A Treatise on the Comparative Geography of Western Asia (Volume 2); Accompanied With an Atlas of Maps - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1831. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... The prevalent westerly winds in the Atlantic keep up a constant circulation round the Bay of Biscay; as well as a motion of the sea up the British Channel, through the Strait of Dover, and up the North Sea, to the coast of Sweden. A current of much the same kind prevails in the southern part of the Caspian Sea. Also, in the eastern bason of the Mediterranean, where the mud of the Nile is said to be lodged in the gulf of Scanderoone. SECTION III. Currents in the Canal and Port of Constantinople. This subject has been treated of by so many persons, ancient as well as modern, that it is introduced here, not as a new subject, but with a view to explain it more fully, by means of an apparently accurate plan of the strait and port of Constantinople, made by our illustrious countryman, Sir Sidney Smith. Polybius (lib. iv. c. 5.) describes the current of the Bosphorus as " first striking against the promontory of Hermceum, (the point on which the old European castle stands, at the narrowest part of the canal.) From thence (says he) it is deflected and forced against the opposite shore of Asia, and thence, in like manner, back again to that of Europe, at the Hesticean promontory, (understood to be that of Ortakui,) and from thence to Bos, and finally from Bos to the point of Byzantium. (That is, the extreme cape of Scutari and the point of the Seraglio.) At this point (says he) a small part of the stream enters the Horn, or Port, whilst the rest, or greater part, flows away towards Chalcedon (Kadikui), which, however, it never reaches, but passes along the middle of the strait." M. Tournefort1 remarks, that, although he had passsed the Canal several times, he could not observe the indented motions of the stream, described by Polybius. And it is probable that Polybius is ...