MR MILNE ON A REMARKABLE OSCILLATION OF THE SEA. 



continuously. Mr BUNT farther informs me, that the sea at high water, on 

 the night of the 5th July, or rather at 1 A.M. on the 6th July, was 6 inches 

 higher than it should have been. 



The following occurrences, or some of them, are probably connected with the 

 same phenomenon ; though some uncertainty on this point prevails, as the precise 

 date could not be ascertained. 



At the Scitty Isles (as Mr EDMONDS of Penzance writes) the sea rose to an 

 " unusual height" on the 5th July 1843 ; and a correspondent there informed 

 him, that " the sea was much agitated, as if some violent force from beneath 

 the surface was lifting the body of water above, while the surrounding water 

 was perfectly calm and smooth." 



At Portlogan, in Galloway, the tide, in the early part of July 1843, rose 3 feet 

 higher than it was ever known to reach there, even at the springs. The 

 weather was then moderate ; but it was soon followed by heavy rain, and a 

 gale from the SW. 



At Cockenzie (ten miles east of Leith), in the Firth of Forth, Mr CADELL writes 

 me, "I recollect perfectly of remarking, during a forenoon, between 10 and 

 11 o'clock, when on the pier, the singular rise and fall of the tide, about 

 the period you mention, but, from not having taken any note of the pheno- 

 menon, I cannot speak positively as to the date." 



Mr RITSON, the keeper of the Little Ross Lighthouse, wrote as follows to Mr 

 STEVENSON : " One day last summer, near this place, Mr Ross and his men 

 were washing their nets, in the afternoon, at high water, when the tide re- 

 ceded about 3 feet. It then began to flow again, and continued to do so for 

 about half an hour. During that time, the sea rose 1^ feet above its previous 

 mark. Then it began to ebb again as usual. At this time there was no 

 storm, and the sea was perfectly smooth." 



Having mentioned all the places at which the phenomenon was ascertained 

 to have occurred, it is proper to add, that there are various places on the British 

 coasts, where it certainly did not occur. 



Liverpool is one of these places ; and where, from the flatness of the shores, 

 the multitude of shipping, and the number of tide-gauges, any flux or reflux dif- 

 ferent from the ordinary tides, would certainly have attracted general attention. 

 Through the kindness of Dr TRAILL, I obtained reports from several intelligent 

 observers at Liverpool, which satisfactorily establish that there was no oscillation 

 in that quarter. 



At Sheerness, where there is a most accurate self-registering tide-gauge, the 

 invention of Mr MITCHELL, and the indications of which I have seen for the 5th, 

 6th, and 7th July, no oscillation appears to have taken place. 



