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70 THE OCEAN.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE GULF STREAM.—INFLUENCE OF THIS CURRENT ON CLIMATE.—ITS IMPORTANCE TO COMMERCE.
Of all the oceanic rivers, the best known to us is that part of the North
Atlantic current which the English and the Americans have named the
Gulf Stream, because it makes a long circuit in the Gulf of Mexico before
reaching the ocean. In the year 1513 the Spaniards, Ponce de Leon and
Antonio de Alaminos, knew of the existence of this current; and six years
later Alaminos, setting forth from the Straits of Florida, allowed himself to
be carried by the water into the open sea, and thus discovered the great
circular route which ships have now to follow in order to return speedily
to Europe. Since the time of Varenius, who attempted to describe the
Gulf Stream, of Vossius, who traced its immense circuit on a map, Franklin and Blagden, who were the first to explore it scientifically, this current has been studied by numerous geographers. Without doubt, there
is no marine current which merits to be better known in all its details;
none has been of more importance in the commerce of nations or exercises
a greater influence upon the climate of the north-west of Europe. It is
to the Gulf Stream that the British Isles, France, and the neighboring-
countries owe in great part their mild temperature, their agricultural
wealth, and, in consequence, a very considerable part of their material and
moral power.* Its history is almost identical with that of the entire
North Atlantic Ocean, so important is its hydrological and climatic in-
fluence.f
The celebrated Maurji devotes the most important part of his classical
work on the " Geography of the Sea " to the Gulf Stream. It " is a river
in the ocean; in the severest droughts it never fails, in the mightiest
floods it never overflows. Its banks and its bottom are of cold water,
while its current is of warm. There is in the world no other such majestic flow of waters. Its current is more rapid than the Mississippi or
the Amazon, and its volume a thousand times greater." Such is the epic
language in which Maury's fine work commences.!
After having made the tour of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico in six months, after having driven back upon the shores of Alabama
the muddy waters of the Mississippi which border its dark blue waves,
the Gulf Stream follows the northern coasts "of Cuba, then turns the
southern point of Florida, and penetrates the strait which separates the
American continent from the islands and banks of Bahama. Swelled by
* See the chapter entitled The Earth and Man.
f J. G. Kohl, Geschichte des Golfstroms, p. 1.
X Physical Geography of the Sea, p. 23.
| Title | The ocean, atmosphere, and life |
| Creator | Reclus, Elisée |
| Publisher | Harper |
| Place of Publication | New York |
| Date | 1873 |
| Language | eng |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Title | 00000079 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | 70 THE OCEAN. CHAPTER VIII. THE GULF STREAM.—INFLUENCE OF THIS CURRENT ON CLIMATE.—ITS IMPORTANCE TO COMMERCE. Of all the oceanic rivers, the best known to us is that part of the North Atlantic current which the English and the Americans have named the Gulf Stream, because it makes a long circuit in the Gulf of Mexico before reaching the ocean. In the year 1513 the Spaniards, Ponce de Leon and Antonio de Alaminos, knew of the existence of this current; and six years later Alaminos, setting forth from the Straits of Florida, allowed himself to be carried by the water into the open sea, and thus discovered the great circular route which ships have now to follow in order to return speedily to Europe. Since the time of Varenius, who attempted to describe the Gulf Stream, of Vossius, who traced its immense circuit on a map, Franklin and Blagden, who were the first to explore it scientifically, this current has been studied by numerous geographers. Without doubt, there is no marine current which merits to be better known in all its details; none has been of more importance in the commerce of nations or exercises a greater influence upon the climate of the north-west of Europe. It is to the Gulf Stream that the British Isles, France, and the neighboring- countries owe in great part their mild temperature, their agricultural wealth, and, in consequence, a very considerable part of their material and moral power.* Its history is almost identical with that of the entire North Atlantic Ocean, so important is its hydrological and climatic in- fluence.f The celebrated Maurji devotes the most important part of his classical work on the " Geography of the Sea " to the Gulf Stream. It " is a river in the ocean; in the severest droughts it never fails, in the mightiest floods it never overflows. Its banks and its bottom are of cold water, while its current is of warm. There is in the world no other such majestic flow of waters. Its current is more rapid than the Mississippi or the Amazon, and its volume a thousand times greater." Such is the epic language in which Maury's fine work commences.! After having made the tour of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico in six months, after having driven back upon the shores of Alabama the muddy waters of the Mississippi which border its dark blue waves, the Gulf Stream follows the northern coasts "of Cuba, then turns the southern point of Florida, and penetrates the strait which separates the American continent from the islands and banks of Bahama. Swelled by * See the chapter entitled The Earth and Man. f J. G. Kohl, Geschichte des Golfstroms, p. 1. X Physical Geography of the Sea, p. 23. |
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