The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-10-03

DETAILS OF Arctic tides II is fact that thew are
normally OF modest range and vet in some PARTS
the rise and fall Is considerably less than II
shouid De III the water were free to circulate from
snore 10 shore or from side to side Of the Arctic
BASIN Indeed, so We told bv R. A. Harris of
the United States coast and eeodetIc survey. "at
Bennett island at Teplitz BAY Franz Josef land,
the range Of the diurnal wave has about onehalf
OF the magnitude which the tidal forces acting
oyer an uninterrupted Arctic basin would pro-
duce." In other words. the normal or theoretical
flow Is somehow impeded and the question is
What Is the nature and the extent of this OBJ
struction or series Of tidal checks?
The semi-daily tides found in the Arctic ocean
are derived almost entirely from those Of the
North Atlantic, because the semi-daly forces van
ish at the pole and are very small in the higher
latitudes," Mr.. Harris continues. 1T is case
OF getting near the hub Of a wheel These tides
enter the Arctic ocean proper by way Of the
strait lying between Spitzbergen and the eastern
coast Of northern Greenland. They are propa-
gated through the Arctic to the New Siberian
islands, the average rise and fall at Bennett is
land being 2.5 feet
Now upon the assumption of uninterrupted
Arctic basin the tides at Point Barrow and at
F7axman island could not differ greatly in size
from the tides which would upon the same
sumption. be found at Bennett island. But as a
matter of fact the rise and fall of the semi-daily
tide is 0.4 foot at Point Barrow and 05 at Flax
man island"
But the presence of an obstruction, assuming
the water for the tidal movement to come, as Mr..
Harris says. from the Atlantic ocean via the
passage between the northeastern coast Of Green
land and Spitzbergen, Is further evidenced by the
directions in which the ebb and the food tides
now. II no barrier existed to the free movement
OF the flood from east to west then the ebb would
east to the outlet between the two points
mentioned In short, II would leave by the short
est route to the original point OF entry into the
Arctic basin.
Other records available that help to bear
out Mr.. Harris argument In favor Of a vast un-
charted continent or extended group OF big is
lands OF which Croker land is but a part In
September. 1879, the Arctic exploring craft Jean
nette was caught by the ice and frozen in near
Wrangel island. where the Karluks men are now
marooned She was carried by the ebb tide along
with the ice to the westward until she sank on
June IL. 1881, to the northeast of Bennett island
Again, Nansen's Fran frozen in to the
eastward of Bennett island September %,
1893 and after drifting generally westward got
clear on July 10. 1885, at point nearly due north
Of Spitzbergen. Now let us see what happened to
the Karuk.
On October 6, last year, Stefanssons ship was
swept from her anchorage by a gale and carried
of shore at a point northeast of Barter island
near Manning point There she was caught by
the Arctic pack, from which 1t was impossible to
break her loose, and thence she. too. drifted to
and sent to the bottom north Of Wrangel island