The New York herald., 1878-09-13

Gull Stream differ thirty 10 forty mYes with the
as put down on the charts, especially the edge
OF the stream toward the eastward. 1t IS principally
that It widens. Have tound there the tempera-
ture OF the water go up from sxiye'sht TO eighty de-
grees Fahrenbeir and the moment we got out of II
the temperature would go down 10 fifty, especially
the inner edge OF the Stream. The velocity OF
to be over one knot per hour average and was never
strong the velocity OF the current In the ordinary
limit as marked down on the chart, Ny experience
Is that between 80 and 62 degrees Longitude and 81
aud 3S degrees latitude tho Gulf Stream always widens
more or less, and / must acknowledge that when
there place iul reliance upon the charts,
whether they be English or American. The American
charts IL Is true, more accurate so lar as our
coast line Is concerned, but when IL comes TO the
southern edge OF the Cult Stream they arc no more
reliable than the English charts :.
"Have you formed any theory as TO the cause au .,
the sxpanse OF the Gull stream IN certain ioca''"es'
.My opinion is that overflow OF the waters OF
the Mississippi and other rivers has great deal moro
10 do with Il than is generally supposed"
THE GULF SrREAM.
Captain Gagor OF the steamer Hudson, belonging 10
the Cromwell line OF steamers, running between new
York and New Orleans, III lengthy interview nao
with him yesterday said:-"We know the Gull Stream
10 be errac All the regolar traders com
ing up Gulf understand the variable course OF the
Stream It's current. 1t often happens That Two
same time, from Havana or from Florida, will.
rvaI compare notos. One captain VIII ask, HOW ala
YOU md the current?' and he will receive Tor an an
swer that not much VAS found, whle he himself was
In tho very thickost OF II. ono captain WIN say,
Il up TO 81 in the current while inc otner
Even TO Hattsras some will ind a strong stream
while others do not. In crossing the Gull stream,
bound SOUTH there is always more surface 70 IMAM
is found on tho charts especially from Mantanilla
ReeI. II varies very much Sometimes we run out OF
1t altogether az a. anu again a. o Wo ,eo ,n
eastern odgs especially Is exceedingly variable. You
will understand that It Is impossible Tor charts 10 note
all the variations and that only the general course OF
The Gulf Stream can there be gwen. attribute THIS
spas expanse OF the Gull Stream 10 the pseva
lence OF strong winds that torco the currents
IN the direction where Captain COLIN Iouuu
them OF course on steamer these cur
rents do not excite as mucn interest," inieres. as
on a sailing vessel and even tho extraordinary ex-
panse does not surprise US, only IL creates opserVa
tion. Our carry US AS Tar TO the east
ward as Captain Coffin position, but even where our
track lies the Stream vuriss very much. believe
that Collins discovery audes TO the surface current
caused by winds, and the water no ound was forced
out OF Its natural channel by said WINDS; only the
sao surface does not remain therc out lot
short period Thore Is ono thing you must oear IN ~
mind, that in the lace oil any OMISSIONS on the
cnart-if omissions they can be caied-the line OF
the Stream always be distinctly traced at sea
by the vapor from the warmer water Tbs vapor
limo extends all along the edge, which any man can
WORK FOR oRxAMRsTAL MEx-oY-wAE.
at would DO botter II the Investigations OF all
these various matters completes and cannot
understand since see IN the HERALD tnat no examin
alton Of the ulf Stream has been made since 1919,
why some OF ornamental mcn-clwar on Iorei.n
stations not engaged In this most important WORK,
certainly IN might be most advantageousy employed IN
TINS work. And yet must admit mat 50 iar as my
the au not
me- During the past twelve years hardly month
has passed that did not cross the Gull stream;
Sometimes tho current averaged three ana
a half Knots per hour, aud the next trip
hardly noticed any current in the identical latitude
and longitude. To state the matter moro correctly.
have made aided by tho currcnt, as much AS 500
miles q day, and on the following Trip on the
same ground In the same locality STORING the same
courses, everything else being aike-the same snip.
the same weather. running the samo IN every otnol M
respect-l only made 24O miles showing the hcke
and erratic character Of the Gull Stream. Captain
Collins discovery must be regarded as Important IN
SO tar that he has found tho surface Of tho Gull
Stream expanded In a far different place than many
others have"
THE SAME EXPERIENCE OVER THE SAME GROUND.
