The New York herald., 1878-09-12
1HE GULF STREAM.
Captain Coffin's Discovery Fully
Discussed and Illustrated.
COG OF THE DIRIGO O.
Chart Of The Course and Distance Sailed
in the New Current.

Captain Cofins discovery OF the error In the chart
OF The North Atlantic, first explained in the herald,
has excited much comment in naval circles we'll as
IN the merchant marine. While all admit that tho
limits of Gulf Stream variable but few 20
lar assert that difference OF sixty miles In Its
course could be occasioned by wind other tempo
rsry and local causes There a few, however that
think difference attributable to such Influences,
and consider that sixty miles is OF small Importance
In SO large a body of water the Atlantic Ocean.
But when IL is taken into consderan that distance
ei 500 miles separates Inc point where The
truo line Of the Gulf Stream DIVORCES from
that laid down on the charts and the
point where they again become identical, and con-
sdering tho fact vessel steering by the ordinary
charts and keeping It's course during all this dis
tance-a journey OF several days-would be set back
by a contrary current OF between and half ard
awo miles hour. the discovery rises to one OF the
first importance in navigation. IL has boen urged
that the season of the year might have something 10
do with change; but that point is set al rest by
abe years ago, In the month OF October,
Captain Coffin, gong over tho same ground, met with
khe same contrary current
OF THE DIRIGo.
That the scientific reader mhy judge for himself of
the nature and importance OF Captain Cofn's dis
covery, which was drst noticed in the HERALD, the
following the log Of the vessel are gven
They compiled every day by Ihe first mate, b. W.
Lehman. Tho extracts begin with August ~, the
day before the Dirgo touched the Gulf Stream,
end with September 2. when the vessel finally en-
tered the stream It's way across:-
THURSDAY, August -. 2.-Veloety i've knots an hour
.ss A. " n. ae @tHa TO best Sv~aase Heavy se
making from the westward. Took in light sails. Mid
might weather equally and tempestuors. .,rd d.
Ereasns e three coarse n W. Wind 3 W. by w. w. G9udy
miles setting due east during the past twenty
sArURDAY. august "a. Velocity four hour de-
icrensng four again.
sSsnsns ~ to H. First part the day fine cicsr
:a' ne: to S Ss'i in
dyns three ssioes light wind wind
under honvy Near the close OF the twenty four
son s By Sih the sun to-day miles
rent getting 10 the eastward during these twenytonr
suspAr, August 25veqeity i've knots increasing to
weather apd moderate oreeze from the east AZ sails
Toward weather squaIy rain falling. No OBJ
MosDxr. August Velocity four hn9,. .scr.ssnx 70
falling. Under heavy caav.s M,dnigh: wea.her cen
e six ,ssn soss sgsn 70 three WIND GSars
Sc All sails se. After snnser wind increasing and
Wind from w lightning Brig tackled No observation by
WEDNESDAY, August Velocity tive knots DECREASING
. one Course w. by > z >; %nd "; N VI First part
Later clear. Tackled ship to w. ). w. Midnight. snnc
wiud diving Latter par commenced with very light
wind from = W. by W.
THURSDAY 29.-velocty two knots Increasing to
nine Course \. W., then W. then N w. Wind = ;. W..
& S. E, r. Light breeze from ). S. w. Coudy
weather All sails Midnight, from S. = T.
Took light sails Wind hauling f. aud increasing
NO observation by Discovered being In tho Gulf
Stream
FnIpAr. August 3oyeocity nine knots, increasing TO
Ten, decreasng TO two. increasing totree Course W.
by 5. Wind W. n. W.. n. \. " f. Heavy rain. Run
ming under whole topsal and foresaii allow twenty
setting due east during the past
twenty-eonr hours.
SATURDAY 3i.Volocity three knots incre asng
Course :. W. by - y. by W.. W., n. n; w. Wind
All sails =. NJ Tackled north. Az six p NJ
sacked Toward midnight wind hauled 10 NJ n. T.
Latter part, e. n. Il. Day ended with hne weather
SUNDAY, Sept. I.vesocity five knots oil day Course
Wna Is ". T., Il. >. r.. =. E. These twenty four
begin with Gno, clear weather and
Latter part, wind hauled TO s. E. joed tho nansail
End fine weather.
MorDAy sept. 2-veiocty six knots all day. Course
W by N. ~ WIND y e.. >. 3. W. D., 4. W. Day be-
gins strong from ;. f. All sails Latter
part. wind hauled :. 8 w. Midnight. Day ends
with strong breeze from ). w.
These are rough results arrived by the mato's
calculations and differ considerably from tho more
exact concl lusions OF Captain Coinn The were
compiled by dead reckoning and other methods
Captain Collins observations made with insru
ments.
POSITION VESSEL.
The wing table shows the position OF tho
Drlgo at the dates mentioned as ascertaned