The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1851-08-08
HEIGHT AND POWER OF WAVES.

"A
There is great diversity Of opinion
among scientific men (says tEe New Yorl
Evening Post) about the height to whicl
waves are sometimes rol ed UP in
storm. We saw Il stated in some journa
but few days since; that waves neyc
run more than ten feet high, while Hum
boldt, in his Cosmos, estimates their
extreme altitude at twenty-five feet
Recently, however, a more Careful inyes
tigation OF the phenomena Of waves ba
been instituted, which shows fesul,s en-
tirely al varicnce with the estimates we
have mentioned, and more in accordance
with the popular idea Of waves rolling
mountains high. c13ae1
DR.. Scoresby, in paper read before
the British Association at Edinburgh. hat
tlNcwn much light upon this interesting
inquiry. His researches, an account OF
which we find in the Boston Journal
we're conducted during two Atlantic
voyages in a steamship, under circum
stances vety favorable 70: observation. BY
an examination instituted durnga gale
he found that the average height of the
waves was full fifteen fee and upwards,
and the mean highest waves about forty.
three feet above the level Of the hollow.
| He also found that, after st orm Of abou,
thirty.six hours Duration, which had
abated several hours before the observa-
tioa, SO that the waves had perceptibly
subsidized, waves were noticed Of twenty
six feet average elevation from ridge to
hollow, and even Of thirty feet. They
we're, however. Of no great extent on the
ridge. af H
When waves meet with an obstruction,
their height is increased. Alta recent
meeting Of the British Association, Thom-
as Stevenson, Esq, Civil Engineer gave
the results of some careful observations
made at the Bell Rock lighthouse, from
which il appears that, on the 20Ih No
vember, IS47, in a heavy ground-swe
after a storm, solid water rose at the
Bell Rock lighthouse one hundred and
sir feet above the level Of the sea.-"lf
we recollect right" says the print from
which we have quoted, "the waves have
been known TO dash up the sides Of the
Eldys,one' light TO the height Of the
lantern, which is over ono hundred fee!
above the rock.' We are informed by
Mr.. Bonnet, the keeper Of the light.
house late on Mino,'s Rock, that he has
known the wav es TO rise at that struc.
ture above tho couplings Of the piles,
which we're th;ry-6ve feet above the
rock, and about twenty-five feet above
the highwlter mark.
Here, however, the piles Of the light
house offered but small resistance TO
the waves, compared with solid struc-
ture, and the only thing which would
he likely to raise the water above tho
usual level is It's striking against the rock
itself. This, however, being several feet
below the level Of high water, would tend
rather to break the waves than to in
crease their height. There is good rea-
son to believe that, during the recent
storm which destroyed the lighthouse
I The waves struck the store room, the
bottom Of which was forty seven feet
above the rock, and, allowing five feet
extra for the extraordinary rise of the
tide, thirty-two feet above high-watcr
imdik.
The length and velocity Of waves vary,
In rounding The Cape of Good Hope.
waves are no, unirequenily met with SO
vast that few ridges and a few depres-
sions occupy the extent ola mile. These
waves propagate their motion a! the rate
of thirty or forty miles per hour, Mr.
A. G. Findley, in paper read before the
Society Of Arts, stated that waves OF
from three hundred 10 four hudred fee:
in length from crest to crest travel with
| a velocity oftwenty to twenty-seven and
one half miles per hour, whether they
are fifty or fifiy.four feet in total height
They lravel for great distances, and are
often raised by distant hurricanes, hav'
ling been felt at ST. Helena and Ascen-
sion, which are six hundred miles apart;
and he remarked that il, is probable that
ground-swells often originate at the
Cape, of Good Hope, a distance Of three
thousand miles. Dr.. Scoresby, to whose
investigation we have already alluded,
catefully estimated the velocity Of the
waves, and found il TO be at the rate OF
so 81 English statute miles per hour. He
estimated FIVE hundred and fiftynine feet
as the probable mean distance of the
waves, or the width passed over between
crest and crest. II is common error
to suppose that the water advances with
The wave. II is the form only which
advances, the water rising and falling in
the same place, except when it reaches
beach, when it becomes really pro
, gressve, from the fact that il cannot sink
directly down, and therefore falls over
forward. ~
I Ii is reported that the New York Tn'
bune newspaper will divide this yea'
$4,000 clear profit, abou, $24 200 eacl
10 Greeley and McElra,b, and The res,
10 seven associates in the edliorsbIp and
booking .--Clep. True Democrat.