EARTHQUAKE WAVES ON THE EAST COAST.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 899, 12 May 1877, Page 3

EARTHQUAKE WAVES ON THE EAST COAST.

The following are additional particulars to those already published |by us_ of the earthquake wave of yesterday morning:—

LYTTELTON AND PIG-EON BAY.

Early yesterday morning the inhabitants of the Port were startled by the news that, though it should hare been low water the tide was liigher than it usually is at half-flood. The Harbor Master took the necessary steps to hare the phenomena observed. There is no doubt that the unusual disturbance in the water was caused by a tidal wave that has swept across the Pacific Ocean from the Western Coast of America, the phenomena bring precisely the same as those observed when the tidal wave of 1868 broke on our shores, and it is probable that before long we shall hear of some dreadful earthquake having taken place in South America. In 1868 there was the same weather as yesterday, the morning in both cases being clear and bracing with a light S.W. wind. As no meteorological observation were taken by the harbor authorities at that time, we have no means of knowing exactly what indications were given by the barometer and thermometer in 1868 ; but yesterday the former stood at 29.75 and the latter at 39, or the lowest range this year, this being no doubt owing to the snow which had covered the hill tops across the harbor during the night. At 7 a.m. it was noticed that the water was disturbed and muddy, and rushing up the harbor at an unusual speed, rising at the rate of eighteen inches per seven minutes. At 9 a.m. the water was rising and falling three feet every five minutes, and later three feet every nino minutes. At noon the disturbance decreased, it being near high water; but the water remained very muddy, the whole bottom of the harbor appearing to barn been stirred up by the eddies. At 2 p-m., it being then high water, the barometer stood at 29.84, and the thermometer at 49, the wind still south-west. The tide was the highest seen here since the last tidal wave in 1868, the water rising from 6ft. 2in, at the marks by the Screw Pile Jetty to over 17ft., showing a flow of more then 10ft. lOin. The water at high flood rose and fell at the "rate of 1 foot per five or six minutes. The currents caused by the disturbance were most rapid, the water rushing round the point ol f ihe eastern breakwater at a rate of at least ei"ht knots per hour. The effect on the vessels 'was remarkable. The schooner Waihopai was lying inside the breakwater and got under* weigh to sail up to the breastwork to discharge; the wind wu» fair for her, and tolerably strong, but in spits of l>er sails directly her anchor

was lifted she was swept outside the breakwater, and it took her a longtime to work back. The s.s. Akaroa was also nearly slewed in going out between the moles, while the hopper barges became almost unmanageable, and the dredge had to stop working. The black buoy off the end of' the eastern mole was carried at least half a mile up the harbor, with its stone moorings by the fierce sweep of the tide, and after being replaced was again dragged a considerable distance. No damage of any sort was done to any portion of the harbor works, or any vessel. There was considerable disturbance in the water up to last night, though the force of the currents had much abated. When the s.s. Akaroa returned from Pigeon Bay she brought the news that at that place there had been a greater disturbance than even at Lyttelton. The influx of the tide, which rose no less than 7ft. above the ordinary level, carried away Holmes's wharf, and left the yacht Jimmy Flynn high and dry in the bush. The water was over the hand-rail at the Pigeon Bay wharf at high water. No damage of any importance was done. From Akaroa also a telegram was received stating that that place was partially under water. It is a matter of speculation whether the exceedingly low glass on Tuesday (28.78 at 11 a.m.) was any warning of the coming of the tidal wave, and it is a pity we have no record of the state of the barometer a few days before the great wave of 1868. The glass was lower on Tuesday than it has been since a record was kept, with the exception of 23rd of June, 1876, when the same height was recorded. On that day it was followed by a heavy southerly gale. KAIAPOI. During yesterday, although the river was quite smooth, a number of tidal waves caused no small surprise by their rushing up the Wahnakariri like a "bore." The town is about three miles from the bar of the river, nevertheless the highest wave rose from 2ft. to 3ft. at the Swing bridge, coming in with great force. The first one is supposed to have come in at 6 a.m., and at 8 a.m. there were three in succession, and others at longer intervals up to noon, resembling the phenomenon witnessed a few years ago, when an earthquake wave from the Peruvian coast was felt along the coast in 1868. WELLINGTON. There was an extraordinary tidal disturbance in Wellington Harbor this morning shortly before 7 o'clock, when the tide was at a little more than three-quarters ebb. Considerable commotion was caused among the shipping and on the part of all who were about at the time by the sudden rush of so vast a volume of water into the bay that in about a quarter of an hour the tide had risen above the usual high water mark. It then receded with equal rapidity, and low water mark was readied within another fifteen minutes. From this time the tide continued to ilow at intervals, gradually decreasing from fifteen minutes to 8 a.m. to ten minutes to 10 a.m., the amount of rise and fall diminishing proportionately. At 8 a.m. the difference was nearly sft., which by 10 had decreased to 2ft. At noon the intervals of ebb and flow were only seven minutes, and the rise about a foot. At the corner of the old reclaimed land, by the rear of the Lion Foundry, where a opening is left between the piles of the new reclamation sea wall, the tidal wave rushed in and out with terrific force and the speed of a mill race. When the rush was at its strongest the mass of water rolled in as a big wave between the piles, running at the rate of seven or eight knots. The impetus of the outflow carried it far beyond the Queen's Wharf, past winch a volume of turbid and discolored water rushed until checked by the next iucoming tide. The surface of the harbor was a scries of eccentric eddies and whirls, which in several cases had the appearance of being caused by actual upheaval. The disturbances have continued all day, and ordinary tides were quite at a discount, high and low water each having occurred some twenty times between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. Several times, when boats or small craft moving about were caught in those tides, they were rendered quite unmanageable, and several accidents were narrowly escaped. The barque Australind, while shifting at the wharf, was caught by one of the tide rushes, and nearly driven right on to the end of the outer T, and just escaped running her jibboom through the shed. No actual mishap has occurred so far. The tidal disturbances still continue, the tide now ebbing and flowing every twenty minutes, the rise and fall being 4ft, with a slight increase since noon, with no signs of diminution. POET CHALMEBS AND BALCLUTHA. The tidal wave at Port Chalmers rose fully 3ft. At Balclutha it was 18in, but the river rose 4ft, receding in a minute. AUCKLAND. The tidal wave here this morning rose to nine inches. TAtTEANGA. About eight this morning there was a tidal disturbance, the water rising three feet higher than the usual height of spring tides. There were sudden rises and falls at short intervals throughout the day. SYDNEY. This morning the tide fell suddenly over two feet and returned to its original level. It also fell twenty inches in five minutes at Newcastle. WESTPOET. A tidal wave occurred here yesterday at 2.30 p.m., also at 6, when it rose six feet in three minutes. No damage was done except the washing away of some loose material at the wharfage works.. cook's STEAIT. Captain Lloyd reports that yesterday, at 1 p.m., when the s.s. Wellington was about three miles to the west of Jackson's Head, she encountered a very heavy tidal wave from the westward. The stern of the steamer dipped nearly under water, and the vessel was drawn back half a mile.