The Hawaiian gazette., 1879-07-23
WAIIAN GAZETTE
EDITED AND PUBLISHED BY
7. CRAWFORD MACDOwELL.
WEDNESDAY. JULr %. 1879.
The Gulf Stream.

The Gulf Stream.
The hottest water Of the Gulf Stream, which
stands at 90 degs is the lightest as it rises 10
the top. There is no reason to believe that
those warm waters are permitted in the oceanic
economy. to touch the bottom OF the sea. There
is everywhere cushion Of cool water between
them and the solid parts Of the earlh's crust.
THIS arrangement is suggestive and strikingly
beautiful. One Of The benign Offices Of the
Gulf Stream says DR.. Maary. q is to convey
heat from The Gulf of Mexico. where il would
otherwise be excessive. aud to dispense il in
regions beyond the Atlantic for the ameoraiion
OF the climates OF The British Isles, the frozen
regions, and all Western Europe. Now, cold water
Is one of the best uon-cooductors Of beat, aud If
the warm water Of the Gnli Stream was sent
across the Atlantic in contact with the solid
crust of the earth-conparaIiyely good con-
dactor Of heat--instead OF being scot across, as
it Is, in contact with u cold. non-conduciing
cushion OF cool water TO lend it from the bottom,
all Ills .eat would be lost in The first part Of the
way, AID the soft climates both of France and
England would be that oil Labrador, severe
in the extreme. and ce-bound"
The Cult Stream is the furnace and cadron
Of the Great Creators hot water apparatus, by
which lie heats sufficiently these Eastern aud
Northern portions of the world.
By means Of the British Isles the Gulf Stream
is dSided. Que part Is thus turned nOrthward
iOto the Polar basiu of Spi,zoergen. and the
other south into the Bay of Biscay. Let US
accompany It 10 its course TO The Tropics.
Passing away from the mouth of the English
Chaunel. ii crosses the Bay of Biscay. and moves
forward along the coasts oil Europe and Western
Africa. until south Of the Cape de Verj Isles.
when, as the Great Equatorial current, it whirs
round TO The West; and aided by The trade
winds. is forced back to its home 10 the Carib-
bean Sea and the Mexican Gulf. There il regu-
lates The local atmosphere, gathers new heat.
aud Is thus again prepared for its benevolent
courses round the Atlantic Ocean. Before It's
return journey. portions OF this - Gteat Weather
Breeder US sailor calls IT, travel still further
South. making second circle of providential
utility.
Not only is the climate of all the countries
adjacent to this rush Of mighty waters materi-
ally improved by it. but the strength Of its eur
rent is so helpful TO navgators who follow its
course, that since its discovery. voyage former
IL taxing eight weeks can now be performed
10 tlco.
The rapidity with which this powerful stream
is caused to move in some places is wonderful.
Two hundred millions of square feet in the Mar
rows of Bemini move at the rate OF seven feet
three inches per second J
Another very interesting result of the exist
enee of these waters is 1.-The SargOsso Sea- so
evidently benevolent arrangemeit OF the God
of providence II lies TO the north of the Equa-
tor, in the very center Of tho Gulf Stream circle
1t is so thickly matted over with gulf weeds
that the speed of vessels passing through it is
often much retarded.
Now, if bits of cork. or chat. or any floating
substance be put into basin, and u circular
ha IN oil Euhf sinh
stances will be found crowded together near The
centre of The pool. just such basin is the
Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf Stream. and the
Sargosso Sea is the center of the whir."
But ~hy is this quantity of sea-weed brought
into that vast district of the ocean which ex-
tends from West to East for thousands of miles?
Why should it aoat about there in such thick
masses +? The reason is obvious. Thousands of
millions Of fish, which make the Sargosso Sea
their home. require food and sun.shade to
protect them from the excessive power
of the great luminary of day which shines there
in all its spieudor. Consequently. He whose
tender mercies are over oil His works" gives
them an abundant supply of sea-weed for their
nutriment and their awning. Iu the deep seas
below, or Immediately under the weeds, they
spend their brief but happy lives. feed upon
their Makers bounty, and multiply their varied
species for the good of the nobler creature
man.
One of the weeds found here in large quanti-
ties is called the" Berry bearing Surgosso. or
Sea-grape." In THIS center of the great whir Of
the Gulf Stream it floats in an immense tangled
mass. covering space of at least forty thousand
square miles. Columbus described this mass of
weed as floating meadows" The sea-grape is
on olive-green weed, with long, slender leaves
aud berries about as large as pea, from which
it derived its name of Tropic- grape. Our sailors
call this sea-weed Midshipmau's Pickle"
because it is picked 10 vinegar and eaten on
board of our ships. II is also made into salads.
Myriads of fishes and sea animals live on these
masses of weeds-these ocean meadows; and
though they are not firm enough to bear the
foot OF man yet the birds which
Make voyages amidst the painless heayeu,'
lind temporary resting place and a pleasant
food on these floating islands, and sing their
thankful songs amid the waste of waters, heard
only by the ear of Him who, when He called
them into being,
Forget not one OF His large family,
But cared for each for only child.'
From Remarkable Providence" By John
Richardson Phillips.