The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1905-09-02
THE POTENT GULF STREAM.
1t May Make Us Wear Duck Suits
And Raise Bananas.

And Raise Bananas.
Julius Chambers, in Pittsburg Dispatch.
No more important news, as affecting
! the Atlantic coast Of the United States,
has ever been brought into New York than
| that communicated on Sunday night by
Captain Ruser of the Hamburg liner
| Moltke. His statements make the pre-
dictions of Sir John Tyndall regarding the
steady approach of the Gulf stream to the
New Jersey and Long Island coasts veri-
ty. When the distinguished British scien-
tist was in this country about twenty years
ago he said in an interview that had with
him, and afterward repeated the declara-
ton upon the lecture platform 81 be-
lieve the child is born that will see palms
growing upon the southern shore of Long
Island, owing to the change of climate that
will be caused by the near approach of the
Gulf stream At that time these words
appeared to be the widest talking from
| dreanland People who knew the course
of the Gulf stream or had studied that now
obsolute volume, ''The Geography of the
Sea, by Lieut.. Maury, .. S. N,
thought the prediction bit of fancy that
had basis of reasoning. Captain Ruser,
however, was detained more than half
day by the unusual strength of the river
in the ocean. which he found running
within less than three hundred miles of
the Long Island coast, or several hundred
miles nearer than usual
The air had temperature of 80 and
the water so degrees. For several months
the steamers to Havana and New Orleans
have been bringing reports of the greatly
increased velocity of the current in Florida
strait, through which the dark blue gulf
waters now rush at a velocity of to 10
miles an hour. Steamers bound south
have found their progress notieeably de-
layed by the velocity OF the stream. But
this nearness of approach to the coast is
something new 1t is a subject that the
Government should have investigated with
out the loss of day. If the coasts of
Virginia, Maryland and New Jersey are
to assume semi tropical conditions, the
entire country win be interested in know
ing the fact Ii our winters are to be less
rigorous but more humid we shall proba-
bly, soon come to have a climate similar to
that of Ireland or Southern Italy. The
impression Is general that snow does not
fall in Spain or Italy, but this is an error
Madrid, for example, is generally visited
by at least one heavy snowstorm every
winter. If the Gulf stream is coming to
warm us, every reader of this column should
look up about this most remarkable of all
natural phenomena ON earth.
The eause of the remarkable river in
the ocean. as Maury SO accurately de-
seribes it, Is doubtless the rotation of the
earth. The globe turns from west toward
the east at a tremendous velocity, and the
ocean waters at the point of greatest cir
cumferenee tumble into the mouth of the
Amazon. are detected northwestward, and
find their way into the Gulf of Mexico.
/ This sea is a big bowl and the influx fills
il to overhowing NavigatOrs insist that
( the surface of this watery area is often
several feet higher than the tides justify.
But that fact is capable of establishment,
aud does not explain the tremendous We
locity with which the so-called Gulf stream
emerges into the Atlantic past the south
ern extremity Of Florida. The volume of
water at that point is 80 miles broad and
1000 feet deep. 1t becomes mighty tor
rent, distinctly differentiated from the sur
rounding green water. At Jupiter inlet,
for instance, it is possible to steam within
so feet Of the edge of the stream with its
ripping edges hurrying noFthward
There is always fayoring eddy outside
the mighty current that sets in the oppo
site direction and is always availed of by
experienced navigators. The gulf stream
at that point is as clearly defined as is the
course Of brook through green meadow.
1t is not more than 20 miles off shore, and
often is found much closer. Upon its sur
face float innumerable nautih Myriaas
Of lying fish are darting out of its surface
like miniature dolphins with wings. Jelly
fish with delicate hues never seen in our
Northern waters, are the sport of the waves.
Sharks. kingfsh and many species Of
aquatic life that We know not in our latitude
abound. The whale is never seen in the
warm water of the Gulf stream. That
mammal takes his water cold But the
wonderful thing about the Gulf stream is
its indigo blue color, which it retains far
off the banks of Newfoundland. There
il is found in streaks, as if the blue water
would not mix with the green, If we are
to have the wonderful Gulf stream for
neighbor ii will reduce the product of our
importations and production Of wooden goods
80 per cent. The summer dress will be-
come that of the semi-tropics meaning
Cuba and Porto Rico