Year: 1877

A writer in atlantic Monthly for


December, in discussing the North


American climate, refers to our national


condition as compared with that OF


Europe, points out the cause, and sug-


gests remedy. The buried tropical for


ests on the shores of Greenland indicate


that ourland was not always as at present


the battle ground ofbitter cold and burn
ing heat, but was once bathed in a mild
ly-heated atmosphere. The cause OF this
change must be sought accordingto the
methods of modern science, III the
gradual effects of some permanentforce.


Streams of heat pouring from the sun
with equal force in every direction, are
uneoually distributed over the spherical
form of the earth; at the tropics where
the direct rays of the sun are received,
the expanse power of heat causes a
system of movements which spread
warmth widely north and south. The
principal mediums Of this distribution
are the ocean currents, though winds
have some share in the labor The gull
stream is the most important carrying
agent, and but for il the tropics would
be several degrees hotter, the polar cir
cles colder in corresponding degree,
and the world rendered far less habitable.
As the ocean currents in going from the
poles move faster than the regions they
continually enter, their paths are north
east and southeast; and astms condltlon
is perpetual each ocean keeps within its
own basin circulation of heated water,
very deep at the equator, growing sinai,
lower and shallower as itspreads toward
the pole, but carrying even into the arc,
tic circle nearly rs much heat as is cast
there by the rays of the sun. 1t IS evident
that the Intervention ofany body which
turns the ocean current from Its path
will be powerful agent OF climatic
change. 1t is held, therefore, that the
conformation of the two continents
which causes the Pacific gulf stream
sweeping from the coast of Asia, to use
lessly discharge great volumes OF neat
into the bay formed by the converging
shores of Asia and Africa, is the princl-
pal cause of our unfayorable climate.
The tropical water is beaten back from
the shores, very little finding its way
through the narrow passage OF Behrlng
Strait. If the low districts of Eastern
Siberia and Western Alaska could be
sunk few hundred feet beneath the sea,
the Pacific current, like that of the At
lantic, would flow uninteruptedly to the
pole, the temperature of the Arctic
regions would be raised some thirty
degrees, the vegetation of the Temperate
Zone would spread northward, and vast
forests would take the place of lifeless
cxpanses OF snow and ice. Tropical heat
would also be lowered, the winds from
the north would blow over fields and
woods, not icebergs; our climate would
become mild and equable, and the life
sustaining power of our northern lands
would be doubled. The theory is, then,
that the gradual lifting of this barrier
between the tropical current and the
pole has been the refrigerating agent III
our climatic change. And the remedy
suggested is the opening of passage
through the Alaskan peninsula, forty
feet in depth and 100 miles wide. As tho
AUdntic writer intimates, this is work
of greater magnitude than has ever be.
fore been attempted by man, and Will
not perhaps be effected by the selfish
world But if nations would use the life
now wasted in their armies and prisons,
and the millions squandered thereon, in
this undertaking. an openingf for" tramp"
labor would be offered, much that is now
worthless would be made profitable, and
the world would take distinct forward
step.