Evening journal., 1916-03-16


Yes said Joe. "They are steady
winds that blow from cast to west
at the equator Sailing vessels use
the trade winds because they know
they can always count on them
Right" answered Uncle Harry.
"These trade winds blow and blow
and blow from the east to the west,
as Joe says. and Of course they blow
the water on the surface in that direc-
tion. AS q result there is a current
Of water. called the Equatorial Cur
rent. which always flows west from
Africa towards the north coast of
Africa at a rate of speed about Is
miles a day"
(Which way does it go after IL
reaches the coast Of South America?
This from Jimmy.
1T keeps on going through the
Caribbean Sea (which was called the
Spanish Main in the old pirate days.
and here its rate of speed is increased
from 90 to so miles day.
ION il goes up between Cuba and
the Yucatan peninsula chats part Of
Mexico: then Il circles around
through the Gulf OF Mexico. passes
the tip of Florida and turns north,
running about forty or fifty miles on
shore. Here it's rate of speed is some
times four miles an hour. Then when
il passes Cape Hatteras, it bears cas-
terly towards Europe. spreads out like
a big fan and slows down to gen
eral easterly drift. Finally It washes
the British Isles and Norway"
els it possible to recognize the
Gulf Stream by looking at il, or is il
necessary to take the temperature and
estimate the direction in which it is
fowing?'
yes. The Gulf Stream has a pc
culiar blue color which is different
from most other waters. This is due,
il is believed. 10 the sediment which
is carried down the Mississippi River
and caught up by the Gulf Stream as
IL circles around through the Gulf OF
Mexico"
Miss Wright told ms i'm school the
other day that the Gulf Stream bene-
fits the countries OF Europe What
did she meang
IF it were not for the Gulf Stream, /"
replied Uncle Harry. many Of the
countries IN northern Europe would
not be habitable by anyone but Esqul-
mos. Take a look at the globe"-and
Uncle Harry drew the globe nearer
London. the largest city i'm the world
is farther north than ST. James Bay
which is hundreds OF miles north OF
the Great Lakes. Norway is as far
north as Alaska. and the North Cape
is as far north as Price Albert Is
land. one OF the islands Stefanson
nj. hf, a no
tic. Yet these lands are inhabited
not by EsQuimos. but by people like
us. Tho temperature Of London, fol
instance, is about the same as thai
OF New Yorks if il were not for the
Gulf Stream. London and all England
would he barren frozen wastes like
Labrador"
"You said that the Gulf Stream hai
an influence on the war. What die
you mean?' asked Joe.
81 meant that II it were not fOl
the Gulf Stream. Russia would not b'
able to procure supplies from Eng
land during the winter months. II
the summer the Russian port o
Archangel is ice-free. but i'm October
the entrance to the White Sea freezes
and Archangel becomes ice-bound
Now. northwest of Archangel on tn
Russian coast is another Russian sea
port with the long name OF Now
AleNandrOvsk You would eXpec
this port to be frozen in winter to-
in view OF the fact that it is farthe
north than Archangel. but as a mat
ter Of fact. the last feeble current o
the Gulf Stream, laps the shores O
Russia at Novo AleXandrOvsk an
keeps that part of the Arctic Oceai
free from ice. Consequently ship
can ply between England and Rus
sa. even il Archangel and the Whit
Sea are frozen up.
"Of course. Novo Alexandrovsk
much farther away from Moscow an
Pctrograd than Archangel and il
much more costly getting supplies j
that way. as IL is necessary to carr
them overland to kandelaksk on th
White Sea. and then by sledges o
the ice across the White Sea TO Arch
angel. whence they are shipped b
railroad south into Russia.
so you see. boys, If il were not "a
The Gulf Stream. Russia would be sci
arated from her allies by a barrier {
ice that would prevent their ship
bringing in ammunition and SUI
plies
Then said Joe: I'm glad that