The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-30

| The recent researches of the Coast Sur
| vey have rendered possible the construc-
| ton of a map of the ocean bed which
shall correspond with chart made in ref
erence to the temperatures of the various
| water strata
Quite a number of years back observa-
lions made upon the temperature Of the
ocean determined the general position of
cold and warm currents along the shores
| of the country. but the results of these
7 early Investigations were necessarily de-
| fective, owing, among other things, to
| the crude instruments employed.
The more systematic work of the Off
| GERS of the Coast Survey have proved for
| the first time the existence of vast bodies
| of water, of considerable thickness and of
very different temperatures at correspond
| ing depths, moving in opposite directions
| in conformity with the mysterious mag
netic influence of the poles. Further, it
is to the Coast Survey that We owe the
demonstration of the fact that the waters
of the polar regions pour into the tropics
along the bottom of the ocean, just as
the warmer equatorial waters flow across
the temperate zones near the surface. and
make their influence felt in the polar re-
gions.
1t is owing to the presence of ridges in
the ocean bed that portions of the bottom
or cold polar waters are interrupted in
their course, thus forming stationary bas-
ms of higher temperature than that of the
adjoining oceanic basin. The effect of such
ridges upon the bottom temperature was
first traced by the soundings of the Por-
cupine in the North Atlantic and Medi-
terranean. Subsequently, the Challenger
discovered several such enclosed seas
while sounding in the East Indian Archi-
peIago Thus it viii be seen that the pres
ence of layers of water having a higher
bottom temperature than that of adjoin-
ing areas indicates the presence of ridges
isolating these warmer areas from the
general deep sea oceanic circulation.
Hence, a map of the Atlantic, made en-
tirely with reference to the temperatures
would correspond to a remarkable degree
with the topography of the bed of the
ocean, and show how and where the breaks
in the continuity of the circulation, both
for the Arctic and Antarctic regions, &C.
cur in the Atlantic.
1t was not until the Miller-CaSelia
thermometer came into general use Tor
deep-sea Investigations that a degree or
accuracy before unattainable in oceanic
temperature, became possible 1t soon
became Ii well-recognized fact that The
deeper the ocean is penetrated the more
the temperature diminisheS, and that at
great depths the temperature of the ocean
is nearly that of freezing. on the Rio de-
la Plata. at depth of about 900 faith
oms the thermometer records temper
allure somewhat below zero.
Various explanations of the oceanic
currents have been offered in the pas, by
very eminent men of science, all CT which
are now considered more or less unSatis-
factory. 1t is strange that among none !
of these has the magnetic attraction OF
the poles been taken into consideration, !
unless, indeed, one excerpts the views OF /
such imaginary geniuses as Victor Hugo |
and Edgar Allen Poe. II may be renem-
bered by readers OF these authors that |
the former in his ''LHomme Qui Rit, |
and the latter in one OF his weird ia es. |
speak of an influence in the ocean akin /
to electricity. Hugo disc5urses, in 4 ,
general way. of a magnetic influerce dis
cernible in storms at sea, lasting the |
water into fury and considers that he |
Investigation of this mysterious. all-p9v- |
erful, and unseen element viii lead to the ,
true solution of the nrinciple of st5rn.s- |
Poe, in his Manuscript Found in a Bot
tie mentions an ancient map, it is be- !
lieved. of the sixteenth century, con-
structed by a famous geographer OF that
period and depicting the ocean currents
converging at the poles. where they are
precirttated into vast ehasms, though what
afterward becomes OF them is not clearly
set forth.
Herschel, and Crol have considered the
trade winds and other prevailing winds as
the principal causes by which oceanic cur
rents are produced 1t is impossible to
fully determine the value OF this theory
until the FRACTIONAL effect Of winds has been