The ocean / By P.H. Gosse.

  • Gosse, Philip Henry, 1810-1888.
Date:
1846
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The ocean / By P.H. Gosse. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    28/388 (page 10)
    the attracting influence, and move towards it. The time of high water in the open sea is about two hours after the moon passes the meridian, owing to the impetus which the waters have been receiving not ceasing immediately ; just as the hottest part of the day is not noon, but about two hours after it; and the hottest month of the year is not June, but July. On the coast, however, high water is delayed to a greater or less extent by the obstructions of straits, mouths of rivers, harbours, &c. It appears strange that the sea should be elevated, not only on the side next the moon, but also on the side which is diametrically opposite; so that it is high water at the same moment on two opposite points of the globe, each of which points follows, so to speak, the moon in the daily revolution, and, consequently, every part of the surface of the ocean is raised twice in each day. The singular phenomenon is thus ex- plained : the attraction of the moon elevates the particles of water on the nearest side, by slightly separating them from each other, which their im- perfect cohesion readily admits: it also effects the earth itself: but this being a solid body, the cohe- sion of its parts cannot be overcome, and the whole mass is therefore moved towards the moon, while the particles of water on the farther side remain, owing to their freedom, nearly in the same position as be- fore. The fact is, that the earth is drawn away from the water on the remote side, and then the water is drawn away from the earth on the near side. The sun is greatly larger than the moon, but his attrac- tion, owing to his great distance, does not affect the