The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-08-28
WHAT MAKES THE GULF STREAM,
Theories or An Observer Who Says the
Moon Controls It's Current.
PHILADELPHIA Inauirerl

WIS d0CnOTcQ LOT lOT60 mOutuo over
the true source of the gulf stream, and
what learned of the nature of that mys-
terious and erratic current during that
time knocks all the accepted theories as
to its origin in the head"
Thus spoke w. S. Howard, late oft q.
S. coast survey steamer Blake, yesterday,
as he reclined upon one of the chairs IN
the Girard hotel lobby.
az was attached to the Blake for three
years" continued Mr.. Howard, land
during that time we definitely
fixed the source of the gulf stream.
We spent two years in tracing
up the gulf stream and studying its pecu-
liarities, and, while we are still in the dark
as to the primary cause of this great ocean
river, we have definitely fixed upon the
spot where it originates Formerly it was
believed that the gulf stream was simply
the continuation of the Mississippi river,
the immense volume of water flowing out
of which cleaved its through way old ocean,
and, preserving its own distinctive charac-
teristics as TO temperature and color,
finally was lost and assimilated by the
waters of the frozen northern seas. Others
held to the opinion that the gulf stream
was formed and controlled by the trade
winds
"Our observations and investigations
furnished us with conclusive proof that
neither of these elements has anything to
do with it. One curious fact was estab-
lished, however. We found that the moon
affected the gulf stream, and that the cur
rent was controlled absolutely and arbi-
trarily by that. body.
'rhe true source or beginning of the
gulf stream, established by careful scien-
tiiic observation extending over period
~ -,
Rocks, Fla, and the Gun Cay, on the
coast of the Bahamas At this place, in
49S fathoms of water, we anchored, and
for months devoted ourselves TO careful
study of the great ocean river.
"Let me tell you something about the
peculiarities that we noticed. To begin
with, the current OF the gulf stream at the
point where we were anchored, and which
we unanimously agreed upon as its true
source, varies daily in velocity. The
difference in the flow was at times as much
as two and a half knots per hour. The
greatest velocity noted was generally
about nine hours before the upper transit
of the moon. The variations were most
excessive on the eastern side OF the
straits, and least on the western side. The
average daily currents vary during the
month, the strongest current coming a
day or two after the greatest declination
of the moon
'The axis or true point of beginning OF
the gulf stream determined by fixing the
position of the strongest surface flow is
eleven and half miles east of the Fowey
Rocks lighthouse. The strongest surface
current found here was five and quar-
ter knots per hour, the least one and three
quarter knots, and the average three and
siX-tenths knots. We used two meters n our
observations, one for the surface current
and one for the sub-surface stream. The
wind has no effect upon the velocity of
the stream and does not change the axis
Of the current The surface current, it
was noticed, has a much higher velocity
than the sub-surface. During our obser-
vations we occupied twenty-six different
stations, being anchored at each for sew
eral days at a time. We took 1857 cur
rent observations with the meter and
] 1907 current observations with the pole
during this time"
And what deductions did YOU make ?"
These only: that neither the Missis-
sippi river nor the trade winds were in
any way responsible for the gulf stream;
that it was affected by the changes of the
moon, and that this particular point,
eleven and One-half miles east of Fowey
Rocks lighthouse, was its true axis or
source"
what theories have you in reference
to the probable first cause of the stream ?"
Hundreds. 1t is great field for specu-
latiOn. Just imagine, if you can, what
would have been the result il we could
have donned submarine armor, and dived
to the bottom in 1913 fathoms of water.
We made soundings, but they revealed TO
us nothing. The bottom was a sandy
coral foundation; fish and other subma-
rine creatures lived and disported them
selves in the depths, and all the time that
! surging, resistless current boiled above
us, defying inquiry as to its true origin.
att might be, for aught any one could
say to the contrary, the mouth of great
river, with its source deep down in the
bowels of the earth. among those everlast-
ing fires that scientists tell us are continu-
ally burning there. The superheated
water gushing to the surface of the ocean
at that depth with a power that can not be
| estimated would be apt to displace the
chilled and heavier water of the ocean,
and, with an initial velocity of nearly six
miles an hour, would certainly clear for
itself pathway through the ocean until
chilled and rendered inert by the frozen
waters of the Arctic seas.
again, it may be that we were
anchored over an immense and ever-active
volcano, which in no way crippled by the
constant influx of the cold ocean water
into its yawning crater continually, with
a power that human thought can not
measure, hurts back the heated waves,
and this repulsion, going on day after
day and year after year for a period of
time that has not yet been fixed by obser-
walton or deduction, has increased the
volume of the at first puny geyser until
now it has become fixed and we'll
/ founded current, differing in color and
| temperature from the water that sur
rounds it, and with sweep and stretch
that extend over thousands of miles. You
can theorize all day over the matter and
| perhaps be as far from the truth as ever.
| The observations made by the Blake
settled several disputed points:
81. That the winds and the Mississippi
river have nothing to do with the forma-
ton of the gulf stream.
"2. That a point eleven and half
miles east of Fowey Rocks lighthouse,
Florida. in the Caribbean sea, is its true
axis or source.
SO. That the velocity of the current is
controlled by the declination of the
moon"