between Fairleigh and the North Foreland. 223 
it was when confined in half the space it now occupies. It 
may hence be inferred that the rise of the tide here, more than 
elsewhere, is nearly equal to about one quarter the rise of 
tide, whatever it may be ; but as this must always depend 
upon local circumstances, as the same effects could not be 
produced if the situation was different, no general reasoning 
can apply. It has also been ascertained, that the true or re= 
gular flood tide runs six hours and an half to the eastward, 
while the true or regular ebb runs only five hours and an 
half to the westward ; which makes the current of the tide 
run an hour longer to the eastward than the westward ; but 
I have always found, from actual observation, that these tides 
are very much influenced by the winds. 
Upon the whole, however, from the easternmost point of 
Fairleigh to the North Foreland, on both sides of the channel, 
it is always high water by the ground , when the true or regular 
flood tide has run three hours and a quarter from the west- 
ward ; always half ebb by the ground , when the true or regu- 
lar flood tide ceases to run from the westward ; always low 
water , when the true or regular ebb tide has run two hours 
and three quarters from the eastward ; always half flood tide 
by the ground , when the true or regular ebb tide ceases to 
run from the eastward ; and always high water by the ground 
again , when the true or regular flood tide has run three hours 
and a quarter from the westward, or nearly so, and soon 
continually. 
II. Meeting of the Tides near Dungeness. 
Although the foregoing observations may not decidedly 
prove that the meeting of the tides cannot take place at or near 
