The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-06
WHY THE WINTER IS MILD.
Gulf Stream Said to Have Changed IL
 4


 Gulf stream said to Have Changed It's
 Direction and Altered the Weather. New York Herald,
 Observations made from several of the Atlantic liners recently seem to indicate a remarkable change in the movement of the Gulf stream. The captains of incoming vessels are report ing an unusual rise in the temperature of the water well inEhore and at re- markedly high attitudes In the expe- rience of many old sailors there has never before been so marked a change at this season of the year. At the same time 1t is generally remarked along portion of the North Atlantic coast that the winter temperature Is decidedly milder than for many years. The con clusions of many people versed in such matters is that the Gulf stream has In some way changed its course, that 1t has either shifted it's position or wid- ened out. thus coming nearer than usual to land.
 There is as yet no official recognition of any such change. The accuracy of these readings. on the other hand. IS well established. Up to the present time there have been five distinct re- ports from as many different captains. The most recent of these was made by Captain Chaplin, of the British steamer Shimosa Captain Chaplin reports 1t In waters near the coast which have al- ways been well out of the way of the Gulf stream. There is. on the other hand, much evidence to prove the asser- ton that the temperature of our win ters has appreciably modified. Inci- dentaIiy, the temperature during the present winter along the Atlantic coast of the Southern States has been unusu- ally low.
 Should defection of the Gulf stream actually occur it's influence would be immediate and would quickly be felt over very wide areas. The importance of a considerable and permanent rise in the temperature along the entire At lantic coast. or any considerable part of 1t would be enormous. A still more interesting field for speculation Is its possible effect on Europe. Should any serious defection occur 1t would. &C., cording to the generally accepted the- ory, have the most far-reaching effect. A change of few degrees either way would make little difference, but let the change be carried far enough to affect the crops to any extent or the conven- fence of shipping. and the direct effect, and incidentally the political effect on Europe would be enormous. This IS especially true in the case of the Brit ish Isles, which are so dependent upon the outside world for their very exist ence Any serious change in the tenn perature of the coast or France or of Spain would also eventually have far reaching results.
 The effect of a change in the course of the Gulf stream would obviously be of the greatest importance from every point of view. It Is popularly supposed that the temperature of the eastern coast of the United States. and, again. of the entire British Isles. is largely 1F Ata nf m Some scientists go SO far as to argue that without the Gulf stream Eng land would be as cold and bleak land as Labrador. still other scientists con- tend that the importance of the Gulf stream is exaggerated. but from either standpoint any considerable change In the course or movement of the stream will be watched with the liveliest inter est. If not alarm.
 There are several theories to account for such a change. The Gulf stream first appears near the north coast of Cuba as it leaves the Gulf of Mexico on its flow toward the Atlantic Ocean. It's origin is. of course. concerned with the movement of the great equatorial currents which enter the Gulf from the east. Those. in turn. are influenced by the trade winds and the tendency of the warm water to seek new level. The irregular formation of the coast of North America gives ft It's direction. Anv change in the equatorial currents might account for change in the Gulf stream.
 The Gulf stream may be readily traced along the Atlantic coast. It's deep blue color Is unmistakable, It's temperature again is from 10 to 20 de- Rrees higher than that of the surround ing water ts width along the coast varies from 800 to 400 miles It moves at a ratA varying krnpn two tn Ava nan-