256 Observations on tlie Gulf-Stream, 



surface, without producing any thing of an unwieldy appear- 

 ance, and the adaptation of the mechanism for shutting one of 

 the stop-cocks each hour in succession, is not thereby render- 

 ed more difficult. 





Aet. IX. — Observations on the Gulf-Stream, in crossing it 

 from Halifax to Bermuda, and from Bermuda to Halifax, 

 in his Majesty's Ship Jaseur, in 1821. Communicated by 

 J. 1). Boswall, Esq. R. N., F. R. S. E. 



The Gulf-stream is generally supposed to proceed through 

 the Gulf of Florida, along the coast of America, until it gets 

 a few degrees to the North of Bermuda, and then turns off 

 to the N.N.E., N. E., and E.N.E., between the latitudes of 

 38° and 41° north. When it gets so far to the east as 61° of 

 west longitude, it spreads itself more, and its situation becomes 

 more southerly. Its breadth is commonly supposed to be 

 about two degrees, but it sometimes expands and contracts, in 

 consequence of the strength of the current varying from a 

 number of causes not yet ascertained. In making a passage 

 from Halifax to Bermuda, I have known the ship to be up- 

 wards of two degrees to the eastward of the longitude by ac- 

 count, and I have seen (but very seldom) the vessel not as 

 many miles. It is very difficult to ascertain the rate and di- 

 rection of the gulf-stream by a boat, as calms are seldom ex- 

 perienced in that quarter, and gales and squally unsettled 

 weather is very common, excepting with north-easterly winds 

 which bring fine weather along with them. 



The occurrence of the weed, called the gulf-weed, has been 

 considered by several navigators as a proof of their being in 

 the current, but this opinion is by no means correct. The 

 same weed is found all over the westerly part of the Atlantic, 

 and I have generally observed the greatest quantity on the 

 edges of the stream, and least in the middle. The weed I be- 

 lieve comes originally from the gulf, but it is driven about by 

 the different winds as much as by the stream, and is to be seen 

 floating about in strings in whatever way the wind blows, and 

 not always lying in the direction of the current. 



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