The Nome nugget., 1902-12-06
THE "0CEAN CURRENT MYTH"

The theory that the Gulf stream of the Atlantic and the Kuro Siwo, or Japan Current of the Pacific exerted deal of influence upon the climate of the countries whose shores they laved, has long been accepted a fact. The belief that ,hc Gulf Stream is the sole of the mild oceanic climate of Vest ern Europe is still held by millions today. ard it is still taught in the public schools in England and in the United State. The same belief, to a somewhat modified extent, is held concerning the Japan cur rent, and its influences upon the oceanic climate of the North Pacific coast.
 A writer of some on scientific subjects in an article published last sumner in leading magazine, punctures full of holes the time honored theory that ocean currents exert an influence upon climate,
 sN --'~-@s<y 1'Aas2s~s. S A~asss sav &fs eussed the Japan Current and it's possible influence upon the climate of Alaska, and we give. briefly,
 the views of Harvey Maitland Watts, the writer re- ferrcd to- Tn his article :ersey and strongly written. MT. Watts speaks of the "Guli Stream myth,' The belief that currents cause mild climates Mir. Watts says, is absolutely without any foundation what soever, 1t has have all the sacredness of gospel truth. Tn consequence, he says, the "Gulf Stream myth" fathered by Gcographer Maurv, per ssts while te broader, grander and reassuring facts as to climate and weather causation viewed with sus pcion, and make slight headway against the universal acceptance o theory that gained it's whole value from the way 1t stated by strong in transition period in the development of an inexact science"
 Mr. Watts while exploding what he calls the Mauryan myth to the 'benign influences" of the Gulf Stream and Japan Current, says that the eli matic influences lomg attributed to these ocean cur- rents due aerial currents, of the Atlantic the other of lhe Pacific. The circulation of air in the northeastern part oi the Atlantic ocean determines the mild climate of Western Europe by distributing the moisture and warmth of the Atlantic ocean sur face as whole and not that of the Gulf Stream, eince there IS no apparent Gulf Stream in those lati tudes. The warmth of the southern winds of Europe ls due to the moisture they contain, which gives up It's latent heat when 1t becomes cloud and rain The winds take up this moisture from the surface of the ocean, when the latter is warmed up by the sunshine and they would do the if there were no Gulf Stream in the Straits of Florida
 The effect of the transfer of warm water to the shores of Western Europe ny the Gulf Stream is in compared with the transfer of moisture cloud and warmth by the wind; in fact observations fail to show that there is any water transferred to Europe by the Gulf Stream. The Gulf Stream is the result of the interchange of water between the cold northern and the warm equatorial portion of the At lantc ocean; but as modified by the rotation of the earth its axis, and the effect of the winds the solid stream flowing past Florida is decp sea current n- appreciably affected by the opposing northeast wind at the surface
 What is true of the relative significance of the Sulf stream as determining factor in climate Mr. | Watts also says, IS true of the Japan Current This 'urrcnt, q very much fceber stream than the Gulf stream owing to the enormous size of the md Pacific ,asin and the unfavorable confguraton of the Asian continent, has few of the dramatic characteristics of he Gulf Stream, and yet the "Mauryan myth" has ndowedt also with the virtues supposedly belonging its Atlantic congener, and it is but recently that ke San Francisco Chamber of Commerce was passing