260 LIGHT SCIENCE FOR LEISURE HOURS. 



former would produce a current flowing as the Grulf 

 Stream actually flows ; the latter would produce a cur- 

 rent flowing precisely in the opposite direction. This 

 being the case, I do not find the evidence for the trade 

 winds as the sole or even the main cause of the Gulf 

 Stream altogether convincing. The case does not, for 

 instance, seem quite 'as clear as the rotation of the 

 earth.' It seems, also, not undesirable to mention that 

 the equatorial current and the Gulf Stream are not 

 mere drift-currents, and that on a careful estimation of 

 the frictional action of such winds as the trades on the 

 surface of the ocean, the action will be found quite 

 unequal to the propulsion of so vast a body of water as is 

 actually carried westwards (not, by the way, before these 

 winds). Until difficulties such as these have been 

 removed from the trade wind theory as solely sufficient 

 to account for the Grulf Stream, I think I would rather 

 be the only student of science opposing that theory, 

 than one of a phalanx, however large, maintaining it. 

 There is, however, no such phalanx ; the subject being 

 regarded by nearly all students of science as a very 

 open one. 



English Mechanic, Aug. 30, 1872. 



THE CLIMATE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



IF there is one feature in the material relations of a 

 country which may be considered as characteristic as 

 of itself sufficient to define the qualities of the inhabit- 

 ants, and the position they are fitted to occupy in the, 



