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An Investigation of the Currents of the Atlantic Ocean, and of Those Which Prevail Between the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic [ed. by J. Purdy].
An Investigation of the Currents of the Atlantic Ocean and of Those Which Prevail Between the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic - ed. by J. Purdy Author:James Rennell General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1832 Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million book... more »s for free. Excerpt: 8. -- Of The COUNTER CURRENTS Op The GULF- STREAM. Concerning these Counter Currents, we possess general notices in abundance respecting the eastern part; but the detail is confined chiefly to the western part, and to the south of the Gulf- stream ; for Captain Tozer, who crossed the stream so often, rarely found any westerly current on the north. Other Reports give the same conclusion. The cause of this greater proportion of it being on the south, is probably owing to the bending of the great body of the stream to the southward, near the Azores, and enveloping the islands of Corvo and Flores; where, as we have already said, after it has passed to the southward of those isles, and spread a large proportion of its waters along the S. W. side of the chain of the Azores, the remainder, as far as the current is perceptible1, takes a decided course to the W. S. W. and S. W.2, and is traceable, in a general way, on this latter course, between the parallels of 35 and 37, as far west as longitude 45, but is there lost to our observation. Dr. Franklin experienced this current, in considerable strength, in August, 1785, between theparallels of 34 and 36, all the way from the Azores, westward, until he entered the Gulf-stream, opposite to the entrance of the Chesapeake. As his reckoning includes the whole space between the Azores and the place of his entering the stream, it cannot be known what proportion of four degrees of westerly set (or 190 miles) was the effect of the counter current, but probably the greater part1. 1 It is suspected, that there is very commonly a gentle, though imperceptible, motion of ...« less