The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1904-12-29
DEEP SEA CURRENTS
THE GULF STREAM AND ITS COURSE
THROUGH THE OCEAN.

THROUGH THE OCEAN.
Many Irregularities Are known to
Occur In Both the Direction and In
the Velocity Of This Peculiar River
Oe the Atlantic.
Seamen sometimes seem to forget
that even the most permanent of ocean
currents are occasionally driven out of
their usual track by succession of
strong winds from one direction, and
the fairy tales with respect to the al
legged vagaries Of the gulf stream told
so frequently only tend to show that
navigators rather too frequently re-
! gard that river in the ocean as not less
firmly fixed in velocity and direction
than if it We're flowing to the sea be-
tween banks formed by the solid earth
of our planet. AS a matter of fact,
ever since the gulf stream was first
discovered about four centuries ago it
was recognized by thoughtful naviga-
tors that 6xity Of tenure did not and
could not hold for that vast body of
relatively warm water cushioned off
from the Atlantic coast of America by
the colder waters of the Labrador cur
rent even as far toward the equator as
| Florida. Were it not for the gulf
stream, or, more accurately, the east
| ern extension thereof, the average air
| temperature in the winter would be
not less than % degrees below the
freezing point Of water Oh a Fahren-
heit thermometer registered at the
| Shetland islands. AS matters stand
the presence OF the relatively cold cur
rent from the Arctic washing our
| shores, inside OF the warmer gulf
| stream, closes up the harbOrs Of New
| foundland at the same time as the gulf
stream extension is keeping the Nor
! Wegian coast clear Of ice even as far
to the northWard as the North cape.
To put it another way, ST.. Johns,
| n. f., is sometimes closed with ice
even as late in the year as June, while
| Liverpool, ;vhich is degrees farther
to the north, has never been in that
condition since the glacial epoch.
In fact, it has been seriously sug-
gested that by diverting the course Of
the gulf stream into the Pacific,
ing the two Americas, it would be
quite possible to freeze out consid-
cradle portion of Europe. The cool
Labrador current setting southwark
from the icy regions adjacent to the
north pole impinges with greater yeloc-
ity than usual upon the northern mar
gin of the gulf stream in certain years.
Cyclonic storms travoing up from the
southwark defect it also, and conse-
Quently the gulf stream, although prob
ably the most permanent Of all the
great ocean currents, is not invariable
either in velocity or in direction. Gen
orally speaking, this ocean river in the,
lower ATTITUDES of the Atlantic is driy-
en- westward by the prevailing easterly
winds acting upon the sea surface I'M
til the western side Of the gulf of Mex
leo is attained. Thence it follows the
land till an outlet is found through the
strait Of Florida, which, being both
narrow and shallow, causes the veloc-
ity of the current to increase. Thence
it sweeps northeastward outside of the
Labrador cool current hugging the
coast until the banks of Newfound-
land are reached. About there the
gulf stream proper is said to lose it's
identity as such, but the warm waters
thereof are driven by the prevailing
westerly winds toward the United
Kingdom. Norway and even Spitzber-
gen. Many irregularities are known
to occur in both the direction and the
velocity Of the gulf stream from time
to time, consequent OH wind changes
and variations in barometric pressure.
Prior to the age of chronometers most
extravaganza views were put forward
by navigators and others in a hurry to
the effect that by the aid Of an ordinary
thermometer the longitude could be ac-
curately determined if the shipmaster
| would but trouble to take a series of
sea surface temperatures when in the
vicinity of the gulf stream. Similarly
the sea surface temperature was re-
| oAA\tSN AZ AOotC luC odIuO
position as an infallible guide to the
proximity Of ice. Neither inference is
true. High temperature indicates
tropical origin and low temperature in
dicates polar origin generally speaking,
| but beyond this it is dangerous to pred
| icate. The relatively warm water
may be in very abnormal position for
the period of the year owing to natural
causes, and fall Of % degrees Fahren-
heit is sometimes experienced in
short ships length OH the mingling
places of the warm gulf stream and
| cold Labrador current on a beautifully
! clear day without the slightest sign of
ice Of any kind above the boundary line
of sea and sky. Many sailing ship,
after vainly trying to reach New York,
has got badly iced up and run to the
warmer waters of the gulf stream to