Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-09-14
'Ehc Gulf Stream.

The scientific world has been set Sslr Q?
tho surprising observations recently made
By Captain Cofin on tho southern bank OF
the Gulf Stream. The interest attaching to
the discovery is heightened by lis Importance
and value to tho merchant marine. The OF
sclvations Of Captain Coffin lead to the coucu'
sion that all the marine charts err in locating
the southern limit of the Stream, and that this
limit, between tho meridians of fifty and sixty de-
grces, is upward Of fifty miles south of tho 20
silion assigned to it By the gcographers. From
the earliest periods OF our history this colossal
river of the ocean has been favorito sui ct OF
study. Its vast depth, lis width, varying from
thirty to three hundred miles, its mysterious
Journey OF somo seven thousand miles through
tho counter currents and hurricanes OF the
Atlantic, lis return to the Mexican Gull.
whence it set out and from which 1t deliv's
its namo, have rendered it marvel even To
the philosophers of our own day. Current"
vaster eud moro powerful travels the An.
tsrtio Sea and tho Pacific, yet the Gult
Stream remains the most interesting Of ALL
All the rivers that flow into the Gulf and
the Caribbean Sea miugo their turbld
waters with this Stream and arc borne With 1t
far upon tho ocean, there to be deprived oil the
clements Of disease. But for its ccaseIess How
tho trophical heat would become iDsuilerabo
and perpetual leo and snow would rest on the
shores of all Northern Europe. While it stores
up the suns heat and waits it to northern
climes it induces counter streams from the
Polar Seas, which carry their chilling waters TO
the tropical zonc. Apart from the bcnilccenI
purpose it thus subscrvcs 10 tho economy OF tho
creation its great practical utility to the mariner
ia we'll knowD. The scienco Of navigation en-
braces thorough knowledge of tho nature and
location Of this current. 1t Is all important
that shipmastcrs desiring to enter or leave the
Stream should possess most accurate kno"i'
edge OF its limits. The question arises whether
the deviation observed recently may not De
merely temporary. This il hardly probable,
inesmuch as it was observed two years sgo.
Tho evidence as to tho velocity OF the curfcnt
there appears to be quite conflicting, when Ii
no disparagemeut to tho individual statcnrhis.
il being probable that the sWiitness varies from
three quarters Of a mile to three miles per
houc, and each captain gives hia o"n tx
pcrieuce.
Althcuuh tho southern limit on the chart IS
Only al approx imatIOn, il would seem ifcln tie
observations first, ihht extensive temporary
changes TAXA placc IN the direction and velocity
OF tho current; second, that the late discovery
shows either large error or the charts or tho
development OF permanent alteration 10 ;nc
stream. This Lost view will not seem lTirr"b
able. when it is remembered that the c)rtSu'
ration cf coas. lines, which often dclcrm'oo
tho direction and force OF cuIrants - ?,u'J
to parpotual change. The accumu'aijn OF
bars, dctas, and coral siands, the CHANCES
wroup BIT by submarine earthquakes ana vjlc.
noes, climatic variations and other agencies, are
known to Influence the journey and power OF
ocean streams. Thus The late phenomcnou
would ssem to result from tho luexorablc laws
Of change. The mariner has already turned
astronomy and the magnetic needle to acoouat.
Iu latter days the famous generalization ua
folding the law Of storm paths has robbed
ocean travel OF its greatest tcrrors. II remalL7
10 make one moro step 10 this direction by CIV
iog accurate aud trustworthy maps ol tho At
lantic and Pacific currents. Tho Naval D.
partment might attempt this with much nroi:t
to science and the commercial WORLDLY /.
Uo,1I]