832 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1809. 



channel, during strong winds, be- 

 tween the W. and S. W., cannot be 

 doubted, because the increased 

 height of the tides in the south- 

 ern ports, at such times, is obvious 

 to every discerning eye. Indeed, 

 the form of the upper part of the 

 channel, in particular, is such as to 

 receive and retain, for a time, the 

 principal part of the water forced 

 in ; and as a part of this water is 

 continually escaping by the Strait 

 of Dover, it will produce a current ; 

 which must greatly disturb the 

 reckonings of such ships as navigate 

 the Strait, when thick weather pre- 

 vents the land, or the lights of the 

 Foreland, and the north Goodwin, 

 from being seen. 



I observe in a new pubhcation of 

 Messrs. Lawrie and Whittle, inti- 

 tled " Sailing Directions, &c. for 

 the British- Channel, 1808;" that 

 throughout the channel it is admit- 

 ted by the experienced persons 

 whom he quotes, that strong S. W. 

 winds " cause the flood-tide to run 

 an hour, or more, longer than at 

 common 'times;" or, in other 

 words, that a current overcomes 

 the ebb tide a full hour ; not to 

 mention how much it may accelerate 

 the one, and retard the other dur- 

 ing the remainder of the time.* 



It is evident, that the direction 

 of the current under consideration 

 will be influenced by the form and 

 position of the opposite shores, at 

 the entrance of the Strait ; and as 

 these are materially diiFerent, so 

 must the direction of the stream be, 

 within the influence of each side 

 respectively. For instance, on the 

 side, the current having 



English 



taken the direction of the shore?, 

 between Dungeness and the South 

 Foreland, will set generally to the 

 north-east, through that side of the 

 Strait. But, on the French side, 

 circumstances must be very differ- 

 ent ; for the shore of Boulogne 

 trending almost due north, will 

 give the current a like direction, 

 since it cannot turn sharp round 

 the point of Grisnez, to the north- 

 eastward ; but must preserve a 

 great proportion of its northerly 

 course, until it mixes with the wa- 

 ters of the North Sea. And it may 

 be remarked, that the Britannia, 

 when driven to the eastward of the 

 Goodwin, would fall into this very 

 line of current. 



There is another circumstance to 

 be taken into the account ; which 

 is, that the shore of Boulogne pre- 

 senting a direct obstacle to the wa- 

 ter impelled by the westerly winds, 

 will occasion a higher level of the 

 sea there than elsewhere ; and, of 

 course, a stronger line of current 

 towards the Goodwin. 



It must, therefore, be inferred 

 that a ship, passing the Strait of 

 Dover, at the back of the Goodwin 

 Sands, during the prevalence of 

 strong W. or S. W. winds, will be 

 carried many miles to the north- 

 ward of her I'eckoning ; and, if 

 compelled to depend on it, may be 

 subject to great hazard from the 

 Goodwin. 



It will be understood, of course, 

 that although the stream of current, 

 alone, has been considered here, 

 (in order to simplify the subject), 

 yet that, in the application of these 

 remarks, the regular tides must 



also 



_ "! It is also asserted, that in the mouth of the channel, the extraordinary j 

 rise of tide, in stormy weather, is ten ieet ; that is, at common springs tfrentv 

 and in storms thirty feet. 



