The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1906-12-18
THE GULF STREAM.
a Marine Phenomenon Whose
Strangeness Never Abates.

originates i'm tho Gulf OF Mexico
Trade winds and ohcr forces drive
the water into that receptacle he.
tween the southern coast OF Cuba
and the northern coast OF Yucatan
In short time the level inside would
become much higher than that of the
sea outside If relief were not afforded
Tho fluid. now having a temperature
OF over so degrees, escapes between
Cuba and the southern extremity OF
Florida. Inasmuch as Some rcsis-
lance Is encountered at first from
the trade winds (still from the north.
easD the current hugs the coast
pretty closely until it gets AZ far
north as HatteTas. II is then beyond
the trade wind belt.
Thereafter its course Is shaped by
two influences, the momentum preyi.
ously acquired by the water and the
prevailing breezes over the ocean
north OF the thirty-ffth parallel OF
latitude. These are variable, but
come largely from the southwest and
west. Such winds, of course, favor
the progress of the Gulf Stream.
The general movement is past New
foundland toward the British Isles,
though a branch reaches out toward
the continent of Europe, flows down
past Portugal, and finally joins the
regular westward current that is al
ways observed near the equator.
This part of the stream can then be
traced back TO America
NNrff{po fnt. ss--bo 7 ;,-ornooI Tot,r,,aI
of Commerce. a correspondent who
has evidently been at sea lays stress
on the fact that in its passage it does
not mingle to any appreciable extent
with the waters through which it
passes.
Its course through the ocean after
leaving the CUR of Florida until it
reaches mid-Atlantic can be distinctly
traced by the eye alone, the waters
of the Gulf Stream being of a deep
indigo blue, almost inclining TO purple
in shadow, while the surrounding
waters are of light shades OF gray
green and blue-about the same diff
ference, in fact as between the OK
ford and Cambridge colors. The diff
noticeable, being often as much as
80 degrees.
In its passage across the Atlantic
it gradually wldens and loses some OF
it's speed and its heat, but it's ire
sistible flow is continuous. The best
illustration Of this is to be found
southeast of the banks Of Newfound-
land. In this locality the Gulf
Stream, steadily flowing through the
surrounding ocean in an east-north-
east direction, is crossed by the polar
current coming down the Labrador
coast, so that there are three differ
ent strata of water all flowing in diff
fTept directions, never mixing or
impeding each others progress.
Strangely enough, the ice cold polar
current is on top, the warm Gulf
Stream next and the cold general wa
ters of the Atlantic at the bottom.
But although the flow of this great
ocean river is continuous it varies in
volume, III force and in temperature.
Speaking only OF the portions travers-
ing the Atlantic between the Gulf OF
Florida and our own shores, this vari-
alton follows regular lines or seasons.
The Gulf Stream reaches its most
northerly limit its greatest force and
volume and it's maximum temperature
I'm September, when the suns vertical
rays have been falling on the North
Atlantic for six months, and is least
in force and volume and reaches It's
minimum temperature in April Dur
ing the spring months, when the ice
breaks up in the Arctic regions. the
increased polar current caused by
the melting of the ice infringing on
the northern edge of the weakened
Gulf Stream helps considerably in
pushing tho stream bodily further
south. At the same time there is set
up a great counter current which
when assisted with continuance of
strong northeast winds, drives the
Gulf Stream further and further of
the coast until It happens. as in the
case Of I'll Alba, who found not the
Gulf Stream flowing backward. but
! the counter current, which had for
the time driven the Gulf Stream out.
| side the track he had followed for
years without experiencing the same
phenomenon. There IS no doubt That
IT Captain Quick hAi taken the tenn
| peraturc Of tho sea he would have
found instead a about 20 degrees
/ the warmer water Of the Gulf Stream
only. say a. or 90 degrees common "a
/ The counter current In this locality
/ Fron the examination 81 some stesm'
ora loss that wcro crossing the AZ
lantiC at that time 7 have asccrtsiued
| that they experienced the Gulf Stream
setting in it3 normal direction az 4
force OF t5 go ? kuotsv hich proves
conclusivcly that the GUlt Stream Is
flowing with its usual regularity al
| this season, when lt Us subject "a
| variations from causes above stated.
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