The American patriot., 1855-01-10
THE RED SEA.

At = meeting Of the Royal Geographical Soci-
city, D. Buist read the following paper:
The Red Sea is the most remarkable estuary on
the surface of the globe; tits 1880 mles in length,
with maximum breadth Of nearly 900 miles, .
circuit Of 1890 miles, and IN AREA Of 1O0, 1W
miles, its cubic contents are probably about 600,-
600 miles; its greatest depth ID 400 fa&homA-
The main depth of its axis is about $50 fhthoms
for about ten miles along mid-channel. The deep
about FIVE feet; the spring Is about seven feet;
and the rise in the upper end Of the sea, BY
continued south wind is about four feet. The
temperature and saltness Of the Red Sea are a.
most the same as that Of the ocean. The cvapo-
ration over its surface amounts to about eighty
feet annually, which seems to be provided for by
. strong inward current from the Italian Ocean, =
lower current of the water thus concentrated flow
ing out again through the Gulf Of Adeu, sweep
ing around, by Scinde, and SO southwark, TIN d.
1uted by deluges of rain from the western shores
Of India Crossing again to Africa, it flows north
ward, and returns to the place whence It came,
giving off fresh supplies Of vapor to the rainless
districts around
The Red Sea is walled in by vast chains Of
mountains, which, from the 11th to the 16th par
allel, and from Alden to 200 miles into Abyssinia,
are volcanic, affording = volcanic field Of about
10000 square miles in area, probably the third
largest in the world, portion Of which is still
active. Gibelteer has been smoking constantly
for the past century, and violent eruption oc-
CURED in the Zebas Islands in 1646 From lat 16
deg to lat. 80 deg, the rocks seem mostly to be-
long to the vast nummulitic formation, which has
been traced from Burmah to the Bay Of Biscay in
one continuous sheet around nearly one-third Of
the globe. All around the shores Of the Red Sea
are evidences of the submergence and re-emer-
gence Of the land at probably q recent geological
period. The volcano Of Alden contains an old sea
beach in its crater
The Isthmus Of Suez consists Of gravel and
shells, the latter being identical with those now
found in the seas adjoining; and there is reason
to suppose that this part Of the shore has risen
from six to ten feet within the last thousand years.
Mr.. Robert Stephenson has proved by survey, that
the level Of the waters Of the Mediterranean and
the Red Seas is the same, and to all appearance
the bitter lakes on the Isthmus have At one time
formed portion Of the sen, though the surface Of
the waters is now fifty feet below the level.
The Gulf of Akaba differs remarkably in its
characteristics from that Of Suex from which it is
separated by the Isthmus Of Sonar. The Wadi-
ARABIA, or the valley stretching from the Gulf Of
Akaba towards the Dead Sea, appears in part to
be an old sea beach, deeply grooved by torrents ;
% Set n S M Ts to the Ss
placed in the transactions Of this society for l648
q ass fset, bot fkom the paper by Capt William
Allen, Of the Royal Navy, in the twenty third
volume, it is evident that nothing certain is known
either about the position or altitude of its divide
From Akaba to the Dead Sea is distance Of about
1O5 miles, the surface Of the latter being 1850
feet below that Of the Mediterranean; and we are
altogether ignorant Of the extent of the bounda-
ries Of this extraordinary depression.
It is singular, that although the Red Sea is ira
versed every week by scores Of Englishmen, and
though vessels Of the Indian navy are constantly
cruising about in it, or lying ut Suez or at Alden,
we know less Of its physical geography than We
do of that of Siberia, the Ural Mountains, or some
portions Of the Arctic regions, and while the wilds
of South America are being carefully explored, a
tract of vast importance, associated as 1t is with
some of the most wonderful events in sacred his
tory, remains neglected at our doors.
H,Nr m NEwty.N ARRvrD pERsONs bride.