OF TIDES. 



Dampier lays it down as a principle, founded on many experi- 

 ments, that currents are scarcely ever felt but out al sea, and tides 

 upon the coasts. 



The polar effusions, which are the tides of the north and east to 

 those who dwell in the vicinity of the pole, or in bays communi- 

 cating with it, take their general course to the middle of the channel 

 of the Atlantic ocean, attracted toward the line by the diminution 

 of the waters, which the sun is incessantly evaporating. They pro- 

 duce by their general current two contrary currents or collateral 

 whirlpools similar to those produced by rivers en their banks, and 

 the tides may be considered as vortices of the general current of 

 the Atlantic ocean. 



The general current, which flows from our pole in summer with 

 so much rapidity, and which is so violent towards its sourer, crosses 

 the equinoctial line, its flux not being stemmed by the effusions of 

 the south pole, at that season consolidated into ice ; it extends be- 

 yond the Cape of Good Hope, and being directed east, by the posi- 

 tion of Africa and Asia, forces the Indian ocean into the same 

 direction, and may be considered as tlu prime mover of the western 

 mousoon, vyhich takes place in the Indian seas in April, and ends in 

 September. 



The general current, issuing during our winter from the south 

 pole, restores the Indian ocean to its natural motion west; crosses, 

 in its turn, the equinoctial line, penetrates into our Atlantic ocean, 

 directs its motion north by the position of America, and produces 

 various changes in our tides. All the bays, creeks, and mediterra- 

 neans of southern Asia, such as the gulphs ot Siam and Bengal, the 

 Persian gulph, the Red sea, dec. are directed relatively to these 

 currents north and south so as not to be stemmed by them as all 

 the bays and mediterraneans of Europe, as the Baltic, the English 

 channel, the bay of Biscay, the Mediterranean sea, Baffin's bay, 

 Hudson's bay, the gulph of Mexico, and many others, are directed 

 relatively to these currents <ast and west; or, to speak with more 

 precision, the axes of al! the openings of the land in the old and 

 new world are perpendicular to the axes of these general currents, 

 so that their mouth only is crossed by them, and their depth is 

 not exposed to the impulsions of the general movements of the 

 ocean. 



That these currents are not the offspring of my own imagination, 



