The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-08-23
ONE THING The MOON DOES.
1t Starts and Controls the Mysterious
Gulf Stream.
PHILADELPHIA Inouirer.1

81 was anchored 1OI IllI0t IuOutHS OftI tuo
true source of the Gulf Stream, and what
learned of the nature of that mysterious and
erratic current during that time knocks all
the accepted theories as to its origin in the
head"
Thus spoke w S, Howard, late of the
United States Coast Survey steamer Blake,
as he reclined upon one of the chairs in the
Girard House lobby.
81 was attached to the Blake for three
years." continued Mr.. Howard. "and 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
pecularities, and while we are still in the
dark as to the primary cause of this great
! noaan river we have definitely fixed npOn
was oeleVed That the Gulf Stream was
simply the continuation of the Mississippi
River, the immense volume of water flowing
out of which cleayed its way through Old
Ocean, and preserving its own distinctive
characteristics 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 fur
nlshed us with conclusive proof that neither
OF these elements has anything to do with it,
One curious fact was established, however
We found that the moon affected the Gulf
Stream and that the current was controlled
absolutely and arbitrarily by that body
1.-THE true source or beginning of the Gulf
Stream, established by careful scientific OBJ
servation extending over a period of two
years i; at point between Fowey Rocks,
Florida. and the Gun Cay, on the coast of
the Bahamas. At this place, in 49S fathoms
of water, we anchored, and for months de-
vo ted ourselves to careful study of the
great ocean river.
Let me tell you something about the pecu-
liarities 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
half knots per hour. The greatest velocity
noted was generally about nine hours before
the upper transit Of the moon. The vari-
atoms were most excessive on the eastern
side OF the Straits, and least on the estern
side. The average daily currents vary dur
ing the month. the strongest current coming
3, day or two after the greatest declination OF
the moon.
THE axis or true point of beginning of the
Jun oeiCdiii ny liking the U0Sl-
ton OF the strongest surface fowl is eleven
and half miles east of the Fowey Rocks |
Lighthouse. The strongest surface current
iound mere was five and a quarter knots per
hour, the least one and three-quarter knots. |
and the average three and siX-tenths knots.
we USED two meters in our observation, one |
Tor 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. 1t was noticed, had much higher |
velocity than the sub-surface During our |
observations we occupied twenty-six diff. |
ferent stations, being anchored at each for |
several days at time. We took 1857 cur |
rent observations with the meter. 1907 |
current observations with the pole during |
this time"
And what deductions did you maker"
These only: that neither the Mississippi |
River nor the trade winds were in any way |
responsible for the Gulf Stream; that Is was |
anected by the changes of the moon; and |
that this particular point, eleven and a half |
miles east of Fowey Rocks Lighthouses, was
its true axis or source
what theories have YOU in reference tn |
the probable first cause of the stream p"
Hundreds. 1t is great field for specula-
ton. just imagine, if you can, what would
have been the result if we could have donned
submarine armor and dived to the bottom in
49S fathoms of water. We made soundings.
but they revealed to us nothing. The bottom
was sandy coral foundation fish and other
submarine creatures lived and disported
themselves in the depths, and all the time |
tnat snrging, resistless current boiled about
us, defylng inquiry as to its true origin.
II might be, for aught any one could say |
TO the contrars. the mouth of a great river,
WIN ITS source deep down in the bowels of
the earth, among those everlasting fires that |
sc tell us are continually burning
there. The superheated water gushing to
tne surface OF the ocean at that depth with
power ,hat cannot be estimated would be apt
70 dlsplace the chilled and heavier water of
the ocean. and, with an initial velocity Of
clear for itself pathway through the ocean
until chilled and rendered inert bv the
frozen waters of the Arctic seas
Again, it may be that we were anchored
over an immense and ever-active volcano.
which, III no way crippled by the constant |
influx of the cold ocean water into its yawn-
ing crater continually, with power that
human thought cannot measure, hurls back |
the heated waves, and this repulsion, going |
On day after day and year after year for a |
peroid of time that has not yet been fixed by |
observation or deduction, has increased the |
volume Of the at first puny geyser until now
4 has become a fixed and well-fOunded cur |
rent differing in color and temperature from
he water hat surrounds it, and with a
sweep and stretch that extend over thou
sands of miles. You can theoriZe all day
over the matter, and perhaps be as far from
she truth as ever. The observations made
BY the Blake settled several disputed points;
"First-Thatt the winds and the Mississippi
ltlver have nothing to dn with the formation
d the Gulf Stream
.',,Secondly-That point eleven and a half
pI east OF Fowey Rocks Lighthouse,
lofida, In the Caribbean Sea, is its true axis
Or source
ThiIdly-That the velocity of the current
- 80 con i! by the declination of the