18 FROM NEBULA TO NEBULA 



Tides, from which the following condemnatory para- 

 graphs are culled: 



The equilibrium theory is nearly as much wrong as possible 

 in respect to the time of high water. In fact in many places it is 

 nearly low water at the time the equilibrium theory predicts high 

 water. It w r ould seem then as if the tidal action of the moon was 

 actually to repel the water instead of attracting it, and we are 

 driven to ask whether this result can possibly be consistent with 

 the theory of universal gravitation (p. 161). 



In fact, the evanescence of the diurnal inequality is not much 

 closer to the truth than the large inequality predicted by the 

 equilibrium theory ; and both theories must be abandoned as satis- 

 factory explanations of the true condition of affairs (p. 180). 



It is interesting to reflect that our tides today depend even 

 more on what occurred yesterday or the day before in the 

 Southern Pacific and Indian oceans than on the direct action of 

 the moon today * the problem is one of insoluble mystery (p. 188). 



Here, again, are two more to the same purpose, from 

 Young's work (G. A., pp. 403 and 307) : 



The establishment of a port is the mean interval between the 

 time of high water at that port and the next preceding passage of 

 the moon across that meridian. At New York, for instance, this 

 establishment is 8h. I3m. although the actual interval varies about 

 22 minutes on each side of the mean at different times of the 

 month (p. 403). 



In fact the statical theory [of tides] becomes utterly unsatis- 

 factory in regard to what actually takes place, and it is necessary 

 to depend almost entirely on the results of observation, using the 

 theory merely as a guide in the discussion of the observations 

 (P- 307). 



Besides this direct and obviously conclusive method 

 of testing the validity of the hypothesis in question, 

 there is another, which was first propounded by the 

 philosopher Kant. Taking Newton's hypothesis for 

 granted, Kant showed to the satisfaction of all who have 

 come after him that, under the terms of the theory, the 

 constant friction of the tides must, as a dynamical neces- 

 sity, be gradually retarding the velocity of the earth's 

 axial rotation, and that our day must consequently be 



