The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-08-20
WHAT MAKES THE GULF STREAM?
Theories of an Observer Who Says the
Moon Controls It's Current.
From the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Theories of an Observer Who Says the
Moon Controls It's Current.
From the Philadelphia Inquirer
81 was anchored for three months 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.n
Thus spoke w. S. Howard, late of the
United States coast survey steamer Blake,
Yesterday, as he reclined upon one of the
chairs in the Girard house lobby.
~ was attached to tine Blake for three
years. continued Mr.. Howard, land dur
ing that time we definitely fixed the source
of the Gulf stream. We spent two years in
tracing up the Gulf stream and studying its
peculiarities. 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 it's way through old
ocean, and preserving its own dis
tinctive characteristics as to temperature
and color, finally was lost and assimilated
by the waters of the frozen northern seas.
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 established.
however We found that the moon affected
the Gulf stream and that the current was
controlled absolutely and arbitrarily by that
body.
"The true source or beginning of the Gulf
stream, established by careful scientific OBJ
ssrvation extending over a period of two
years, is at point between Fowey Rocks
Florida, and the Gun Cay, on the coast of
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
peculiarites thatiwe noticed. Tobegin with,
the current Of the Gulf stream at the point
where we anchored, and which we unani-
mously 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 be-
fore the upper transit of the moon. The
variations were most excessive on the east
ern side of the straits, and least on the
western side. The average daily currents
vary during the month, the strongest cur
rent coming 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 "a half miles east of the Fowey
Rocks lighthouse. The strongest surface
current found here was five and 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 observations, one for the surface cur
rent 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
tho sub-surface. During our obser vations
we occupied twenty-six different sta
tions, being anchored at each for several
days at a time. We took 1857 cur
rent observations with the meter, and 1,S07
current observations with the pole during
this time"
And what deductions did you make?"
"TheSe only: that neither the Mississippi
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 streamln
Hundreds. 1t is q great field for specu-
lation. just imagine, if you can, what
would have been the result If we could have
donned submarine armor and Owed to the
bottom in 49S fathons OF water We made
s0undings, 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 that surging, resistless current
boiled about US, defying inquiry as to its
true origin.
ut 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 everlasting fires that
scientists tell us are continually burning
there. The superheated water gushing to
the surface of the ocean at mat depth with
power that cannot 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 a 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 over-active volcano
which IN no way crippled by the constant
influx OF the cold ocean water into its yawn-
ing crater continually, with a power that
HuLuhh LHOugnU cannon measure, nurlS DacK
the heated waves, and this repusion, going
on day after day and year after year for a
period Of time that has not yet been fixed by
observation or deduction, has increased the
volume OF the at first puuy geyser until now
1t has become fixed and well-foundsd cur
rent differing in color and temperature from
the water that surrounds it, and with a
sweep and stretch that extend over the thou
sands 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:
"First-Thatthe winds and the Mississippi
river have nothing to do with the formation
of the Gulf stream.
''Secondly--That point eleven and half
miles east of Fowey Rocks lighthouse,
Florida, in the Caribbean sea, is its true
axis or source
"rhirdly-That the velocity of the cur
rent is controlled by the declination of the
moon.
The Newport cottagers, in their fight against
haapa . ..-1as Fe