36 REPORT — 1853. 



Assuming these quantities, I find roughly by a celestial globe, that the two 

 were 10° apart, or a distance about equal to that between a and o, the two 

 upper stars of the Great Bear, .... which does not at all accord with the 



drawing, or with the description of J. C. H I think there is little 



doubt that the time was later than that mentioned, .... for otherwise J he 



moon's altitude would have been much less than that mentioned At 



the time mentioned, the moon had only about 12° of altitude Tiiere 



can be little doubt also, that all the observers saw Venus ; and I think the 

 descriptions may be reconciled with each other, and with the fact that it was 

 really a meteor, by supposing that when the meteor vanished they saw Venus 

 and took it for the meteor they had been observing ; of course, however, 

 there is great doubt about this, and the balance of probability is in favour 

 perhaps of Venus having been the object seen, with some peculiar halo 

 surrounding her; but, as I said, the drawing is decidedly opposed to this 

 supposition " 



On the Physical Features of the Humber. 

 By James Oldham, Esq., Civil Engineer, Hull, M.I.C.E. 



[A communication ordered to be printed among the Reports.] 



In consenting to prepare a paper to be read before the British Association, 

 I have felt some degree of hesitation, believing that there are many gentle- 

 men who, from their learning, research, and leisure are much better qualified 

 to do justice to the subject than myself. However, as a paper of this descrip- 

 tion may be a text or theme on which to ground a discussion, and thereby 

 call forth the views and opinions of others, I the more willingly venture 

 to submit my remarks. 



The Humber is properly an estuary or arm of the sea, in which the tide 

 reciprocates, and forms the mouth of some extensive rivers. Its length is 

 about 40 miles; 9 miles of which at its entrance from the sea, average 

 about 6 miles in width, and the remaining 31 miles a little more than 2 

 miles. It contains a total tidal area of about 80,000 acres. 



From Hull to the sea, the direction is about S.E., and from Hull inland 

 its course is about W. 



For the purposes of navigation, the Humber possesses great advantages ; 

 and notwithstanding the extensive sand-banks and shoals, the main channel 

 as high as Hull is good and capable of admitting ships of the largest class. 

 The depth between Hull and the sea at low water, spring-tides, is from 10 

 to about 4 fathoms. Above Hull, to the confluence of the Trent and Ouse, 

 the depth varies from 4 to 1 fathom. 



The spring-tidis rise about 22 leet, and neap-tides 15 feet, on an average; 

 and according to a note on Mr. Halls Chart of the Humber, the former run 

 at the rate of 4 to 5 knots per hour, and the latter from 2^ to 3 knots per 

 hour. 



I do not intend to touch upon the chemical properties of the water of the 

 Humber, as that subject will be treated by a gentleman well qualified to do 

 it justice; but I may remark, that the water ol the Humber is charged to a 

 great density with the alluvial mud of its shores, even to saturation. This 

 brings me to the geological formation of the Vale of the Humber, which 

 consists of clay, silt, chalk, lias, and gravel. The clay and silt formations 

 prevail to the greatest extent, being found on the whole of the shores, except 



