Illustrating the Ku Ro Siwo or Black Stream
Impressive, large map of the World on Mercator's projection, published in Gotha by Justus Perthes.
Hermann Berghaus's map of the world is centered on the Atlantic, and it provides a remarkable look at the shipping lines, ocean currents, and seasonal details essential for oceanic transit between the continents, illustrating the importance of the expanded global trade which was then being facilitated by the rapid improvements in steam-powered vessels and increasingly open markets in Asia.
One of the interesting features of the map is the illustration of the various currents of the Pacific Ocean, including:
- Illustrating the Ku Ro Siwo or Black Stream
- North Pacific Current
- Californian C(urrent)
- Northern Equatorial Current
- Equatorial Counter Current
- Southern Equatorial Current
- Papagayo Drift
Other currents illustrated include:
- Antarctic Drift
- Southern Connecting Current (Atlantic)
- Guinea Current
- South Equatorial Current (Atlantic)
- Benguela Current (west Africa)
- Guyana Coast Current
- North Equatorial Current (Atlantic)
- Gulf Stream
- Drift From the Gulf Stream
- Malabar Current or Monsoon Drift
- Mozambique Current
- Aculhaus Current (South Africa)
- Retrograde Current
The sheer density of information is striking, showing topographic, arctic, and sub-arctic features, political data, railroad routes, maritime routes, ocean currents, winds, magnetic variation, and more. Insets in the lower quadrants of the map detail global telegraph lines, steamship routes, and provide a polar projection.
Berghaus first issued this map in 1863. It was revised numerous times over the years, with editions known as late as 1897.