The Hawaiian gazette., 1880-09-01
Aamaiiau 6azette.
WRrNEspAY, sEPrEMRER |. lsso.
Impcrtant Dlscoveriea An the Pacific.


NJ Thomas GRAY az the London Board Of
Trade. has recently published some ohserya-
tiops on the equatorial currents Of the kast-
err Pacific which not only concern the navi-
gator, but are Of general scientific interest.
These observations we're taken by Captaln
NcKiriy, Of the steamship PsrSsfs, plying
between Peru and China, and their results
show, as Mr.. Gray says, that some OF the cur
rents Of the Pacific ocean are not what they
have hitherto been thought 20 be. Inc Adj
riralty charts and almost all ocean charts
Selireate counter equatorial current, north
of the Equator and between the rieridisns OF
the Sandwich Islands and South America, and
running castwardly instead Of oheying the
general westward impulse OF all equatorial
waters. In order 10 prove whether II exists
or not Capt. Mckiriy ran his ship tTom Oaliao
10 Honolnln on straight hoe course, ana re-
peareily found that the supposed counter cur
rent had no existence in the spring WITHIN the
hnlts assigned 10 IL by the charts, but, on sne
contrary, = steady current setting westward
Vas p,st iay by day, On tire third survey Of
thescean area in which photographers have
gerssallv placed the equatorial counter cur
rent, when in latitude degrees north, l0nsi-
tuSe is2 degrees west, an extraordinary change
took place. In u tour hours run the tenpera-
tnre 81 the sea sSwent down with jump from
70 10 IL degrees, and the water changed color
/ from a deep blueish black 70 dark dirty
/ yrsen''-the former color and high teDpera-
I rure indicating pnerrinsly the presence OF the
great westerly equatorial Current, and the LAT
/ ter with the low temperature, the sweep Of
/ Hpuboldt's current, vast flow from the An
/ tarctic basin which penetrates 10 the Equator
aud curves 20 the west Of the Galapagos
i Islands The able observer on the PsraStc'
/ had now conclusive evidence that his ship, 10
/ use his own words . had been eontending
with mighty river running partially through
/ the Pacific ocean to the westward
Maay years ago Lieutenant Msury said
There are some Of these equatorial currents
| in tie Pacific which do not understand, and
observations are insufficient" The presen,
results Of Captain McKirdy's explorations 20
| far 10 clear up the lOug-felt mystery That
an equatorial counter current does exist so,Ee-
where in the bVoad Pacific is rnquestioaable,
and Captain MchiTdy recognizes its existence,
though his researches uecessit&te recoustrUe-
Iion Of the charts which locate it. But the
/ chief result Of his labors is the discovery o.
Z the powerful westerly eurrent OF deep, deeE
blue easily distinguished from the bright
beautiful blue waters Of the surrounding
Moth Pacific and detected by It's temperature
but marked geographically by Its irregula
horu-shaped extension" Zone end pointius
to Panama aud the other 20 the Sandwich
islands,
The explanation Of this remarkable curreu
IS found in the southerly drift along the Cali
sorrian and Mexican coasts Of . body Of water
possibly confirmation Of the japan Stream
o. kurp Siwo. this body Of water" b
says, gets Pent up IN the Gulf Of Panama
It canuoc get south on account Of Humboldt
current, which is CONSTANTLY flowing l0rtl
slc1g the coast Of Peru; It follows. then, tina
these two streams, each striving for the mas
terry, change their course to the westward, an
rush al0ng side by side near to the Equato
until they meet the equatorial counter current
which splits them like wedge, the norther
one preserving It's deep, deep blue and til
southern its dark, dirty green which clear
ly proves II 70 be Of extreme southern origin.
This would explain the case Of Japaues
jEnk cast on the Sandwich Islands after ! te
mouths Grift, moving on the great circle trac
Of the black stream" OF kuru Slwo. acrus
the Pacific 70 the Californian and Msxica
coasts and thence wesEwarGly The newt
noted stream viii be Of great value to I'll
mariner, as IN It the Psrtlst1 made owe rthre
hundred and twenty-five miles day But
the physicist the discovery announced BY car
tain Mckirdy will be Of commanding intsres
because Il clearly elacidates aud establish
the unity and Continuity Of the North Pacif
currents, which starting from the Asiar
coast, crcss It's broad expanse 90 America IN
eroircIe the entire bosom Of that ocean.-E
Herald.