28 
REPORT—1854. 
Tides. 
On Mr. Superintendent Baches Tide Observations. 
By the Rev. William Wiiewell, D.D., F.R.S. 
In the earlier port of my researches of the tides, of which an account lias been 
given to the British Association on various occasions, I had to speak principally c«f 
the accessions made to our knowledge of that subject; but in recent years I have 
more than once made remarks before this Section on our ignorance of the same subject, 
—meaning by that, that there is much knowledge which we naturally wish fur, and 
which is within our reach ; but which we have not obtained and arc not obtninin.'. 
The views which I have there given are further illustrated by the results of the tide 
observations made by the American Coaet Survey under Superintendent Ilachc. One 
of the prominent points of our ignorance is, the nature of the movement of the water 
which produces the oceanic tides. Whrn the progress of the tides on different con'!* 
was represented by cotidul lines, it was found these lines mude a very acute angle with 
the coasts which they met, and that the cotidal lines crossing the ocean were very 
convex. Hie great series of tide observations made on the coast of Europe and 
America in 1835 and 183(5, made this feature, the acuteness of the angle made by th* 
lines with the coast, stronger still. 'Hie results of Mr. Bache's observations nukr 
the cotidal lines on the coast of North America still more nearly parallel t" tl.t 
coasts. From this arises a great difficulty in drawing any cotidal lines 
oceans, ami indeed a doubt whether cotidal lines are proper modes of representing 
oceanic tides; though, doubtless, they are the best way of combining andreprwenhnj 
our observations of littoral tides. The result in, that we are led to consider whether 
the oceanic tides may not be produced by a great oscillation of the ocean, the littora 
tides being derived from them, ami propagated by cotidal lines like wavwalmu 
canals. [ I hi* view was proposed by Capt. Fit/.Roy as well as by Dr. 
several years ago.] In what, manner the ocean really moves, to produce the tides, 
not likely ever to be maria mo m*>in ho n-nsirnte parties nun 
, '‘7 mou UUIW UUI IV 
.v iwo nuuwii me existence of the diurnal tide on the coast of California, »• 1,11 
«i.; . eX,C< ?i and i other l ,lMcs * «md >t will lead to tide tables of the Andean 
now ,? •' 60 , 0n « Pushed. Mr. Bachc, after encountering some difHcnltics, h 
now obtained sufficient means of pursuing his survey, and is doing so with gr> 
energy and success. a 3 
ivlETEOROLOGY. 
On the Distribution of Bain in the Temperate Zones. 
By Professor Dove, Berlin, 
nnJm!if U ? 0r ' afte , r . givin e a brief account of the manner in which rains are 
the nsrpn P rcvai 111 tbc Torrid Zone, and the causes which produced - t 
the ascending currents at the heated equatorial region, then proceeded to po»J 
ftSyyt ? ( ‘ nor *l ami local, which ga?e rise to a differ^ * 
™ r r,bUl r Qf rBin in the Temperate Zones, but showed that there ^ 
s milal o i.lt 9 0l r milldle continents, as in Russia and America. «ben 
sim 1 laJS^ nC n°fe :i ? Be ‘- 8Uch prevailed in the Torrid Zone. 
circumstanef T «• m ‘ '■mentioned several places in the Ghauts m j that 
SSESS?» V h0 *« noKiceil b >- Prof. Dove, could be observed. ^ 
«r c tcf D d!^c™f,o^L™ ■" 'it™"* ° r ,w,i ^ 
.alitiea 5f *, ST* »?£& 
