Morning journal and courier., 1883-03-15


 The Sandy Hook Tide Two Hours
 Earlier Than at the Race-The Meet
 ing of These Tides Between Sands
 Point and ThrOg's Neck-Thsfr Effect
 in Long Island Sound-Tides Explained
 by the United States Coast and GeOdet-
 fc Survey.
 CONTINUED
 In a previous article was given an abridged outline of the value of Long Island Sound for commercial purposes as it appears to the writer, it's north shore far as the city of New York being specially adapted for trans portation of the productions of the northern States and the Canadas, via the Housatonic, Naugatuck, Pennington and Connections val leys, and the utility of these natural avenues of late having been much enhanced by the opening of the Hoosac Tunnel and other routes through the Berkshire hills connect ing with the valley of the Mohawk and. a section of country to Buffalo and the great lake system, better adapted for railroad and canal transportation on account of lower e1e- vation than any parallel route from the orthwestern granaries to the Atlantic sea- board.
 Mention has also been made of the adapta-
 
 burthen and draft plying to and from Euro pean ports and its advantage over the more southern waters and gulf ports, and it may not be out of place here to mention again it's advantageous position, being in the varia- ble west wind belt of north latitude, having the eastern entrance kept open at all seasons of the year by the currents and warm tenn perature of the Gulf stream and seldom ex- posed to the heavy hurricanes which during their season make great destruction on the coast further southward also the effects of it's tides and how they may be utilized Gas shown by observations made by the United States Engineer Corps and the United States Coast Geodetic survey) to SCOUT and dredge the entrances of the numerous harbors and rivers which empty their waters into it. 'Tis said, and the theory has strong support as careful investigation shows, that the volume of water, salt and fresh which passes out of Long Island Sound (ebb tide) eastward via the Race is very much greater than the vol ume which comes in on the flood through the same passage. as the movement on the east coast of North America of the great flood tidal wave demonstrates This vast body of water passes from the Pacific ocean around both the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Horn, into the South and North Allan tic, starts from an imaginary meridian east of the Newfoundland bank in the deep sea, and takes west, ,southwesterly direction. It takes this direction on account of the ob struction of the Nova Scotia, St. George and Nantucket shoals or banks, (and probably the Gulf streams Consequently the young flood makes at Sandy Hook about two hours earlier than at New London, Cor the Race It then passes up East river into the Sound which basin of water by the last ebb has been drained or lowered to the extent of several feet. It then meets the east flood, via the Race at 8 point between Sands Point and Throgg's Neck, about of Hewlett's Point on Long Island Cor few miles east or west as condition of wind and river freshets may ef- fect.) With this accumulation from both floods meeting in the Sound and the drainage of the rivers which is held back by this body of sea water, 1t is evident that there must be SCOUT produced along the shore and on the bottom of the Sound, and as said before, across the entrance of all rivers and bays. AS investigation shows the enquirer any obstruction to this Eastward and westward) current laid so as to concen- trate the flow and guide it in 8 given direction will remove any soft matter like sand, mud and silt and carry it seaward to be deposited in deeper water, as has been proved by system of jetties in the rivers and harbors of Europe.
 AS synopsis of the causes of the ebb and flow of the great tidal wave of the Atlantic along our coast, as published in the United States coast and Goedetic survey tide table for the present year, may interest, we append it here.
 CAUSES OF THE EBB AND FLOW OF THE GREAT
 TIDAL WAVE.
 'sThe tides are caused by the action of the sun and moon upon the waters of the earth the effect of their influence combines at new and full moon to produce the highest tides called spring tides. When the moon is near the first and third quarters the effects are opposed and the small or neap tides are pro- duced. The nearer the moon is to the earth the stronger it's action consequently at the least distance of the moon (Perigee) the tides will be larger on that account, and core spondingly less at it's greatest distance (Apogee.). For like reason the tides will be slightly increased by the suns action when the earth is nearest to the sun (Peri- helion) about the first of January and simi- larly decreased when furthest from it (Aphelion) about July first.
 ''When the moons declination is greatest, either north or south, the tides usually have the greatest range of rise and fall-that is, they rise higher and fall lower than at other times, and one high water of each day is higher than the other, and one low water lower than the other. The higher high water occurs sooner than, and the lower ones later than at other times. Near tue time of zero declination the two high tides of each day become nearly equal, and the time of their occurrence are near the average ones, while the range of rise and fall is the least that oc- CUTS. Similar but smaller effects follow the suns change of declination."
 This explanation shows conclusively the causes of the tides, but the movement of this vast body of salt water is effected often by winds at sea, and the time of high water is not always regular, as the lay of the coast often impedes it's movements For example, after long north and east blow the tide in the harbors at the west end or head of the Sound Cow Bay in particular) have been HTn fo 1siSo kuUo fook via ''backed up" as it were by the East river Hood, and it's force being increased by winds of great energy shifting southwardly soon after the commencement of the young flood at Sandy Hook. It is matter of the great est importance to navigatcrs, as well as to river and harbor improve ments, viz, the effect of this great body of salt water ebbing and flowing at une- qual intervals, as the known density of sea water and it's securing effects on the bottom (the fresh water rising to the surface have been so often proved. Some observations in the Hudson river have shown sea water near the bottom twenty-five miles above points where fresh water has been taken out of the river fit to drink Then also is to be con sidered in this connection the power of this great force to hold back the drainage of rivers like the Hudson and Connecticut. From the former river considerable volume by every flood tide, often assisted by west winds, is carried into the Sound, as proved by fresh water ice and drift stufs from this river which are often found east of Throgg's Neck.
 Therefore this extra quantity of water (salt or fresh) forced into the Sound Rs de scribed, does not. it is supposed, all return seaward via Sandy Hook. The reason sug gested is that it's progress is retarded by the intricacies of East river, but once in the' Sound it flows eastward and naturally with the ebb out to sea again via the Race, and with greater force and velocity on account of It's great volume, securing the bottom of suit | and other soft deposits. Now, if the sbb | tide is concentrated at any point by means of ietties or breakwaters outside of the entrance l of harbor or river, said artificial obstruc- | tions being so constructed as to direct this | SCOUT across such deposit, the dredging pow | er must be very great as shown by the re- suits caused by similar structures at the en- | frances of European rivers and harbors and | at Charleston and the Mississippi bar.
 Hoods SarsaparilIa gives an appetite and | mparts new life and energy to all the func-