Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-04-14

you begin to see that there is business in
the thing, and, I hope, take new interest
in the matter. And when I tell you that
our own coumtryman has, in the pamph-
let under review, clearly pointed cut the
paths which lead e the pole, and as
clearly demonstrated why navigators
and explorers have heretofore failed, then
lam sure your interest VIII be renewed
and whetted sufficient to go with me TO
the end.
Captain Rents first proposition is that
"the sea, the atmosphere, and the san,
are to the earth sphdt the lungs, the
blood, and the heart are to the animal
economy" and in proof, begins by quo
ting from Commodore Maury to show
that the evaporation Of the waters of the
ocean In the Torrid Zones amounts to
a depth of sixteen feet annually, to re-
| store which a constant current sets to-
ward the Equator from the poles; that
a cold current sets from the South Pole,
touching the Cape of Good Hope and
washing the western coast Of South
Africa, is bent to the westward by the
| sarth's rotation on its axis until 1t flows
against the coast of South America at
1 Cape st. ROGUE; from thence 1t flows to
the northwest along the coast into the
Caribbean sea, past the west end of
Cuba, where it turns sharp to the east
and passing out between Cuba and the
Cape of Florida, becomes the gulf
stream. As a matter of course this
water started out on its travels as cold
as ice, but by the time it-has passed
across the Atlantic end through the
Caribbean, under a vertical sun, it has
attained a high temperature and We
lOcity sufficient to carry it thousands of
miles away to the northeast. Whether
the theory of the cause of these currents
is correct or not matters little, it is suf-
cient to know that the currents do ex-
ist. Another current from the South
Pole impinges on Cape Horn, skirts
along the west coast of South America,
and, in a manner similar to the one al
ready described, turns to the west across
the Pacific, crooks to the northeast at
the PHILIPPINE Islands and passes to the
eastwardTof Japan, flows away toward
the pole, through Behring'S straits. This
current is called the Kuro-Siwo, and
was discovered by Captain Bent in the
winter of 1S4s-49.
1t will be observed that two hot cur
rents, on opposite sides of the globe,
flow TO the polls, which are the ether
NAL paths to that spot. 1t must also
be understood, however, that there are
cold currents from the North as well as
the South Pole, and that one of these
currents completely encircles Greenland
that place of "icy mountains we have
heard of, touches against Labrador-in
fact, freezes the northern and eastern
coasts of America, fills the ocean with
ice, and effectually bars progress in that
direction. This is the direction Of the
famous Northwest Passage, where Sir
John Franklin lost his life, and Kellet
and Others tOiled in vain-scarcely in
vain, either, for they proved that that
route is totally and entirely impractica-
BILE. The various facts in support of
which last assertion are forcibly and
turer. Captain Bent proceeds TO show
that these hot and cold currents have
all to do with the climates of the vari-
Gus countries washed by them. That
the eastern coast of Africa Is intensely
hot from being touched by the great
equatorial current, heated in its passage
across the Indian and Pacific oceans;
for the same reason British India Is tor
rid, and as you get up into the Red sea
the climate Is almost ~unbearable. Cross
over to Brazil and the West Indies, and
the same thing Is observable. But on
the contrary, the western coasts of both
Africa and South America have a fine
temperate climate, because they are
cooled by the currents from the
South Pole. And for the reason that
the coasts of the United States and of
Northeastern Asia are brought in con-
tact with the cold currents from the
North Pole, they are in winter frigid.
To know how true this is you should
make the voyage, as this writer did in
1888, from Bermuda to Wilmington,
North Carolina, in January. Sailing
from Bermuda ON Monday, you leave
the orange groves in blossom,
with the sun shedding a summer heat.
After steering nearly west until Friday
morning you enter Wilmington to find
the pine trees laden with sleet and ice.
There is but thirty miles difference In
Latitude between the two places, but the
one Is in the hot water region while the
other is IN the cold. Following up
these comparisons Captain Bent argues
that the mild climate Of Western Eu-f
is Que TO the set of the Gulf stream
against it, and we think his argument
conclusive. New York and Lisbon are
nearly in the same latitude; so are Bos-
ton and Operto, Bordeaux, and Halifax;
if you were to sail due west from
Cork YOU would bring up in Labrador;
and the Orkneys and Shetlands are as
far north as the south end of Greenland
In Scotland the mean temperature is
fOrty-seven degrees, the thermometer
as high as seventy degrees,
in Labrador and Greenland the
cold is almost perpetual. Turn now to
the Pacific side, and nearly the same
climatic phenomena will be observed.
Pekin is nearly in the same lat
itude as San Francisco, yet at
the former place navigation is closed in
winter, on account of ice, but at the lat
ter rose geraniums grow in the open
air the year round! Following the two
coasts upward on each side, the same
remarkable differences viii be found,
simply because the cold current flowing
down passes in contact with the eastern
coast Of Asia, whereas the Kuro-Siwo
(which should be called Bentis gulf
of the Paeiic) gives warmth to
the other side. I know that what ]
have so positively asserted is but a theo-
~, and Is stOutly combatted by many
learned and eminent philosophers. That
the sun shines IS many hours in Boston
as 0porto, there is nc question; that it
approaches as near to the zenith in the
one place as the other, non viii doubt,
yet the one place is noted for its sunny
hillsides, maturing the rich grapes from
the best port is expressed, whilst
the other exports ice to every hot coun-
try on the globet Pursue the inquiry
and we find that "Hammerfest,
in Norway, Is in latitude seventy-one
degrees north, but its shores being
bathedb by the tepid waters of the Gulf
Stream, its climate is raised so much
above that due TO the latitude, that the
.arbor was never known to have been
by ice, and it's fisheries are con-
rinued throughout the winterP' Go
west from there, and you will get into
the regionin which franklin lost his life
Go still further to the northward, follow
the GulfStream IN its easterly course, |
SpitZbergen to the left, we find
made In August last by a couple of
young Germans named Payer and
Weypreeht, in q small sailing vessel
From their report we quote briefly:
we reached on the 18th seYenty-sevent
and thirty minutes north on
meridian of forty-two degrees east, with
out meeting ice, and were still more
surprised by its entire absence, even be-
yond the parallel Of seventy-eight de-
zrees north, which we crossed on the
10th on a northeastern course near the
meridian, forty-one degrees, thirty
minutes east. When coming up at last,
IN the night of that day, with the Der
Ter, u treaded north fnstedd Of eosteriy
IS heretofore. AT noon OF the Slst we
In seventy-eight degrees, twenty
i've minutes north, and at eight o'clock
n the evening In seventy-elght degrees,
iorty-one minutes, within the ice, which
,ou annaared Ia trend no7theQsterlU.