On the days of new and full moon, it is high water at the Eddystone at a quarter past five o'clock. The tide of flood sets easterly, or up Channel, and the ebb tide sets westerly. Spring tides rise from 16 to 18 feet, and neap tides from 10 to 11 feet ; but in storms, the sea at this place flies to an incredible height. At these rocks, and upon the opposite shores, it is high water about two hours and a half sooner than in the middle of the channel.
The nature of the stone, and the small dimensions of the house rock, are adverse to the growth of marine ftici, or to the habitation of animals. Of the former, only the smaller sorts of sea-weed were observed, as fuel's mamil losus, fucus palmatus, the common "dulse, and confer va rupestris, which, in continued storms, appears to ac quire a growth upon the western side of the lighthouse, about 20 feet upon the building. The only shell-fish seem to be the lepas balanoidcs, or barnacle, and a few limpets of a small size : these last might perhaps in crease both in number and in bulk, were they not apt to be destroyed for bait before they are Matured in growth.
EntNnunc.n, the metropolis of Scotland, is situated in the northern part of the county of the same name,or Mid Lothian. The centre of the city lies in 55° 58" north latitude, 3° 11'55" west longitude, and is about two miles from the xstuary called the Frith of Forth, where, in Leith harbour, the tide rises nearly 16 feet. But inter mediate buildings, which are rapidly increasing, will soon identify Edinburgh with the town of Leith ; and, in general calculations, they are even now included toge ther. The following observations, however, are restricted to the former.
The length of Edinburgh, from cast to west, is be tween a mile and a half and two miles; the breadth is about the same ; and the circuit is calculated at eight miles. Its general site may be described as on three ele vations ; the centre of the city standing on a high nar row ridge, declining towards the east, from a lofty pre cipitous rock, on each side of which are two wallies, one entirely occupied by buildings, the other partly so, but chiefly consisting of a marsh, nearly dry in summer. This marsh, which is 200 feet below the top of the rock, is crossed by a bridge 1270 feet long, of five arches ; by an immense earthen mound of great breadth and depth ; and also by an intermediate mound of smaller dimensions, all to the north. The buildings to the south of the city, independently of other communications, are connected by another bridge of 22 arches, with more level ground, on which the city is extended. Only one of these arch
es, 30 feet wide, is visible ; the rest being fronted by houses, of which they form a part. The span of the larger arches of the first, or North Bridge, is 72 feet, and the height to the top of the parapet 68 ; but the arch es and piers occupy only 310 feet of the whole 1270, which partly form a street. From thence, the city, to the north, occupies a slight elevation, which soon be comes a gradual declivity down to the sea. Edinburgh is thus divided, by the North Bridge and Earthen Mounds, into two parts, known by the distinguishing ap pellations of the Old and New Town: the former has been built from all different periods down to the present -day, with little order or regularity ; but the latter, being altogether of modern erection, and formed after a cer tain determinate plan, exhibits an elegant assemblage of edifices, disposed in ample streets and spacious squares. This portion of the city is the residence of the better class of inhabitants, though not exclusively ; for some part of the old town, to the south, also consists of modern build ings, equally commodious.
The two principal streets in the Old Town intersect each other at right angles: first, the High Street, which stretches from the castle to the abbey, 5570 feet, under different names; and secondly, a street, commencing at the Register Office, and termireating in St Patrick's Square, after also passing by different names, of nearly the same extent. From the High Street, which occu pies the elevated ridge, numerous lanes diverge on either side down the declivity; and some are so steep as to re quire steps for the security of passengers. There are three principal streets in the New Town ; Prince's Street, George's Street, and Queen's Street uniting with York Place. The first is 4110 feet long by 100 broad ; the second 2640 by 113 ; and the third 4440 by 100. These principal streets, and others which, now in pro gress, will soon merit the same denomination, are inter sected at right angles in several places, by wide cross streets. George's Street terminates in a square at either extremity ; and there are on each side two subordinate parallel streets, Rose Street and Thistle Street, 30 feet in width, and extending half a mile.