34 THE TIDES. 



be accelerating. Suppose a continent whose coasts run 

 N. and S. (as those of America may be roughly said to do) ; 

 then if it is high water on the east coast less than six 

 hours after the moon, the effect of the pull just mentioned 

 is retarding ; if it is high water on the west coast more 

 than six hours after the moon, the effect is to accelerate. 

 In other cases the direct effect is nil. 



Now, owing to the great irregularity of distribution of 

 land and water, theory will not help us in determining the 

 times of high water ; but on consulting the Tables founded 

 on observation we find, for example, the following re- 

 sults : 



In the open part of the Pacific Ocean high water is 

 about 30 before quadratures ; farther from the equator at 

 both sides it is at quadratures ; farther still it is 30 after 

 quadratures. 



(Confining ourselves to the direct effect of the moon's 

 action on the tidal prominences) 

 The effect on- 

 East coast of China, ..... None. 



,, India, ,, 



,, Australia, . . . . ,, 



,, Africa, Retarding. 



,, S. America, .... ,, 



,, N. America, .... None. 



"West coast of S. America (Peru), . . . Accelerating. 

 ,, N. America (California, &c.), . ,, 



,, Australia, .... ,, 



(It should be observed, that for the present purpose we 

 ought to take the time of high water where the depth of 



