The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1914-10-24
THE GULF STREAM
II Is the Grandest Of All Terres'
trial Phenomena.
A MIGHTY RIVER IN THE SEA.

Billions Of Tons of Water Are WhirIeo
Along Hourly In This Wonderful
Torrent, Whose 6enefosnt influences
10 Felt All Around the World.
Ninety billion tons or water are a r
ried hourly through the strait OF Flor.
ida by the gulf stream. according
TO Rear Admiral John Il. Pillsbury.
u. s. N. In a communication 70 the
National Geographic society at Wash
ington. This stream. he says. Is prob
ably the g~randest and most mighty OF
any terrestrial phenomenon.
IF this one single hours dow or wa
ter could be ev%aporated the remaining
salts would require many times o
than all the ships In the world to carry
t." says Admiral Pillsbury.
1T is difficult for the mind to grasp
the immensely OF the great ocean riy
er. When one is on board a vessel
floating upon its waters n Is not as
much impressed at the power ana
grandeur OF this wonder Of nature az
he Is when he stands before a tower
nix ulOunAdAIs III AhA4ChcO ANNRNA0 -
a fall or water such as Niagara
But when one remembers that the
mighty torrent, speeding on hour by
hour and day by day In a volume
equal to all the largest rivers OF the
world combined. carrying its beneh
cent heat to temper the climate or con
tinents, one begins 10 realize that OF
all the forces OF the physical world
none can equal this one river OF the
ocean.
1T is interesting TO note In the his
tory OF the gulf stream how great rs
influence has been on the fortunes OF
the new world
Before the discovery OF America
strange woods and fruits were fire.
ouently found on the shores OF Eu
rope. Some OF these were seen BY
Columbus and 10 him were convincing
evidence that strange lands were TO the
westward. These woods were carried
by the gulf stream and by the prevail
ing winds from America. so that II
part the stream Is responsible for the
discovery Of the new world.
Ponce de Leon, while searching 70
the fountain OF youth, discovered thii
stream. He sailed southwark alonl
the coast OF Florida. thus stemmini
the current. He says they found
current that, though the wind wa
good, they could not stem. 1t seemed
that their vessels were going fas
through the water, but they were beinl
driven back In spite OF the strong an
favorable wind. One ship was 500
carried away by the current and los
from sight. although it was a clea
sky,
"The theories as to the cause o
ocean currents have been many. Il
recent times the curse OF currents ha
been laid 60 rivers and the gulf strear
chiefly to the Mississippi. In actua
fact about 1000 such rivers would b
required.
I'm the tropical regions there Is
steady movement or the air from eas
TO west, known as the trade winds
Winds blowing over the surface OF IN
water induct a current in the latter du
TO friction. At first II Is only IN
merest skin that moves, but gradual
the motion Is communicated from iay
er to layer until at last, II the wind
long continued as In the trade wind q
gfon. the movement extends TO lowe
depths, 800 or 400 feet or perhap
more.
"These trade wind currents continu
across the Caribbean until they e
the obstruction OF the Honduras an
Yucatan coasts, from which they e'
cape into the gulf OF Mexico.
Another source OF the gulf streai
is the wave caused by the wind. f.
cry ripple carries a certain amount
water In the direction toward whic
II is lowing. irrespective OF the currel
caused by It's friction, and when I'll
waves become large tons of water M
hurled from the crest into the troue
every time the wave breaks.
ain a large area like the Caribbeal
having a comparatively constant win
blowing over its whole surface, III.
action Is practically a slmultaneoe
movement OF the surface waters TO ~
westward
There Is every evidence that III
gulf stream is governed absolutely b
law In all It's variations. Its cours
through the ocean is without doul
fixed. It's fluctuations are by day
months. seasons or by years, but the
do not vary materially one year fro
the other. So we may conclude that
all the physical forces on this cart
that are subject 70 any variations
all the great ocean currents are mo