The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-07-19
THE PACIFIC
Commercial AObertisrr,
SATURDAY. JULY 70.
New Theory of the Tides.


In Scribner's Monthly FOR June we have 4 new
theory Of the tides occupying three pages Of that
periodical For the benefit of the readers Of the
ADVERTISER l will try 10 condeuse the article.
OBJECTIONS 10 The Present Theory.
1T Is argued that the attractive power Of the
moon, At times aided by the sun. will and does draw
up q prOtuberauce Of water upon the side Of the
earth turned towards them. When in conjunction,
three-hfths Of this lifting power is ascribed to the
moon, and the remaining tgo-h:ths 20 the sun The
reasoning here employed necessitates the obedience
Of high tide with the meridian position Of the moon
but such coincidence has never been observed.
1.-The ordinary tides vary as much as three hours
from the time demanded upon the theory while un-
der circumstances that should triumphantly sustain
it, refer TO the conjunction Of the sun and moon.
the food tide differs by some ~thirty-six hours from
the time at which it should occur"
Again, according 10 the current theory, "'thc
tidal wave travels with the moon about the earth
from east to west once in about twenty-five hours.
NOW it can be shown in fact, and is continually
recognized in the practise Of mariners, that the tidal
wave travels about the earth in the opposite direction
from west 70 east"
Centrifugal Force, The Cause Of the Tides.
"This force, s~pringing from the law Of gr%avita-
ton, Whitls the water forward in mid-ocean, as the
water is thrown forward on a revolving grind-stone.'.
More Objections 10 the Common Theory.
"Since this theory ascribes the tides to the potency
OF BOTH moon ana sun, allottlng tW0-nItnS OF the re-
sultant 10 the latter, II should be expected that when
the sun and moon are in quadrature there would be
four different tides at one and the same time on four
different parts of the earth. The fact is otherwise
cat a quarter further on the sun and moon are in
opposition they have the earth between them, and
hence exert their attractive energy in opposite direc-
tons. We should therefore expect, upon reasonable
analogy, TO find the resultant a feeble tide, for the
attracting forces should partially neutraize each
other, and We should have, instead of the flood tide
which really OccurS- but a fractional mart. ODe-lfth.
of the combined attractive powers as q surplus for
tidal effect.
"a rotating body generates centrifugal force. As
the globe we inhabit presents this motion, so its
oceans should have a wave rolling round in accord
ance with this force from west to east. Allow me to
term this the centrifugal theory of the tides"
But how does this wave produce two daily tides ?
1t does not produce two distinct tides daily on the
great southern ocean. Nor does it at all points in
tertropical. 1t only makes two tides, by gurgitation
and regurgitation, as it is thrown out from its CEN
trail crest into the seas between the continents, oscil-
lating from one shore to the other, thus producing
high and low water, or flood and ebb tide at the
average intervals of twelve and a half hours giving
rise to all grades of tides in accordance to the shape
of the seas and CULTS, bays and rivers, and their
openings to receive it."
the swell tide, and contiguous TO the gulf stream, it
rises to the height of sixty and seventy feet, and,
when assisted by a wind, to a hundred feet. In the
Mediterranean, with its mouth nearly shut at Glib
/ dlldI u ISL OuI -
Such is the theory of John Wise in regard to the
tides. But is it satisfactory? Is it certain that a
great centrifugal wave rolls round the earth from
west to east? Wise says that the first anthem
ticated records we have of this are given in the log
Of the clipper ship, Sovereign Of the Seas, in her re-
markable short passage of eighty-three days from
the Sandwich Islands to New York in 1858, in ac-
cordance with Maury's chart furnished by our gov
eminent. This ship made 161 knots an hour in her
casting for four consecutive days while riding this
great centrifugal wave in her doubling of Cape
| Horn
And what does this first authenticated record
amount to? Driven by strong trades could she not
have made as rapid progress for four consecutive
days in an opposite direction 1t is well known
that strong westerly winds are very common in the
latitude of Cape Horn, and with those winds the
Sovereign Of the Seas should have made II knots an
hour, without any current to help her on.
Again, if his theory is the true one. the tides in
the equatorial regions should be higher than else
where, gradually diminishing towards the poles.
They should also be higher ON the western shores OF
the continents than on the eastern.
Once more, if the new theory is the true one, how
can we account for the gulf stream? A current
ward to South America, when its direction is
changed. and passing through the Caribbean Sea
and the Gulf of Mexico, it continues its course to-
wards the northern regions.
No satisfactory theory of the tides has yet been
preached nor is it at all probable that " the CEN
trifugal theory" of Mr.. Wise will satisfy. Here is
an opportunity for investigation and it may be that
some fortunate student of Natures mysteries may
be rewarded by discovering the true theory.
Honolulu, July 1st, 1873. ALIoU1s.