44 Transactions. 
In the above estimate of the depth of the South Pacific, as deduced from 
the breadth and velocity of the earthquake waves of 15th August, it will be 
observed that while the velocity is the same as that of Bache’s wave of 
December, 1854, or six miles per hour, Captain Hutton assumes that the 
wave had a width of 1,000 miles on the ground that they occurred at three 
hours’ interval. This is, however, hardly correct, as at the Chatham Islands 
the great waves followed at intervals of half an hour, and at different parts 
of the New Zealand coast at very unequal intervals, amounting generally to 
four hours. From this I infer that we have not the data for ascertaining - 
the width of the wave in crossing the Pacific, as it appears to be modified 
to a great extent as it approached the New Zealand and Australian coasts. 
The deduction respecting the depth of the ocean must therefore, in this 
case, be accepted with great caution. 
James HECTOR. 
Tidal Disturbances in New Zealand, 15th August, 1868. 
[Abstracts from local Newspapers, Letters, §e.} 
Bluff—Tide rose higher last night (14th) than ever known before. 
Between 8 and 9 this morning terrific rush of water, rose very high, although 
the time of high water was not till 10.27. At 11 a.m. the tide fell nineteen 
inches in twenty minutes, and rose again a short time after. 
Port Chalmers.—At 10 a.m. water rose one foot, and fell again in a few 
minutes. Large ships in the harbour swung round their anchors three times 
in one tide. Ordinary high tide at 1.40 p.m., water then rising and falling 
continually, at the rate of two inches per minute. 
Oamaru.—At 11.50 a.m. extraordinary change in the sea level, the tide 
rising and falling fifteen feet perpendicularly at intervals of fifteen minutes, 
and receding eight or nine feet perpendicularly below low watermark. 
Agitation continued all day. 
Timaru.—At about 5 a.m. sudden rise of the sea of about six feet, which 
in the course of five minutes fell to a lower level than has been ever witnessed 
in Timaru. Sea rose and fell on the beach rapidly for the space of four 
hours, with a strong current, changing with the rise and fall of the tide. 
Succession of whirlpools in the offing, very distressing to ships. 
Pigeon Bay (Banks Peninsula)—At about 4 a.m. loud rumbling noise 
from the sea—first waves were not witnessed otherwise. At 7 a.m. water 
considerably lower than ordinary low watermark ; great rush of water—in 
ten minutes it was a foot higher than ordinary high watermark. Fish of 
all descriptions were thrown up by the water. Water kept rising and falling 
about five feet every half hour, until ten minutes to 10 a.m., when it rushed 
in very quickly and rose four feet above highest high watermark, At 10.20 
