking through the massive ice /
walls which surround and guard the /
avenues TO the Pole itself The "blue'' |
s0i0r and "phOsphOrescent' features !
Jf the Gulf stream were described and /
explained Prof Maury compared /
the Gulf stream to the milky Way" |
because its warm water at night was I
made by the myriad insects to glow |
and sparkle.