36 HARBOUR CONSTRUCTION. 



apparently well-authenticated records, their height sometimes 

 seems to exceed 60 feet. 



In the year 1883, Captain Molony, at that time first officer of 

 the Union Royal Mail Steamship Moor, running between South- 

 ampton and the Cape of Good. Hope, wrote to me, in reference 

 to the highest waves he had ever witnessed, as follows : 



" We fell in with the waves referred to in the middle of February, 

 1883, about 60 miles west-north-west of Cape Finisterre. They were 

 so high that, when standing upon our bridge-rail, which is upwards 

 of 31 feet from the water, and which would of course make the 

 height of eye over 36 feet before lifting to them, they would appear 

 at least 10 or 12 feet higher than where we stood, and thereby 

 obscure the horizon completely until the ship lifted to them. 



" There are several people who will not believe this ; but I assure 



you it is a fact. Captain > (commanding the steamship Moor) and 



I have spoken about the height of these waves on several occasions, 

 and we would not yield a single foot to any one. There had been 

 incessant westerly gales for some time previous to our sailing, which 

 would account for this mountainous sea." 



Of the height of the waves in the Bay of Biscay during the 

 storm which occurred in December, 1893, Admiral De Horsey 

 wrote as follows : 



" On Wednesday last (December 20) we experienced a gale the 

 equal of which I have never seen. Between the squalls the sea 

 rolled mountains high. Our forebridge (H.M.S. Resohition) is 37 feet 

 from the water, and some distance from the bows. From that the 

 approaching wall of water blocked out my view of the horizon. 

 Forty feet is a low estimate of the height of these rollers." 



These statements closely correspond with Captain Scoresby's 

 observations in the Atlantic Ocean, the greatest height of waves 

 which were there carefully observed by him having been 43 feet. 



Airy states that he is inclined to think that in no circum- 

 stances does the height of an unbroken wave exceed 30 or 40 

 feet. 



The late Mr. Thomas Stevenson, in his excellent work on 

 harbours, referring to this subject, states that "the waves noticed 

 by Scoresby in the Atlantic, which were 43 feet, may perhaps 

 have nearly attained the maximum height for any gale, however 

 great the depth, or however long the distance over which it 

 acts." He also gives the following formula, based upon numerous 



