The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-09-09
THE GULF STREAM ASTRAY.
Strange Discovery by the Captain
of the Dirigo.
AN ERROR OF SIXTY MILES.
Necessity Of New Survey Of the
Great Stream.

The brig Drigo, Captain Comm, whose arrival at this
port was announced in yesterdays HERALD brings
which will DO surprise TO navigators and stu
dents OF physical geography. The vessel left Mar
settles July G. and touched At Gibraltar twenty days
later When she reached tho edge Of the great
oceanic current known the Gulf Stream, between
longitudes "a and 57-wz, about hundred miles
east OF New York-the Captain, who had steered to
keep well clear OF the mighty river found his brig
all at snce rush into the current Az first
he inclined 70 tho opinion that this unexpected en-
with The mysterious stream had resulted from
error his reckoning, or getting the sum- This,
however, seemed improbable, inasmuch ~ q similar
occurrence had taken place when he was crossing tho
spot Two years previously. On the next day care
iul observations were made and these were checked
aud verified subsequently, TO such degree that the
ander 10 the conclusion that tho chart OF
the stream In longitudss Is incorrect HIS cal
eulations place the hmits OF tho current full
sixty miles south OF tho positions they hold
on chart The usefulness OF this discovery to the
commercial world canno, be over estimated Tho
error has extended three degrees OF longitude.
Many bark, seeking to avoid or 70 md the stream.
the necessity might be- has been doomed to d'sap-
polutment IN iha, region. ocean steamers travelling
close TO the northern bank Of this Atlantic current
are or en- compelled 10 seek refuge within its hsspt
able from the fury OF the hurrcaus. One may
we'll imagine the chsgrin and disappointment Of
in the past, who underworld 10 run southward
into this current but found 10 harbor them
from the tsrrors of tho cyclone
STREAMS IMPORTANCE.
Is not merely as haven OF relief that this stream
has proved OF importance the nsvigaors OF the At.
lautic Upon the correct knowledge OF its location
lis limits It's velocity. Its temperature and Its vara
lions depends tho safety OF many vessel Before It's
tha disadvantages to which merchant vessels
were put and the actual losses sustained
through un,oward encounters With this stream
were considerable. II was In the heart OF
this srupepdous ocean river that Columbus
ana his companions found themselves whom they
struck q sea covered far and VIDE with driftwood
ana decaying vegetation swept into the ocean
from the coast OF some tropical cimo-a crcum-
stance which nled them with dread and him with
bright hopes Of yet seeing the new land This
phenomenon OF drifting trees in midscoan exists
this very day. The average reader may best realize
tho i'm and the great advantages OF tho Gulf
Stream and the discoveries CONTESTED with It when be
psrusss and description OF The grea.
ITS DESCRIPTION.
Tho Gulf Stream vast warm rlvaF OF varying
width and depth, 1owipg with . varying velocity
through tho Atlantic Ocean. II rushes through the
surrounding waters rs thouzht moved between rocky
bsnks refusing 10 mix with the adjoining walls OF
cold water aud pursuing Its journey tor hundreds OF
miles Without materially diminishing rs heat Prep
eriy speak ing cannot be said 10 begin 10
END 1t auy particular place, Tor It makes =
tour OF the Atlantic, and returns again to
circulation unceasngiy us the wonderful river that
tunUss oesn the recks OF Niagara Tho causes Of
the stream will be alluded 10 alter tho circuit ~
makes Is described Ils becomes visible 10 the
nsrthwest Of CUBE, where 1t proceeds family like
creased s:o.s ado orcs Through n: Fsras sr. sstss
the Bahama Bank, which defects II 10 the north.
Hare. widrn rs ABOUT tnirty mlss and depth about
Two thousand ieei. Leaving the Bahamas II rushes
porthward along tho coast win gradually diminishing
depin and velocity, AMI keeping about one hundred
miles from coast until u reaches Cape Hatteras.
