A river flows at speed u. A boat has speed v relative to the water. If its velocity is at an angle $\alpha$ relative the direction of the river, what is its speed relative to the river bank? What $\alpha$ minimises the time taken to cross the river?
1. **Determine the speed of the boat relative to the river bank:**
   - Let \( u \) be the speed of the river.
   - Let \( v \) be the speed of the boat relative to the water.
   - Let \( \alpha \) be the angle between the boat's velocity and the direction of the river flow.

   The boat's velocity components relative to the water are:
   - Horizontal component: \( v \cos \alpha \)
   - Vertical component: \( v \sin \alpha \)

   The river's velocity component is:
   - Horizontal component: \( u \)
   - Vertical component: \( 0 \)

   The total horizontal component of the boat's velocity relative to the river bank is:
   \[
   u + v \cos \alpha
   \]

   The total vertical component of the boat's velocity relative to the river bank is:
   \[
   v \sin \alpha
   \]

   The magnitude of the boat's velocity relative to the river bank is given by:
   \[
   \sqrt{(u + v \cos \alpha)^2 + (v \sin \alpha)^2}
   \]

   Simplifying the expression:
   \[
   \sqrt{(u + v \cos \alpha)^2 + (v \sin \alpha)^2} = \sqrt{u^2 + 2uv \cos \alpha + v^2 \cos^2 \alpha + v^2 \sin^2 \alpha}
   \]

   Using the Pythagorean identity \( \cos^2 \alpha + \sin^2 \alpha = 1 \):
   \[
   \sqrt{u^2 + 2uv \cos \alpha + v^2 (\cos^2 \alpha + \sin^2 \alpha)} = \sqrt{u^2 + 2uv \cos \alpha + v^2}
   \]

   Therefore, the speed of the boat relative to the river bank is:
   \[
   \boxed{\sqrt{u^2 + v^2 + 2uv \cos \alpha}}
   \]

2. **Determine the angle \( \alpha \) that minimizes the time taken to cross the river:**
   - To minimize the time taken to cross the river, we need to maximize the vertical component of the boat's velocity, which is \( v \sin \alpha \).

   The maximum value of \( \sin \alpha \) is 1, which occurs when \( \alpha = 90^\circ \).

   Therefore, the angle \( \alpha \) that minimizes the time taken to cross the river is:
   \[
   \boxed{90^\circ}
   \]

3. **Determine the angle \( \alpha \) that will get the boat directly across the river:**
   - To get the boat directly across the river, the horizontal component of the boat's velocity relative to the river bank must be zero. This means:
   \[
   u + v \cos \alpha = 0
   \]

   Solving for \( \alpha \):
   \[
   v \cos \alpha = -u
   \]
   \[
   \cos \alpha = -\frac{u}{v}
   \]
   \[
   \alpha = \cos^{-1}\left(-\frac{u}{v}\right)
   \]

   Therefore, the angle \( \alpha \) that will get the boat directly across the river is:
   \[
   \boxed{\cos^{-1}\left(-\frac{u}{v}\right)}
   \]