OCEANIC CURRENTS. 



41 



the shore on account of the westward tendency of all currents moving 

 toward the equator. 



The effect of the trade- winds would be to conspire with the cause 

 already discussed in the formation of the equatorial current c c\ and by 

 the reflection of this from continents, 

 the other currents spoken of. 



Application. — We will now apply 

 these principles in the explanation of the 

 currents of the Atlantic Ocean, for these 

 are best known. 



Currents coming from the north and 

 south on the African coast, and corre- 

 sponding to b V in the diagram Fig. 33, 

 unite to form an equatorial current c c', 

 which stretches across the Atlantic until, 

 striking (Fig. 34) against the coast of 

 South America, it turns north and south, 

 a a'. The southern branch has not been 

 accurately traced. It probably turns 

 gradually eastward, d', and forming . a 

 grand circle in the southern Atlantic joins again the South African 

 current V . The northern branch, «, runs along the coast of South 



Fig. 



90" 



60 



30 



30 



60< 



\D0 



. — Ideal Diagram, showing General 

 Course of Oceanic Currents. 



J r ' 3;* 



Hi: a, 



l\ 



\ ; ^c^ 





/ ,_.:&■■■■■- ct 



fa/ 



r% 





r> ;/ 



\ e'l 



Fig. 34.— General Course of Currents of the Atlantic. 



