THE SEA AND THE ATMOSPHERE. 5 



first sliocks of an earthquake were felt on board the Eiissian 

 frigate " Diana," as she Lay at anchor in the harbour of Simoda, 

 not far from Jeddo, in Japan. In fifteen minutes afterwards 

 (10 o'clock), a large wave was observed rolling into the harbour, 

 and the water on the beach to be rapidly rising. The town, as 

 seen from the frigate, appeared to be sinking. This wave was 

 followed by another, and when the two receded — which was at 

 lOh. 15m. — there was not a house, save an unfinished temple, 

 left standing in the village. These waves continued to come and 

 go until 2.30 r.M., during which time the frigate was thrown on 

 her beam ends five times. A piece of her keel 81 feet long was 

 torn off, holes were knocked in her by striking on the bottom, 

 and she was reduced to a wreck. In the course of five minutes 

 the water in the harbour fell, it is said, from 23 to 3 feet, and the 

 anchors of the ship were laid bare. There was a great loss of 

 life ; many houses were washed into the sea, and many junks 

 carried up — one tv\'o miles inland — and dashed to pieces on the 

 shore. The day was beautifull}^ fine, and no warning was given 

 of the approaching convulsion; the barometer standing at 

 29.87 in., thermometer 58°; the sea perfectly smooth when its 

 surface was broken b}^ the first wave. It was calm in the- 

 morning, and the wind continued light all day. 



14. The p'o^agation of leaves hy it. — In a few hours afterwards, 

 at San Francisco and San Diego, the tide-gauges showed that 

 several well-marked and extraordinary waves had arrived off the 

 coast of California.* The origin of these waves, and those which 

 dcstroj'ed the town of Simoda, in Japan, and wrecked the 

 *' Diana," was doubtless the same. But where was their birth- 

 place ? Supposing it to be near the coasts of Japan, we may, 

 •with the tide-gauge observations m California and Mr. Airy^s 

 formulas, calculate the average dei:)th of the sea along the path 

 of the wave from Simoda both to San Francisco and San Diego. 



15. Their hreadtli and velocity. — Supposing the waves to have 

 taken up their line of march from some point along the coast of 

 Japan, the San Francisco wave, having a breadth of 25G miles, 

 had a velocity of 438 miles an hour ; while the breadth of the 

 San Diego w^ave was 221 miles, and its rate of travel 427 miles 

 an hour. 



16. Avcracje de^jth of the North Pacific. — Admitting these pre- 

 mises — Avhich are partly assumed — to be correct, then, according 



* Ex. Doc. No. 22, Senate, 1st soss. 34th Congress, p. 342. 



