The Yazoo Whig and political register. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1840-1842, 1842-07-15
MISCELLANEOUR.



PETERsBURs AND FHE WATER FLooDs.-
The dangers which at all times beset the
imperial city Of Russia, and the chances that
the awful powers Ofnaiure which lie in am.
bush around Il will onH day prevail, are thus
stated in "khors Pictures and Sketches:"
The Gulf Of Finland stretches its great
est length in a straight line from Petersburg
westward. The most violent winds blow
from this quarter, driving the waters of the
Gulf direct upon the city. Unfortunately,
instead of the Gulf being in this part spa
ciO0s, the shores contract towards the CITY
which lies at its innermost points while
close to the city, the waters are pent up in
the narrow Bay Of ConstFadt. In addition
10 this the Neva, which flows from east TO
west, here discharges It's waters into the
Gulf, thus encOuntering the violent waves
from the west in a diametrical, opposition.
The Islands Of the NeVa Delta, on which the
palaces Of Petersburg take root, are paFticn-
laTly fat and low. On their outer and un-
inhabited sides towards the sea, they COM
pletely lose themselves beneath the waters,
and even in their highest and psoPled parts
are raised twelve or fourteen feet only
above the level of the Gulf A rise of
fifteen feet therefore is sufficient TO mum
date, and one Ofthlrty or forty feet to over
Whelm the entire city.
To effect The latter, Il is requisite only
that strong west wind should exactly con-
cur with high water and the ice passage
when the ice masses from the Gulf driven
landward, encounter those Of the NeVa dr.
ven seaward; in this battle of the Tltans
the marvellous city, with all its fOrtresses
palaces and novels, princes and slaves, ant
beggars, would be swallowed IN the Hood
like Pharaoh in the Red Sea. The DANCE
lies so near that many Petersburg near
uuaiIs at the thought. Theironly hope IS tn
improbability Of the concurrence, and tortu
naiely there are sixty-four winds in the com
pass. But, had the old Finnish inhabitant
of the Neya Islands made and bequeathe
observations, the average chances woul
have warned their successors how often in
thousand wears such combination must OF
cpr IN short, we should not be astOnishe
anv daV that Petersburg, which rose like
meteor from the Finnish marshes, had SUI
5enlv been sxtinguished in the same. &c
nro,eetit. The hand Of man can do nolhr
here. 4,
When. after continuance Of west wind
the waters began to creep up the Outermo
uoints Of the islands a cannon is fred and
fa0 hoiste6 on all the towers to warn q
inhabitants Of the invasion of the Nereid
AS the wafer increases the cannon fires e
cry hour. AS il advances and covers d
tower outskirts, the alarm sounds eve
quarter of en- hour When It steals into Il
city itself, the signal is repeated every e.
minutes; and IL the last extremity mimi
guns and desperate cries summon every DO
10 theTascue
The woTsl ihundaliOn was IN NovembS
1923 The waters rose so gently, that
parts remote from the signals, the unsu
pecling Inhabitants only wondered al h
shining pools appearing in the streets CO
tinued By thousands their usual work. al
lost their lives in consequence BY hundred
Bot on gaining full possession, the waite
no longer peaceful, dashed into fury BY
strong west wind, bore every thing befo
them, eliot "a currents through the stree
6lled cellars and lover stories, and dash
upwards from the vents Of subterfaneo
sswofa in f6aminq columns, every nome
increasing 10 force and volume. Vehicl
wefe swept from their wheels, horses We
drowned In their harness, and those "
sought % rescue perished with them.
Stone h0nses crumbled aud wooden on
driven rom taeir foundations, we're float
od1nd dashed about Gle Streets Tbetrl
Wefc loaded with foQiiives,- cattle 4
horses dragged into upper si0gies--and
members 81 macy families. surprised ap'
wbro never reunited, The food rose