Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1905-04-19

men OF to-day would perhaps
smile at some Of his deductions. In
the correspondence Of Mr.. Jeffer-
son, edited by Thomas Jefferson
Randolph, Volume II, page 81,
will be found a letter from the
distinguished statesman, written
in Paris, Nov. ID, 1856, while
he was minister OF the COniedera-
ten at the French court, addressed
to NJ. de Roy, OF the Acadamy Of
Sciences, in which, while discuss
ing the gulf stream and it's in
fuence upon navigation and com
merce, be devoted a good portion
of it to the Possibilities an impOr-
lance Of an isthmian canal. Not
ing the fact that the Spaniards
we're at that time DESTROYS Of
trading with the Philippean Is
lands By way Of the Cape OF Good
Hope, but opposed by the Dutch
under the authority Of the treaty Of
Munster, he says they are exam.
lining the practicability Of a com
man passage through the Straits
of Magellan or around Cape Horn.
Then he adds;
"Were they to make an opening
through the Isthmus Of Panama, a
work much less difficult than some
Of the inferior canals Of France,
however small this opening should
be in the beginning, the tropical
current entering it with all it's
force would soon widen it sufi-
GENTLY for its own passage, and
thus complete, in a short time,
that work which otherwise will
employ it for ages. Less country
would be destroyed by it in this
way. These consequences would
follow: Vessels from Europe or
the western part Of Africa, by en-.
tering the tropics, would have a
steady wind and tide to carry
them through the Atlantic,
through America and the Pacific
Ocean, to every part of the Asiat-
ic coast, and of the entire coast of
Africa, thus performing with
speed and safety the tour of the
whole globe, to within about
twenty-four degrees Of longitude,
or one. fifteenth Of its circumstan.
ces, the African continent occupy
ing about that space. Second, the
Gulf Of Mexico, now the most dan
gerous navigation in the world, on
account Of its currents and nova
BILE sands, would become stagnant
and safe. Third, the Gulf stream
on the coast Of the United States
would cease, and with that those
arrangements OF course and reck-
Oning which now impede and en-.
danger the intercourse with those
States. Fourth, the fOgs on the
banks Of Newfoundland, supposed
to be the vapors Of the Gulf stream,
rendered turbid by cool air, would
disappear. Fifth, those banks
ceasing to receive supplies of
sand, weeds and warm water by
the Cult stream, it might become
prOblematical what effect changes
Of pasture and temerature would
have upon the fisheries.
These ideas Of Mr.. Jefferson ap-
pear somewhat fantastic. At no
time have the promoters of the
canal inioamed as that it would
affect the course Of the Gulf
stream and bring about the re-
results suggested. II the gulf
stream should cease, and the
warm air OF the tropics be no
longer carried northward to en-
velop he British islands and the
coast Of Sweden, that region
would lapse into the icy condition
Of I,abradore. The beauty Of Eng
land would be gene. It would no
longer be habitable, and the day
would come speedily when Macau-
lays picture would be fulfilled,
when the New Zealander would be
casting his nets from the ruins OF
80