Year: 1878

The scientific world has been set astir by
the surprising observations recently made
by Captain Coffin on the southern bank Of
the Gulf Stream. The interest attaching to
the discovery is heightened by it's impor-
tance and value to the merchant marine.
The observations of Captain Coffin lead to
the conclusion that all the marine charts err
in locating the southern limit of the Stream,
and that this limit, between the meridians
of fifty and sixty degrees, is upward OF fifty
miles south of the position assigned to it by
the geographers From the earliest periods
of our history this colossal river OF the
ocean has been favorite subject Of study
It's vast depth, its width varying from thirty
to three hundred miles, it's mysterious jour
ney of some seven thousand miles through
the counter currents and hurricanes OF the
Atlantic. it's return to the Mexican Gulf,
whence it set out and from which 1t derives
its name, have rendered it marvel even to
the philosophers of our own day. Currents
vaster and more powerful traverse the
Antarctic Sea and the Pacific, yet the Gulf
Stream remains the most interesting OF ALL
All the rivers that flow into the Gulf and
the Caribbean Sea mingle their turbid
waters with this Stream and are borne with
it far upon the ocean, there to be deprived
of the elements Of disease But for its
ceaseless flow the tropical heat would be-
come insufferable and perpetual ice and
snow would rest on the shores of all North
ern Europe. While it stores up the suns
heat and waits it to northern climes
it induces counter streams from the Polar
Seas, which carry their chilling waters to
the tropical zone. Apart from the benef-
cent purpose it thus subserves in the
economy of the creation its great practical
utility to the mariner is we'll known. The
science of navigation embraces thorough
knowledge of the nature and location Of
this current. 1t is all-important that ship
masters desiring to enter or leave the
Stream should possess most accurate
knowledge OF its limits. The question
arises whether the deviation. observed
recently may not be merely temporary.
This is hardly probable, inasmuch as it was
observed two years ago. The evidence as
to the velocity of the current there appears
to be quite conflicting, which is no dispar-
agement to the individual statements, it
being probable that the swiftness varies
from three-quarters of a mile to three miles
per hour and each captain gives his own
experience.


Although the southern limit on the chart is
only an approximation it would seem from
! +ha OH hot vfnu ivo tom
porary changes take place in the direction
and velocity of the current second, that
the late discovery shows either large error
on the charts or the development of per-
manent alteration in the Stream. This last
view will not seem improbable when it is
remembered that the confguration Of coast
lines, which often determine the direction
and force of currents, is subject to per-
petual change. The accumulation OF
bnrs, deltas and coral islands, the
changes wrought by submarine earth
quakes and volcanoes, climatic variations
and other agencies are known to influence
the journey and the power of ocean streams.
Thus the late phenomenon would seem
to result from the inexorable laws OF
change. The mariner has already turned
astronomy and the magnetic needle to ac-
count In latter days the famous general
ization unfolding the law of storm paths has
robbed ocean travel of its greatest terrors.
It remains to make one more step in this
direction by giving accurate and trust
worthy maps Of the Atlantic and Pacific
currents. The Naval Department might at
tempt this with much profit to science and
the commercial world.