306. And thus it appears, that as the Tides are governed by the Moon, they must turn on the Axis of the Moon’s orbit, which is inclined 231⁄2 degrees to the Earth’s Axis at a mean state: and therefore the Poles of the Tides must be so many degrees from the Poles of the Earth, or in opposite points of the polar Circles, going round these Circles in every lunar day. ’Tis true that according to Fig. IV. when the Moon is vertical to the Equator ECQ, the Poles of the Tides seem to fall in with the Poles of the World N and S: but when we consider that FHG is under the Moon’s orbit, it will appear, that when the Moon is over H, in the Tropic of Capricorn, the north Pole of the Tides, (which can be no more than 90 degrees from under the Moon) must be at c in the arctic Circle, not at N; the north Pole of the Earth; and as the Moon ascends from H to G in her orbit, the north Pole of the Tides must shift from c to a in the arctic Circle; and the South Pole as much in the antarctic.
It is not to be doubted, but that the Earth’s quick rotation brings the poles of the Tides nearer to the Poles of the World, than they would be if the Earth were at rest, and the Moon revolved about it only once a month; for otherwise the Tides would be more unequal in their heights, and times of their returns, than we find they are. But how near the Earth’s rotation may bring the Poles of it’s Axis and those of the Tides together, or how far the preceding Tides may affect those which follow, so as to make them keep up nearly to the same heights, and times of ebbing and flowing, is a problem more fit to be solved by observation than by theory.
To know at what times we may expect the greatest and least Tides.
307. Those who have opportunity to make observations, and choose to satisfy themselves whether the Tides are really affected in the above manner by the different positions of the Moon; especially as to the unequal times of their returns, may take this general rule for knowing, when they ought to be so affected. When the Earth’s Axis inclines to the Moon, the northern Tides, if not retarded in their passage through Shoals and Channels, nor affected by the Winds, ought to be greatest when the Moon is above the Horizon, least when she is below it; and quite the reverse when the Earth’s Axis declines from her: but in both cases, at equal intervals of time. When the Earth’s Axis inclines sidewise to the Moon, both Tides are equally high, but they happen at unequal intervals of time. In every Lunation the Earth’s Axis inclines once to the Moon, once from her, and twice sidewise to her, as it does to the Sun every year; because the Moon goes round the Ecliptic every month, and the Sun but once in a year. In Summer, the Earth’s Axis inclines towards the Moon when New; and therefore the day-tides in the north ought to be highest, and night-tides lowest about the Change: at the Full the reverse. At the Quarters they ought to be equally high, but unequal in their returns; because the Earth’s Axis then inclines sidewise to the Moon. In winter the Phenomena are the same at Full-Moon as in Summer at New. In Autumn the Earth’s Axis inclines sidewise to the Moon when New and Full; therefore the Tides ought to be equally high, and unequal in their returns at these times. At the first Quarter the Tides of Flood should be least when the Moon is above the Horizon, greatest when she is below it; and the reverse at her third Quarter. In Spring, Phenomena of the first Quarter answer to those of the third Quarter in Autumn; and vice versa. The nearer any time is to either of these seasons, the more the Tides partake of the Phenomena of these seasons; and in the middle between any two of them the Tides are at a mean state between those of both.
Why the Tides rise higher in Rivers than in the Sea.
308. In open Seas, the Tides rise but to very small heights in proportion to what they do in wide-mouthed rivers, opening in the Direction of the Stream of Tide. For, in Channels growing narrower gradually, the water is accumulated by the opposition of the contracting Bank. Like a gentle wind, little felt on an open plain, but strong and brisk in a street; especially if the wider end of the street be next the plain, and in the way of the wind.
The Tides happen at all distances of the Moon from the Meridian at different places, and why.
309. The Tides are so retarded in their passage through different Shoals and Channels, and otherwise so variously affected by striking against Capes and Headlands, that to different places they happen at all distances of the Moon from the Meridian; consequently at all hours of the lunar day. The Tide propagated by the Moon in the German ocean, when she is three hours past the Meridian, takes 12 hours to come from thence to London bridge; where it arrives by the time that a new Tide is raised in the ocean. And therefore when the Moon has north declination, and we should expect the Tide at London to be greatest when the Moon is above the Horizon, we find it is least; and the contrary when she has south declination. At several places ’tis high water three hours before the Moon comes to the Meridian; but that Tide which the Moon pushes as it were before her, is only the Tide opposite to that which was raised by her when she was nine hours past the opposite Meridian.
The Water never rises in Lakes.
310. There are no Tides in Lakes, because they are generally so small that when the Moon is vertical she attracts every part of them alike, and therefore by rendering all the water equally light, no part of it can be raised higher than another. The Mediterranean and Baltic Seas suffer very small elevations, because the Inlets by which they communicate with the ocean are so narrow, that they cannot, in so short a time, receive or discharge enough to raise or sink their surfaces sensibly.