The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1892-08-06
THE cuLE STREAM.
It Would Take Two Thousand Mississippa
Rivers to Equal It.

tnC AVIf SI nEkms
It Would Take Two Thousand 6issisaippa
Rivers to Equal It.
The currents of the ocean are the
great transporters Of the SUMS heat
from the torrid zone to temper the
climate OF the polar regions. says John
+. Pillsbury in the Century. It is ar
gued by some that such q stupendous
change as that which occurred in Eu-
rope and America at the time of the
glacial period was caused simply by a
DETECTION in the currents in the north
ern hemisphere, whereby its share of
tropical heat was partly diverted to-
ward the south. In the three great
oceans. the Atlantic, the Pacific and
the Indian, there is to be found a. SIM
liar circulation-a general westerly
movement in the tropics, q flow toward
the poles along the eastern shores of
the continents, an easterly set in the
temperate zones, and current toward
the equator along the western shores.
This system thus becomes grand cir
cular movement, some parts being
very slow, but still quite constant, and
other parts very swift. There are OF
shoots here and there due to local
causes, and perhaps in the slowly mov-
ing current there may be temporary
interruption, but. taken as whole,
the movement is continuous.
The part of this circulation flowing
along the eastern coast of the United
States is the greatest of all these cur
rents, and, in fact, is the most magni-
ticent of all natures wonders. This
is tho gulf stream. The name gulf
stream was first suggested by Ben
Jamin franklin because it comes from
the gulf of Mexico. While it is por-
ton of the grand scheme of ocean cir
culation, and the gulf of Mexico is in
reality only a stopping place, as it
were, for its waters, the name is gem
orally applied to the current when it
reaches the straits of Florida. north OF
Cuba. In the large funnel-shapcd
opening toward the gulf of Mexico the
current at first is variable in direction
and velocity, but by the time Havana
is reached it becomes n regular and
steady flow. AS it rounds the curve
OF tho Florida shore the straits con-
tract. and the water then practically
fills the banks from shore to. shore and
reaches almost to the bottom, which is
at this point about 5000 feet deep. AS
it leaves the straits of Florida its
course is about north, but it gradually
changes in direction, following approx
imately the curve of 100 fathoms dcep
until it reaches Cape Hntteras. From
this point it starts on Its course to
Europe. 1t has lost something in vel
ocity rs well rs temperature, and as it
Journeys to the eastward it gradually
diminishes in both, until it becomes q
gentle flow MS it approaches Europe.
People think the Mississippi river a
grand river, and it is so in truth, as
far rs land rivers go; but great as it
is it would require 1000 such rivers to
make gulf stream. Tho great ocean
river is an irresistible flood of water,
running all the time, summer and
winter, and year after year. 1t is as
difficult for the mind to grasp its inn
mensity as it is to realize the distance
of the nearest stars. At its narrowest
part in the straits of Florida it is thir-
ty-nine miles wide. has an average
depth of 1000 feet and velocity at
the axis-the point OF fastest tlow-of
from three to more than five miles per
J AioaA' ~ cAJ plLC GltC NOlulllB III Ou6
hours flow past Cape Florida is9O, ,OOO,-
100000 tons in weight does not convey
much to the mind. If we could cvap-
| crate this one hours flow of water and
distribute the remaining salt to the
inhabitants of the United States, every
man, woman and child would receive
nearly sixty pounds.
1t is curious to note in the history Of
the gulf stream how great its intlu-
ence has been on tho fortunes of the
new world. Before the discovery of
| America strange woods and fruits
were frequently found on the shores
of Europe and off-lying islands. Some
OF these were seen and examined by
Columbus, and to his thoughtful mind
they were confirming evidence of the
| fact that strange lands were not far TO
the westward. These woods were car
ried by tho gulf stream and by the
prevailing winds from the American
continent, SO that in part the gulf
stream is responsible for the discovery
of the new world. Ponce de Leon,
while on his famous search for the
fountain of youth, made the discovery
OF this more practically beneficial
| phenomenon. Tho whalers of New
England were the first to gain fairly
accurate knowledge of the limits Of
the current between America and
Europe by following tho haunts of the
whales, which were found north of one
line and south of another, but never
between the two. This, they reasoned,
was the gulf stream current. Ben
iamin Franklin received this informa-
tion from the whalers, and published
it on chart for the benefit of the mail
packets plying between England and
the colonies. The chart was first is
sued about 1910, but was not accepted
by the English captains. Before it
came to be generally known and used
the trouble between England and the
colonies had begun and Franklin know
ing the advantage the knowledge
would be to the British officers, sup
pressed it all he could until hostilities
ceased.