In 1815, Messrs. NIaurice Engilhart and Francis Parrat published, at 13ertin, the results of barometrical measurements between the Euxine and the Caspian, by which it appears that the Caspian is 105 metres below the level of the Black Sea ; the distance between them, over which the tneastnements ‘vere taken, in a straight line, is 813 versts. About 100 miles east of the Caspian is the lake Aral, 200 miles in length, and 70 in breadth ; it receives the Oxus, or Gihon, the Sin and Sihon. There are also vatious large lakes in Aaie, besides rivers of very considerable magnitude; but, as they are little used for navigation, we avoid noticing them.
Greece, and Turkey in Europe.
Ancient Greece, being composed of small states oc cupying mountainous districts, either intersected by arms of thc sca, or islands aad sea-coasts, the attent'ion of the inhabitants was never turt.ed to inland navig-ation. Although often mentioned as a project, it does not ap pear that the Isthmus of Corinth was ever intersected by a canal, so as to be used for navigatio9; and the tunnels from the lake Copais, in Bceotia, through 'Mount Ptous, arc distinctly described as drains, having wells at certain distances, to facilitate the cleansing them out.
The modern state of that country has been degraded by the Turks, as well as the districts held by them in Europe. It is therefore in vain to look for artificial im provements., where natural advantages havc been so totally neglected. The Danube, which, for more than 400 miles, with its extensive branches, is Turkish, is alone sufficient to accommodate a powerful empire. There is, besides, the Maritz, or ancient liebrus, 250 miles in length, which falls into the E.gean Sea, and the Vandori, or ancient Auxins, 200 miles, which falls into the Gulf of Salonica, and many other fine streams, which, under good management, would connect more extensive countries than the opposite Italian shores, which have been so justly celebrated.
Ancient Italy.
Although the pursuits of the ancient inhabitants of Italy were generally connected with war, they were oc casionally led to operations connected, either directly or indirectly, with inland navigation. The canal of the Pontine Maishes proceeded from the Forum Appii, across the Pontine Marshes, to near Terracina ; and was intended both for the purposes of drainage and naviga tion. The consul was charged with works to render
his plovince fertile and healthy. (Pliny, 1. iv. c. 4 ) This work was accomplished 162 B. C. !laving fallen to decay, Cxsar proposed to renew it. Plutarch S3yS, that Augustus drew a canal parallel with the Appian way. Trajan, by a labour of 10 years, restored the drains of the Pontine NIarshes; (Dion. 1. xviii. p. 777) as did Theodui ie the Goth.
But in ancient, as well as modern times, the neigh bourhood of the Po has been the great scene of Italian inland navigation; its source is in .1ount Vesula, or Viso, on the confines of France, and its length, of course, is about 300 miles. Pliny says, that the Po is greatl) augmented by the melting of snows, and that, after re ceiving 30 rivers, it falls into the Adriatic. It appears from Polybius, that it formerly. passed to the sea by two mouths, and that \ essels ascended by the branch named Olana, (Pulyb. I. ii.) Of the other branches, some were formed by nature, and some by art. Pliny (1. c. 16.) mentions the canal which conducted to Ravenna ; its mouth was named Vatrinus, and had the capacity of a port. It W3S by it that the emperor Claudius entered the city of Adrian, after his expedition to Britain.
The Etruscans dug the canals from the branch named Sagis, from which they made side cuts into the adjacent morasses ; but, hcsides those before mentioned, they drew from the Po, above where it separates, a grea.t canal, named Fossa Phillistina, which is also divided into two canals, the most northern of which was named Fos sioncs Phillistinx, and the southern Fossa Carbonania. According to Pliny, the Athesis and Togisonus, after uniting, formed the port of Brundulus ; the other streams, named Mecloacus Major and Minor, formed, with the canal Fossa Clodias, the port of Edron. The last hranch derived from the Po, was the Fossiones Phillistinx, join ed to the stream Tartaris, or Athesis, and was named Tartar° ; therc were other inferior connect ing canals. But the most celebrated of all thc canals, was that named Fossi Augusti. One branch of the Po, named Fossa Ascon, washed the walls of Ravenna on the north side. The emperor Augustus drew a canal from the same river, which passed to the sca by the south, and one latanch traversed the city. (See Cluv. Ital. Antic], 1.