Captain Craig. OF the bark Skcrryvor has maze
los passages across the Western ocean, crossed last
In june from Marseillcs to Cuba and has repeatedly
gone over the same ground covered oy Captain Colr
Ee said:-"I have found the extent oi the Cur
Stream vary about thirty miles from the chart.
Again at other times have found the chart TO be
correct 1 have however, never experienced the
great velocity in that extraordinary current found
BY Captain Coffin But ne has had the same expert
ence twice, and knew him to be man OF inteil-
gence. There can be doubt about it that at The
time when the notes were taken according 10 which
the charts drawn there must have poen south
10 my Impression this years. calm weather has
Gu used the current from Davis Straits and
ina. brings ,c.bsTrs souihward viii also drive inc
waters of the Stream further down."
NO CURRENT WHILE LOOKING ONE.
Captap j. Z Potter, OF tho schooner A. f. Valentine,
having traded the Gulf Stream duriag Tue past
seventeen years. in an interview with tho HERALD
reporter said 81 arrived this port September l,
from Port au-Spain, Trinidad, where expected, ac-
cording the chart, to have three knots velocity
IN the current of the Stream. have had four; my
observations were correct all the time In June,
1877, while gong from Wilmington TO Havana, we
ought have had three knots velocity IN the cur
rent OF the Stream was looking ior, but we had no
current at all. Ny experience has always boen how
ever, that when gong TO the eastward the current
becomes very strong. Nevertheless, must add that
from Cape Florida TO Hatteras 1 always found the
strongest current, and that when goes TO the north
i. has more room and spreads YELL us quito hkely
Orinoco, has something TO do WITH the cause that
leads 70 this sxpanse Of tho Gnif Stream, put
1 most incline TO the belief that the currents
are, la many sstscs, made stronger by winds"
CHARTS ALL WRONG.
Captain Uriah TimmonS commanding the John,
,rad,nr betweou this port ana The Gull Of Mckee,
said:-"rhere is a great difference In the width OF
the Gulf Stream. Ny experience always been,
sreat many changes SO as keeclear the bother.
some currents. In June, 1872 ESPECIALLY, when going
that could not rely upon the chart, Tor the winds
changed the current continually. Once, while going
from Hatteras TO Brunswick with load OF Iron, met
with u strong southwest current where ought TO
have had Bone and another vessel had 10 anchor In
December, some years ago, remember current OIL
Cape Hatteras with velocity OF i've knots an hour
In fact the traced the charts all along
Now Orleans, Ship Island and the Passcs are all
wrong, and SO is their velocity as marked ON the
ADVICE TO ornEg CAPTAINS.
The HERALD reporter chanced 10 meet Captain
colioquy took place.
RKPoRYER-What course would you rccommend TO
captains sailing from Europe by way Of the middle
passageY
Captain CoFFrS-wel let every body act as he secs
nt. l have marked my chart, ahd ! shall AVOID
slrikng the Stream there where found Il, II can
would ike to say, furthof thai simply state simple
facts Us lnd them and that do not seek any noto.
riety. never supposed my observations would occa
sion such comment
RKpoRrER--Do you think you could have been mis-
taken In your obscrvationsy
Dng II nj I mistaken
about this matter. Two years ago found tho same
thing. The captain Of the bark Clifton aud others
have also Noticed II have observed the "rips" or
little rppcs Of water along tho edge Tho current
and tho temperature Of the water show that was not
mistaken.
WHAT NAVAL OFFICERS SAY
Tho HERALD reporter again wendod his way Tn tho
Brooklyn Navy Yard and boarded tho Y United states
man -ofwar Powhatan. which Is now being repaired
and equipped with new guns The commander OF the
vessel vas abscnt, but Lieutenant lvison, when
called upon to give his additional views as 10 Captain
Coln's discovery, freely expressed them. Dr. Robert
III. Dixon, also OF the Powhatan entered the caoln
where the interview was held and readily joined IN
tho colOQuy Mr. lvifou brought out MS charts and,