The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-03-20

ripple which We watch Is simply the
force of the fall of the stone being
passed on. Hence, q wave Is q mo-
ton, not a mass in movement.
The velocity of a wave depends upon
the wind, the depth Of water and the
length Of the wave from crest to crest,
or, as we should describe it in popular
language. the distance from the top
Of one wave to the top CT the next. To
the man of science a wave is the space
from crest to crest, whereas the ordi-
nary person measures from hollow to
hollow.
The height of the waves varies in
different depths of water, as we'll as
In accordance with their length. DR..
Scoresby, who measured the waves of
the Atlantic. found some to be forty.
three feet from crest to trough, while
others, in comparatively shallow water
were between four and five feet. He
estimated the average height to be ten
feet. a wave 600 feet long in the At
lantic usually has a height Of thirty
feet, and moves at the rate Of thirty
two miles an hour.
But storm brings about variations
of these calculations, while earth
quakes are also responsible for many
vagaries.
Careful estimates by experienced
men have shown that during a heavy
storm in the South Atlantic the waves
are often fifty feet high. while their
length for that height is about 400 feet.
Near Santander. on the Spanish coast,
waves nearly eighty feet high. with Il
length of rather less thar 400 feet,
have been noted. In the North sea
waves rarely exceed 15I feet In length
and fifteen feet in height.
The longest wave ever measured was
in the Atlantic; it was 2,720 feet and 1t
slowed at the rate Of a mile q minute.
In the Fay of Biscay waves 1920 feet
have been observed; they were NOV
ing at the rate Of forty miles an hour.
Earthquakes play some peculiar
pranks with the waters. During that
which occurred at Samoda, on the Is.
land of Niphon, in Japan, the harbor
was emptied of water, then the water
came back in a rush. only 10 reced ,
again. This occurred several times.
Now mark what took place. The wave
or swell travelled across the bosom OF
the Pacific ocean to San Francisco.
4,S00 miles away, in twelve hours and
sixteen minutes. equal to six and a
half miles a minute. The self-regis-
tering recorder at the latter place is
proof OF this.
In 1883. during an earthquake In
Java, a wave swept along a total coast
line Of forty miles. 1t was apparently
tired of the sea and wanted a spell
ashore, for it did not confinc itself to
the beach. 1t travelled inland, and, in
a sportive mood, it landed a steamer
two miles inland in a jungle.
The biggest solitary wave ever
known was caused by the Peruvian
earthquake of 1868. Never has such
wave been originated by a seismic
disturbance that was in itself of SO
small an area.
At africa, Peru. its height was fifty
feet. This also went ashore. carrying
with it two warships and depositing
them mile beyond the railway. Then
it went on n journey around the globe
At San Pedro. Cal. it had increased
it's stature by ten feet. 1t visited the
Sandwich Islands and again went
ashore, quite submerging some of the
smaller members Of the group II
reached Yokohoma, Japan In the early
hours Of the next morning, having
taken in New Zealand on its way, and
finally spent itself in the South Allan
tic after beating the "round the world''
| record.