The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-12-16
'Ti.c s4nlC Stream E>ocS Not influence
Climate.

ne 91skt SeEeihtH ~
Climate.
The Sinpir truth ol lii" matter +, thc h"l'
stream is made lsc al to account Tor Whatever
Ihcnoincim Of our Wai"ry world ana 'c'i''
I;r,;, cannot lc accounted tor oticrWlsc-H
circumstance due partly IL Il lack Of "hscGv;-
lions. which j. natural enough since scientific
EXPLORATION i. vet in its infancy. and IErtsy!
f., ]EIncnrui,lc povcrt, Of invention, which
j. not usually The fault OF theorists.
Amouc these questions in Which the Gun
stream i held accountable j. the climate oi
The North Atlantic region. Now, we claim
tia, tl,I, arr no facts tp show that the Gun
stream has any Influence upon the climate OF
1L. E;,lh Atlantic rr.ion whatever. IT. va
fer. are to those nj ti!c great body of thu
North .Atluutic basin H. the insignificant nv
ulnl %rInnin~ through alarm i - the farm IT.
SIT, and ii, effect upon the temperature mol
Greater; and IL for imagining. rs Aioi'"iill
III "Intiair" i made TO do, that a change III
the direction of the Gulf stream would change
the character Of mankind, it l. the most ar
rant NONSENSE ever uttered, even hy 4 lrlllic
Minister.
We have repeatedly heard, and seen il
written. that The Gulf stream has ali lnilGcllc'
upon the climate Of Newport, ana that 10
this cause Wc must attribute the soft and de-
l~icir,l$ climatc OF that most lovely OF all lovely
watcriug-ulaccs. Now, the nearest point ci
the Gull stream to Newport is l35 miles, Tho
prevalent winds arc westerly, ana how lcnl'
rnTaturc is, in sailor phrase, 10 beat to Wni1
ward all that distance, we are quite III Il los
10 Sue. II is iorty-iivc miles nearer Nan
ticket tlrm it is to Newport, and only thlIty
tive milvS further from Boston, where II!
ca>tcriy wind Of Il summers day gives yol
Tie >hivcI>.
The simple truth is that the Gulf stream
lose, lis temperature steadily * it progresses
beneath more rigorous airs than those whicI
caused its birth, and that every trace OF ii i
lost. as we luyc seen, in mid-nrcai, 80 far n
distinctive temperature or distinctive llow i
concerned that the temperature II the W.
ter is that Of the general temperature O
those regions, and the sci of the water To TIN
east is the general sci OF the North Atlantic,
as we have before stated.
Its alleged effect llpon the climate OF The
British isles and on Norway, Portugal. alt
spain, is Is remote from the truth IL IL
alleged eject Upon the climatc Of Newport
In relation to this matter Dir. Stork make.
the following observations in referring to hi,
experiments upon the temperatures OF the al
and sea about the islands and coasts of Scot.
land. "This whole investigations" says ir,
Stork, 'lcadS TO the conclu>iun-indrcd,
seems 10 me 10 proVc-t!Ht the climate ol
Britain j. i'll no respect influenced by tn,
heated waters OF the Gull stream, which dc
not approach our islands within thousands O
miles. 1t also confirms the conclusion thaI
the mlldncSs OF the winters in Britain i.
chiefly due 10 the southwest or anti-trad,
winds, which are the prevalent aerial current
i'll this latitude during winter" And thi
conclusion is confirmed by the observation
Of Professor James Glaishcr. +. K. 3, chi,
ot the meteorological department of TN
Greenwich Observatory.
The accord Of temperature Of sea and nj
j. due, as we shall have occasion to show, I
the fact that the air gives heat 10 the water
and i'll no case receives heat from the water
The Gull stream docs not reach Britain
but even where it does reach, and is hes
known and most frequently traycr>ed, it
waters have 10 apprcciable effect upon tn
atmosphere even i'll passing over it. An,
this Is III obedience 10 Il general law of natllr
which may he thus briefly stated air wlc,
unconiincd receives no pcrccptitlc ~acccssial
of heat from water.
Applying this to the air above and tn
waters beneath throughout the globe. we ca
truly say that the air is the general "iver hi
il not 4 receiver of heat. 1t gives temper
lures hig! and low to Ill and everything
touches. Water speedily as>ilincs the ten
pertture of the mir above it. \ warm win,
heats it, Il cold wind freezes il; but on tn
other hand il! must be observed that col,
water does not chill the mir, nor does warn
water heat it. The air which sets the waite
of the sea in motion throughout the globe
that grand circulating system whose inilu
cnccs are so beneficent, likewise imrarts to i
the heat with which it Sustains the life of it
inhabitants, or, changing its heat, drive.
them to seek more congenial quarters all 0
which is susceptible Of proof" The Reu
Gulf Sream," by Or. l. l. Hayes, in Janu
urU EpIurp