The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-10-12
81 OCEAN WAVES
Seldom Rise over Twenty-Five Feet-Bay
of Fundy-On the Horn.

Seldom Rise Over Twenty-Five teet-bay
of Fundy-OG the Horn.
In his report Of the terrible hurricane en-
countered by the British ship Ventura on
August 18th, in latitude twcnty-cight de-
grees, forty minutes n, longitude one hum
dred and twenty-eight degrees nItN-seven
minutes W., Captain Norman Lillia, the
master, makes the assertion that "a noun
famous wave was seen rolling toward the
ship about 100 feet high" As the gallant
captain is known 10 be a gentleman whose
ability as yarn spinner is very great. he
was probably unaware of the gross eXagger-
alton he was guilty of. An ocean wave
100 feet high is declared by shipmasters 10
be an impOssibility, and even bore or
tidal wave, has never been known 10 reach
such height.
A number Of shipmasters were discussing
this report on Change yesterday, and all
were OF the opinion that such wave exist
ed only in Captain lillia's imagination.
One captain, well known here, and OF great
experience, said:
"Wayes never rise TO more than 81 feet.
The highest wave | have ever seen was -
feet 6 inches by actual measurement, and
that broke on the bar at Pismo, where
was wrecking vessel had ample Oppor-
tunity to measure those cOmbers, and few
OF them rose over 20 feet. At the Farall-
ones YOU see the water going clear over the
rocks. The force OF the waves there is
terrific. | saw the iron rudder-head OF the
wrecked Bremen, which is seven Inches ~
diameter and of wrought iron, snapped Of
short like a pipe stem, and yet, as the re-
suit of long personal observation, | would
say that the waves at the Farallones seldom,
ii ever, are higher than - feet. The piers
and etties along this course are never more
than from II TO 10 feet in height, and yet
YOU seldom hear of them being washed
away. From my own experience at sea,
should say that ocean waves never rise
more than - feet at the highest, and more
generally only - feet.
The heaviest seas ever met with were
in the Bay Of Biscay, and | was in that de-
lightful part OF the ocean I'm one of the worst
gales that ever ragged there. and | know
that no wave that ! saw there rose higher
than twenty-three feet. A wave one hun
bred feet high would destroy the best ship
that ever sailed the sea. No vessel could
possibly survive the shock Of it. Now, Just
look at the absurdity of the thing: The
Nentura's main truck is probably not more
than one hundred and fifty feet from the
deck. Make it one hundred and nity from
the water line even, and then you viii see
over the vessel, must have buried her IN the
water up TO the topgallant crOss-trees, and,
Of course, no vessel could rise from such an
Immersion"
Where are the largest waves found.
Captainy asked reporter.
''Well, my experience has been thar IN
the forties both North and South in the Pa
cific and Atlantic you will find the heaviest
seas. They are called the rolling or roar
ing fortles, yon know, because of the rough
weather generally experienced IN those lat
itudes."
Yes said another shipmaster, Il agree
with YOU, and reverting to the matter OF
high waves, | guess there are none TO be
met with higher than those IN the BAY OF
Fundy or China Sea. An English naval
officer. recently sent out 10 measure those
In the former place, observed no waves high
er than thir'y-fye feet. The waves OF Cape
Horn are, of course, very high, but they
are long, and give ship time 10 recover
herself. on the Cape the waves are more
choppy. and consequently do not Use so
high. Waves do not rise with the gale. III
rs after the blow that the highest waves are
seen. The excessive force OF tae VIM
keeps the water Nat 10 "a certain extent,
blowing the crest of in what tue sailors
call 'scud.'
YES" said the captain, who INST spoke,
IL do not think the waves in the samoan
hurricane were SO large. The trouble was
they came SO quickly one after the DINER
that the vessels had not time TO recover.
The force OF waves in Il hurricane IL almost
Incredible. Ii amounts 10 6,9S3 POUNDS OF
40 10 the square foot OF water IN gaze.
IL has been observed that waves OF eight
feet numbered thirty-hye 10 the mile ana
eight minute; OF fifteen feet there are SIX
to the mile and five a minute; Of. twenty
feet there are three in the mile and four a
minute. San Francisco Alta.