The Sun.
London, England, 1860-11-07 00:00:00

LITE.RATU.RE.

IVie Sea and its living Wonders. By Dr. G.
Hartwig.—Longman.
This work has been received with great favour
in Germany, and deservedly Our Continental
neighbours' appreciationafo ofthitssuM.erits is proved by
the publication of dition. The work
before us is a translation fourth
the German edition,
partly rewritten and extended. Dr. Hartwig,
although treating of a subject .replet.e with the
marvellous as that of oceanic wonders, has suc-
ceeded in describing the extraordinary inhabitants
peculiarities
of the deep, the individual of the
most remarkable species, togetherwith the various
seafowl, mamalim, and moluscs which abound in
all parts of the globe without drawingituhpon
fancy. He commences his narrative
With
dissertation on the peculiarities of different
climates, and endeavours to prove in 4 logical man-
ner that the changes which have taken place in I
certain localities where rich fertile districts have, in
the lapse of ages, degenerated into barren wastes is
in a great measure owing to the wanton destruc-
tion of the forests by man, thus destroying the
attractive influence which nature ordained to draw
moisture from the clouds. But this law will not
apply to all countries, for we find vast tracts of
country in Australia well timbered but almost
destitute of water. In treating of the height and
velocity of waves, the author quotes from several
eminent philosophers, to show that the poetical de-
scriptions which are given by too many travellers,
of mountain waves that kiss the skies and over-
hand the masthead, are altogether nonsense, but
that the reality of their force and altitude is quite
sufficient to strike awe into the hearts of the
boldest without drawing upon imagination.
THI HEIGHT OF WA.TES.

The height which waves may attain on the open sea has
been accurately investigated by the late Rev. Dr. Scoresby,
during two passages across the Atlantic in 1847 and 1848.
" In the afternoon of March 5, 1848," says that eminent
philosopher, " I stood during a hard gale upon the cuddy-
roof or saloon deck of the Hibernia 1 a height, with the ad-
dition of that of the eye, of 23 feet 3 inches above the line
of flotation (the ship's course being-similar to that of the
waves). lam not aware that I ever saw the sea more ter-
ribly magnificent; the great majority of the rolling masses
of water was more than 24 feet high (including depression
as well as altitude, or reckoning above the mean-level,
more than 12 feet). I then went to the larboard
paddle-box, about 7 feet higher (30 feet 2 inches up to the
eye), and found that one-half of the waves rose above the '
level of the view obtained.
"Frequently I observed long ranges (200 yards), which
rose so high above the visible horizon, as to form an angle
estimated at two or three degrees when the distance of the
wave's summit was about 100 yards from the observer.
This would add near 13 feet to the level of the eye, and at
least one in half a dozen waves attained this altitude. Some-
times peaks or crests of breaking seas would shoot upward,
at least 10 or 15 feet higher.
"The average wave was, I believe, fully equal to that of
my sight on the paddle-box, or more than 15 feet, and the
mean highest waves, not including the broken or acumi-
nated crests, about 43 feet above the level of the hollow oc-
cupied at the moment by the ship. It was a grand storm
scene, and nothing could exceed the pictorial effect of the
partial sunbeams breaking through the heavy masses of
clouds." From the time taken by a regular wave to pass
from stern to stem, Dr. Scoresby calculated its velocity at
4875 feet in each minute, or 32.67 English statute miles in
an hour. The mean length of the wave-ridges was from a
quarter to a third of a mile.
To those who might be inclined to doubt the accuracy of
these measurements, the remark may suffice that our cele-
brated countryman had been for years engaged in the
northern whale fishery, where be had ample opportunities
for practising his eye in measuring distances. Besides, the
conclusions of many other trustworthy observers coincide
with the evaluations of Dr. Scoresby.
After describing the many curious effects of cur•
rents, and explaining that the great difference of
temperature between places in the same latitude
situated in the;Old and New Worlds is mainly caused
by the warm currents, such as the Gulf Stream,
flowing from the tropics to the coast of Europe, and
the icy waters from the pole sweeping round the
American coast, he proceeds to pull to pieces not a
few of the old traditions whici have been reli-
giously believed by our forefathers, but which this
sceptical age of science and progress will not enter.
tain ; among others, the great Norwegian whir
pool is divested of its glory and danger :

THE MAELSTROM,
In narrow straits or in the intricate channels which wind
through clusters of islands, different tidal waves meeting
from opposite directions give rise to more or less dangerous
whirlpools. One of the most famous of these vortices,
though inconsiderable in itself, is the renowned Charybdis,
which gave so much trouble to Ulysses on his passing
through the strait which separates Sicily from Italy, but is
at present an object of fear scarcely even to the poor fisher-
man's boat.