of Edinburgh, Session 1867-68. 301 
tides, the highest on record being that of January 29, 1846, which 
was 37 feet 4 inches at the Cumberland Basin. 
At Dublin the height on the 7th was 13 feet, and on the 8th 
12 feet 7 inches above zero; but the engineer of the Ballast Board 
writes that this is nothing remarkable, and that he has a record of 
a tide 2 feet 9 inches higher than the one on the 7th ult. 
The tides at Holyhead were much as usual, and were exceeded 
by those of the 9th and 10th. 
At Liverpool the tide of the 7th was 1 foot 5 inches above cal- 
culation ; but on the 8th it was 4 inches below what it ought to 
have been. 
At Belfast the tide of the 7th was 11 feet above datum ; on the 
8th, 11 feet 2 inches ; the average of tides being 10 feet. On the 
13th and 14th the tides were at least 2 feet higher. 
I have brought this notice of the recent high tide on the east 
coast before the Royal Society, not only for the purpose of having 
on record one of the most remarkable tide waves occasioned by wind 
in this country of which we have any authentic account, but also 
for a practical purpose. 
The knowledge that there is a tidal wave of more than ordinary 
height on its way to any of the great commercial ports of Britain 
would be of great value to merchants and sailors. There are always 
vessels lying in harbours and docks of too great a draught of water 
to allow them to sail during neap tides, or even during low springs. 
Few ports in this country have sufficient depth of water to prevent 
large vessels being “ neaped,” as it is called. These vessels might 
be able to sail several days, perhaps ten or more, sooner than they 
could otherwise do, or be docked, as the case might be, were they 
timely warned of the fact that a tidal wave of more than the usual 
height was on its way to them, bringing, in extreme cases, a high 
spring during a low neap. 
Information regarding high or low tides might just as easily be 
sent to each great port, without any extra expense, and with far 
greater certainty of prediction, as the warnings for high winds are 
at present, and might be signalled with equal simplicity. 
There is always plenty of time for it. The tidal wave which 
reaches the west coast of Ireland about four o’clock at springs 
