Report of further observations made upon the tidal streams of the English channel and German Ocean, under the authority of the admiralty, in 1849 and 1850

Abstract

This is the continuation of a report which the author made upon the tidal phenomena of the Irish Sea and English Channel in 1848. After detailing the manner in which the investigation had been conducted, and the great care which had been bestowed upon the observations, which are numerous, the author enters into an explanation of the whole system of tidal streams in the English Channel and North Sea, as deduced from these observations, and also as to what he considers to be the cause of the peculiar movement of the streams in these channels. He supposes, in conformity with Dr. Whewell’s theory, a tide-wave to pass along the western shores of Europe, and to enter the English Channel and North Sea by opposite routes, and to arrive off the Texel and Lynn at the same tidal hour as the tide-wave in the English Channel arrives off the Start and Jersey. From these points there are thrown off branch or derivative waves, which differ materially both in dimensions and rate of travelling from the parent wave. These waves roll on towards the strait of Dover and there merge into each other and form a combined wave.