VOL. XLIX.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. GQS 



LXXIII. Letlsrs on the Irregularities of the Tides at Chatham, Sheemess, Wool- 

 wich and Deptford, in Feb. 1756, communicated by George Lord Anson,* F.R.S. 

 Letter L From Mr. M. Godden. Dated Chatham-yard, Feb. 23, 1756. p. 323. 



Mr. G. remarks on the irregularity of the tides, having taken particular notice 

 of them by the Lys, a French ship, having broken from her moorings 3 times in 

 that week. The first time was on Thursday the 12th instant, at about lO in 

 the morning, it being then about high water, or rather ebb ; so that they could 

 not get her off that tide, but attended and hove her off the next, at about Q at 

 night, which was sooner than expected by an hour and a half. They then put 

 her to another mooring, and about half past 1 1 the same night, she broke from 

 them also, and came on shore near the dock, it being then a small matter ebb, 

 so that they could not get her off that tide, but attended her the next, till half past 

 1 1 on Friday morning to do it, it then being about the time of high water, but 

 could not ; the tide being not so high by 5 or 6 feet as it was the tide before, 

 though it should have been higher, as they were increasing. And he further 

 took notice at the same time, that the tide was at a stand several minutes, and 

 then flowed again near a foot in height before it ebbed, and the next tide, at 

 half past 9 at night, they got the ship off, though they did not expect she woulcf 

 have floated till near 1 2 : and again in transporting her up to her moorings, 

 there was little or no tide ran from 10 to 12, which was about the time of high 

 water ; which they greatly wondered at, as it was quite calm. All which irregu- 

 larities he imagined to be owing to the wind, having had very hard gales for 

 most part of that week. 

 Letter 2, from Mr. Mic. Monasty, dated Sheerness, Feb. 23, 1756. p. 525. 



The day tide on the 13th instant was ver)' remarkable ; for it ebbed no more 

 than 2 feet and a half for 4 hours after high water, when it was observed to 

 flow again for a few minutes ; then ebbed again, but so little, that at low water, 

 we had 7 feet water at the stern of the dock, which is 5 feet more than was 

 ever known to be. It blew very hard in the morning on the flood, with the 

 wind to the southward of the west, and on the ebb in the afternoon the wind 

 abated and veered to the north-west, to which he then, in part, attributed this 

 phenomenon, as a northerly wind forces water into this river, and always makes 

 high tides, and a southerly wind the contrary. 



* The celebrated circumnavigator; he commanded the Channel fleet in 1747, when he captured 

 6" French men of war and 4 East Indiameii ; for which and other services he was created a peer by 

 George II. He was afterwards appointed first Lord of tlie Admiralty, and admiral and commander 

 in chief of his majesty's fleets. He died in 1762, aged 65. The interesting narrative of his voyage 

 round the world was composed under his own inspection, not by his chaplain as was long believed, 

 but by Mr. Benj. Robins. The title, which became extinct on the death of big lordship, has beea 

 lately revived in the person of Thomas Lord Anson of Shugborough. 



