"معاملات الجمعية الجغرافية في بومباي. من يناير ١٨٦٣ حتى ديسمبر ١٨٦٤. (تحرير السكرتير.) المجلد XVII." [‎١] (٥٢٤/١٦٢)

TRANSACTIONS
OF THE
BOMBAY GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY.
Art. I. — -Remarks on the Rombciy Tidal Observations foi 1861. By
J. Burgess* Esq.* F.EJ.S.
[Head before the Society* January 15th, 1863.]
Few subjects of physical research are beset with more difficulties than
that of the Tides. Owing to the very irregular conformations of the
shores of the ocean, the great variety of its depths* especially near the
coasts* the currents and frictional resistance the waters meet with on
the one hand, and on the other to the ever-varying relations of the dis
turbing forces* it becomes impossible to obtain a general solution of the
problem of the Tides, and a matter of some difficulty to arrive at a correct
representation, in mathematical terms* even of an empirical form for the
local phenomena belonging to individual ports. Only by means of long
series of accurate observations, can we hope to arrive at a correct know
ledge of these phenomena, and obtain the necessary data nom which to
foretell the irregularities of their returns and of their heights in the
same harbours. Their importance to the social and commercial interests
of mankind, has influenced all commercial people to provine for tlieri
careful and continued observation, and from such have been derived the
means for computing the times and heights of tne tides mr almost
every great port in the world, with an accuracy that is frequently re-
markable. Notwithstanding its importance, however, as one ot the
1 <7