1872.] (353) 
NOT! C E°S: "OR “BOOKS: 
Remarks on Recent Oceanic Explorations by the British Govern- 
ment, and the Supposed Discovery of the Law of Oceanic 
Circulation, by Dr. W. B. Carpenter, F.R.S. By Wituiam 
LEIGHTON JoRDAN. Buenos Ayres: Imprenta Inglesa, 55, 
Calle de Cuyo. 1871. 56 pp. 
THERE have ‘been promulgated several theories attempting to 
explain the phenomena of oceanic circulation; and among these 
that best known to the scientific public, because most sedulously 
advanced, originates with Dr. Carpenter. This author seems to 
possess a peculiar and often very convenient disregard for the 
objections of his confreres in science, more especially when these 
objections are unanswerable, finding his reward in the applause 
of a too credulous public. Despite the publicity given to the 
facts advanced by Mr. Jordan in 1868, Dr. Carpenter, we believe, 
still continues to ignore them. An adage says, “ Facts are 
stubborn things,” consequently there cannot be much surprise 
that they should again occur to Dr. Carpenter’s notice. Yet it 
seems strange that in such a tangible science as geography these 
facts should not have arisen dominant once and for all. To this 
there appears to be only one answer, namely, that geography is 
taught ordinarily in generalities ; the exceptions or anomalies to 
these generalities being omitted by or unknown to the authors 
of our books of reference. In dealing with the facts brought 
forward by Mr. Jordan as opposed to Dr. Carpenter’s theory, we 
shall quote extensively from the pamphlet sent us to review. 
In the first place Mr. Jordan says, speaking of the explorations, 
** My object is not to descant on the unquestionable merits of 
these researches as regards the discovery of facts, but to deal 
with deductions made by Dr. Carpenter from them, which I 
consider erroneous.” He then proceeds to the consideration of 
Dr. Carpenter’s arguments regarding the Mediterranean and 
Baltic, and assuming them to be irrefutable, passes to the unsound 
assertion that ‘‘ a vertical circulation must, on the same principle, 
be maintained between polar and equatorial waters by the 
difference of their temperatures. 
‘‘ As regards this temperature theory,” continues Mr. Jordan, 
“‘two incontrovertible facts exist, which combined are sufficient to _ 
annihilate it. The one, the fact that both in the Atlantic and Pacific 
Oceans the cold under-currents flowing towards the equatorial 
regions tend to the eastern parts of these regions, where they 
rise to the surface to flow westwards, becoming gradually 
heated in their course until, on the west of each ocean, they 
branch off northwards and southwards as warm currents. The 
VOL. II. (N.S.) Bed 
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