WHITE SEA, a large gulf of the Arctic Ocean, which enters deeply into the northern parts of European Russia, between 64° 30' and 68° 30' N. lat. It has nearly the shape of a semicircle, opening towards the north-west, and separated from the open sea by a large peninsula, which takes its ordinary name from the town of Kola, built not far from its northern shore. The entrance to the White Sea is between Kanin Nom, on the peninsula, or rather island, of Kaninskaia Zemlia, which lies to the east, and Swatoi Nose, a projecting cape of the peninsula of Kola. These two places are about 100 miles distant from each other. The gulf gradually grows narrower, and where it turns to the south-west it is hardly more than 40 miles wide. That portion of it which lies east and west is nearly twice as wide, and expands towards the south into two large gulfs—the Dwinakasa or Gulf of the Dwina, on the east; and the Onezkaia Guba, or Gulf of the Onega : both bays have received their names from the rivers which fall into their most south-eastern recesses. West of the Onez kale Guba the White Sea terminates with an inlet, which is about 100 miles long, but has only a mean width of 25 miles, and runs to the north-west. It is called Kandalaskala Guba, or the Gulf of Kandalask, from a small place of that name which lies near its innermost recess. The area of this sea is said to be about 44,000 square miles.
The White Sea is so far favourable to navigation that it has a considerable depth of water, with the exception of a sandbank which lice before the mouth of the Dwina, and occupies the greater part of the Dwinsirea Guba. This sandbank approaches the eastern shore within about a mile, and remains about three miles distant from the Anthers shore. Large vessels therefore must keep near the shore, which Is generally rocky and of moderate height, hut may be safely approached, as the depth is seldom less than 20 fathoms. A bar lies
acres, the entrance of the river Dwina, which at low-water has a depth of only 12i feet. and at high-water from 14i to 15 feet ; at it rises to 17 feet. But the sea is frequently covered with for, which are thick at a distance from the shore, but much leas so as the coast Is approached, which circumstance renders them less dan gerous to shipping. The navigation is open for live or six months in the Teat Fish is more abundant in the Whits Sea than in any of the closed seen of Europe. Seals are very frequently met with on the shores. The white fish, as it is called by the whalers of Spitsbergeu, or the beluga, or white w hale, of authors and navigators, yields a valuable oil, and is met with in large shoals. Cod is taken in great quantities along the coast of the peninsula of Kola. Herrings are as numerous as along the coast of .Norway. The Sainte (Waimea/is of Pallas enters, towards the end of the summer, the small lakee along the coast, and is much esteemed for its flavour. But the fishery carried on by the population on the shores of the White Sea is not limited to that sea. Frew Archangel, Mieen, and Onega many vessels are annually sent to the coasts of the Polar Sea, and especially to Spitzbergen and Nova Zombis, where they take whales of different kinds, seals, and the walrus In 1553 Richard Chancellor, with his ship belonging to the squadron of Sir Hugh Willoughby, who had been sent to discover a north-east passage to Cataia or China, arrived at St. Nikolaus, not far from the present town of Archangel, and by this voyage, and the negotiations which followed it, the empire of Russia was first opened to English enterprise, and the White Sea made known to Europeans. The principal trsding-place in the White Sea is ARCHANGEL.