446 THE CHEMISTRY OF CREATION. 



character of the waves are altered. The con- 

 figuration of the shores reflects the waves, 

 some in one direction and some in another, and 

 new lines of movement are thus awakened. 

 Frequently, also, there are on the sea three or 

 four series of co-existing waves, each series 

 having a different direction from the other, and 

 the individual waves of each remaining parallel 

 to each other. Thus the primary appearance 

 of order is lost by the substitution of another 

 sort of order. The velocity with which wave 

 succeeds to wave varies in a heavy sea ; waves 

 have been found running at the rate of upwards 

 of twenty-six nautical miles an hour. Captain 

 Stanley has described an ingenious method by 

 which he marked the speed of waves in a heavy 

 sea, with the ship running before the wind. He 

 caused a spar to be veered astern by the marked 

 lead-line, until the spar was on the crest of one 

 wave, while the ship's stern was on the crest of 

 the preceding one. In order to ascertain the 

 speed of the sea, the time was noted when the 

 crest of the advancing wave passed the spar 

 astern, and also when it reached the ship. By 

 a little calculation it is plain that the speed of 

 the advancing wave could be easily ascertained. 



The height of waves in moderate weather is 

 insignificant. Near shore they assume a greater 

 degree of curvature than at a distance from land. 



