308 OSBORN ON THE SEA OF AZOV. [Feb. 23, 1857. 



or black soil peculiar to the country, might produce fine corn, but it was 

 wonderful how little corn could be seen in crossing the country. He saw 

 plenty of dried-up grass. 



The President. — In what season ? 



Mr. Oliphant. — In October ; but still he did not see evidences of cultiva- 

 tion. The idea which forced itself on the mind, in considering this fertile 

 country teeming with resources, was, not that it was improving rapidly, but 

 that it should have improved more rapidly. The country between the Kuban 

 and the Caucasus was one of the most magnificent in the world. It consisted 

 really of savannahs ; the grass in the valleys grew six or eight feet long. The 

 character of the country of the Don Cossacks was quite different ; there the 

 steppes were undulating, like a sea in a heavy swell. There was no nation, he 

 believed, that understood less the development of the resources of a fertile 

 region than the Kussian. If it had been in the hands of the Americans, 

 the aspect of afiairs would have been very different. Were they to possess 

 it for twenty years, the harbours, instead of being choked up, would be used 

 as the natural outlets for the produce of the country, if they were available 

 for the purpose, nor would places be chosen for ports which were the very worst 

 that could be selected. Taganrog, Kertch, Gheisk, ought not to be ports at 

 all. He would explain why Kaffa was the natural outlet of the country. 

 At Taganrog, vessels had to anchor several miles off the coast, and the com 

 which was brought down the Don, had to be reshipped four times before it was 

 finally deposited in the hold of the vessel, after it had passed through the straits 

 of Kertch. Whereas, if Kafia, was the emporium, lighters could come right 

 down even from Tcherkask without ever taking out their cargo, and the whole 

 commerce of the country would be concentrated there. He believed Kertch 

 was a pet place of Prince Woronzoff, and Taganrog was created by the Emperor 

 Alexander ; these places had been selected not because they were the natural 

 outlets for the country, but because certain individuals took a fancy to them. 



The President. — It is the fact that the natural tilling up of the sea has 

 occasioned them to move ports farther towards the water. 



Mr. Oliphant. — Just so. The anchorage at Taganrog is 20 miles off. 



Captain Osborn. — There is an anchorage about 6 miles off straight south 

 of Taganrog. 



Mr. Oliphant. — The merchant vessels were at anchor an immense distance 

 off when I was there. 



Ninth Meeting^ March 9, 1857. 



Sm RODERICK I. MURCHISON, President, in the Chair. 



Presentations. — Capt. W. A. Willis, r.n. ; Lieut. William Chimmo, 

 R.N. ; Dr. J. S. Sherrin ; and D. S, Dykes, T. K. Fletclier, and S. M. 

 Howard, Esqrs., were officially introduced upon their election. 



Elections. — Col. P. Anstruther, c.b. ; Capt. W. J. Eastwich; the Rev. 

 Dr. Elder; the Right Hon. Lord Falkland; Commander F. K. Hawkins, 

 R.N. ; Dr. E. Hamilton, m.d. ; Capt. Jenkin Jones ; Col. the Hon. W. L. 

 Pakenham ; the Lord Bishop of St. David's ; Sir Justin Sheil, k.c.b. ; the 

 Earl of Shelburne ; Sir W. Femcick Williams of Kars, Bart. ; and 

 R. Sinclair Aytoun, E. G. Culling Eardley, Thomas Gillespy, W. B. Green- 



