THE TIDAL WAVE.

Evening Post, Volume XV, Issue 111, 12 May 1877, Page 2

THE TIDAL WAVE.

? FURTHER PARTICULARS. The tidal disturbances in this harbour continued all last evening so long as observations were maintained. The tide ebbed and flowed generally about once in twenty minutes and

the rise and fall varied from 2ft. to 4ft., sometime* l>eing more and sometimes less. This morning the disturbances were found to l>e still in operation, but in a much less degree, the rise and fall being only a few inches, and the ordinary tides having resumed their usual course. It is impossible at present to arrive at any definite theory as to the source of the disturbance which, as will be seen by a cable message below, extended to the Australian coast. One hypothesis is that the terrestrial disturbance* which is presumed .-to have -occadoned^thv^waVe, may have occurred in the Antarctic volcanic region known to exist, which has permanent vents in Mounts Erebus and Terror. Theoiher theories are that volcanic phenomena at the Sandwich Islands «r on the South coast form the disturbing cause. The storm - wave theory necessarily Is disposed of by the information that the wave reached Australia almost simultaneously with New Zealand. The fact that the wave was met coming from the westward hy the Steamer Wellington =as she was going towards 'the west," and that it cftmo from the N.E. at Oatnaru, may be explained by deflection having been caused by the coast uotline. Captain Dalton, of the schooner Ruby, informs us that • as rhfe Tcanfet \ipok > ofii\Kjiikoura yesterday the; seatwas ierwfiyvamoath in Cook Strait, but every fifteen or twenty minutes an enormous " blind wave " ci>me up " as big as a dozen waves rolled into one," but without any " face " or breaks gigantic "swells" came up from abont/S.S.E. The s.s. TuL while at Kaikoura^ experienced the force of the wave, and carried away pl three of her warps. The following additional 1 information lias been received by telegram since we went to press last evening :—