OCEANIC CIRCULATION. 245 



not for the friction exerted by the banks, the water of 

 the river in Louisiana would be flowing at the rate of 

 100 miles per hour westwards. If, then, friction de- 

 prives the river of this enormous velocity as it obvi- 

 ously does how much more must it deprive the river 

 of the minute velocity of four or five miles per hour 

 due to slope or inclination. It is certain, therefore, 

 that the flow of the stream is due to the prevalent 

 northerly winds of the so-called Mississippi valley. 

 There are not wanting those, indeed, who assert that 

 this cannot be the case, because northerly winds are 

 not prevalent in this region. But the singular wrong- 

 headedness of this reasoning renders reply unnecessary. 

 That the flow of the great stream is caused by these 

 winds is as certain as the rotundity of the earth. 



From English Mechanic for July and August 1872. 



ADDENDUM. 1 



IT is impossible but that on a subject so difficult and 

 complicated as that of oceanic circulation, different 

 views should be entertained by students of science. 

 And it is clear that in the present stage of the inquiry 

 no useful purpose could be fulfilled by making the 

 problem a matter for controversy. Dr. Carpenter him- 

 self has shown that much more is to be gained by 



1 This paper was written in reply to comments by Dr. Carpenter on 

 the former paper. The nature of these comments will be inferred from 

 my reply ; in fact I quote the most important passages. 



