observations are plotted, obtained during the voyage with M. S. 

 "Heidberg" to the West Indies. The observations were taken near 

 the coast of San Miguel (Azores) and along different coasts of the 

 Caribbean Sea. These observations indicate a rather rapid develop- 

 ment of wave steepness in the stage of very young waves up to a maxi- 

 mum value of 6 = l/lO to 6 = l/7» This steepness seems to remain 

 nearly constant until the wave age attains a value of about p = I/3. 

 In this early stage of development a rather intensive breaking of 

 these very young waves is to be observed. But this state of wave de- 

 velopment with p<l/3 passes so rapidly, especially when the wind is 

 stronger, that the exact relationship is of very little consequence 

 to the later development of the sea. At present, all observations 

 of very young waves seem to indicate that it would be a good approxi- 

 mation to assume rather steep waves and 5 = const for the stage of 

 wave development p<l/3, and to neglect the initial stage (perhaps 

 p<0.05) where the first disturbances grow with increasing steepness. 



In the first stages of wave generation let us consider a gene- 

 ral wave profile with the steepness 6 = 2p. If we assume that nor- 

 mal pressure forces on this steep wave are the effective forces needed 

 to do a net amount of work, we get from (10) 



A = p'sTrpv^d - p)^p , (19/ 



where the resistance coefficient has been replaced by (I6). With 

 the dimensionless quantity 



C^(p) = STrpd - p)^ (20) 



we have 



A = p'v^p.C^(p) for p<l/3 . (21) 



62 