Near the Florida Keys It's swiness reaches nve miles
per hour At Capc HAtteras II atiains less than
bali of that velocity, but has Width Of seventy Ave
said Ia defect again tho course OF the stream
II leaves the cape with nortoeastery motion, and,
bank Of Newfoundland. Here IL coiiidss
from from The Ars,e Sea-. T%s s.rin,ns dnercnSs o.
Temperature this point cools the vapor laden air
Ss :s
lsrs 70 Europe have often observed. And now tho
vast current undersoes pecuhar change.
TWO DISTINCT BRANCHES
Az the Banks lividsd into nj least two distinct
bral ches. One Of these pursues It's journey north
westward, passes Oy Ireland, aud moving on between
scotAnd aud Iceland miusles with the Polar Sea
hey oud Spi,zbergsb. The other branch, alter
reaching IN. Azores, bends TO the southeast
broken. portion OF u treads along the African
coast bot BY lar the larger portion turns round to
tho Atlantic to re-cntcr the Gu. 81 Mexico, IRON
which Il started. lu the Gull oil Mexico u attains
heat It retains throughout its entire course TO such
an extent That in summer II 70 nitesn degrees
winter twenty-five degrees warmor han the adjacent
oi the More recent surveys show thai the
cirrcnt 10 not Uniform, but that II consists OF
after nate lands OF warm ana cold water, circum-
which Is construed by most scientists to iudi
cate that the warm water tDus worms ITS way In
bands through the colder liquid. Its greatest width
has been varousy estimated; ~ ali probability II ex-
cecds Two hundred lies at certain Stages OF It's route
On It's and norm sides Tvs boundary line
IS much more sharply asansd than on the
the adjoining waters being 20 rapid that
thermometers dropped simultaneously from prov
ana stern have In some Instances shown a
differences OF tnrLy degrees Ia temperature The banks
Of tbis ocean stream are always more or lsss oggy.
and bttween the grsen color OF th
anal tho deep b,us tint OF the stream s exceedingly
marked. " rs well known tnst many local storms
on the Atlaanc originate IN the collision
tho chill brtezes OF ihe surrounding sea.
From It's starting point In the Gull until strikes ths
Azores II trave rises distance o mVrs than tbrce
thousand ave hundred miles Within the circuit thus
made lies tho vast tract OF ocesu 50 dreaded oy tho
followers OF Coiumbu-, which Is nov known as tho
ssrgasso or Grassy sea, . region choked IA some
places with seaw anu drtwood, ana 60 besct with
calm weather as to Jeop1dlzs tho safety Of ships
stray ing thther
IRIS EFYEcr on CLIMATE
One OF the most remarkable effects or the Colt
weather of those countries along whose shores IL
glidss Inc moist and genial climate OF the British
Isles 10 attributed 10 this cause. On ths western
coast OF Norway mild weather prevails and
haryssts are gathered, whereas 10 correspond
lug iautudes o eur own country are re-
g,ons of perpetual enow. This marvellous inhu-
cucs Of tho Gull 5trssm has been stootiy denied ny
some, hut when remember that water 10 the tn o.
reservoir OF heat and that tho great current,
| as Maury shows emits heat enough on winters Jay
to atmosphere vi France and the British lslcs
IRON the freezing point to summer neat, ~ Is not dif-
hcult 10 CONCEIVE tho benehcent effects must have
on the northern chimes oil Europe. Natives OF spux-
bergen often amused 10 ind drifting TO Their land
preducs OF tropical iorests borne by tue stream
| frota south American climes TO their own shores.
This drifting shows row well defined Is the progress
| OF the current in that locality
CAusEs OF the GUlr STREAM
| UnqucstionaDly the principal cause Of this phe-
| nomeuon Is TO De found In the constant westward
movement OF tho trade winds. These breezes u will
be rcncn bcred, blow steadily In the ncghborhood o
| tho Equator They drive the waves WESTWARD,
and the effect 10 to pie mp the waters on
| tho American coast Tho waves SO driven