198 EARL DE GREY'S ADDRESS— EUROPE. [May 28, 1860. 



and authentic data in connection with the subject. He introduced 

 to our notice a valuable work on Central Asia by M. P. Nebolsin, 

 a Fellow of the Imperial Geographical Society of Eussia, from which 

 Mr. Michell has drawn many particulars relative to the social con- 

 dition and requirements of the country east of the Caspian. It 

 appears that between 1849 and 1857, the exports of Eussia to Buk- 

 hara, Khiva, and Kokan had increased 78 percent., and the imports 

 from those countries 104 per cent. 



The Khorassan Expedition, under M. Khanikof, has returned 

 to Eussia with much valuable information. M. Lentz and other 

 members of the expedition have communicated to the Imperial 

 Geographical Society the outlines of their labours in Persia and 

 Afghanistan, but the general result of their explorations has not 

 yet been laid before the public. 



As M. Khanikof is shortly to appear among us, I have no wish 

 to anticipate the valuable report which he probably will furnish. I 

 may, however, say generally, that his researches are supposed to 

 have been of the greatest importance to science. With regard to 

 geography, in particular, our maps of Persia are threatened with 

 considerable alterations, the expedition having frequently proved 

 their incorrectness. Many towns depicted on modern maps have no 

 existence, and the town of Tebbes — to mention one instance out of 

 many — will have to be removed a degree and a half to the westward 

 and a degree to the southward. According to the ' Compte Eendu ' 

 for 1859, no less than 100 points were determined astronomically by 

 the expedition, and its explorations embraced 10 degrees of longi- 

 tude and 13 of latitude. 



The inquiry into the practicability of establishing a navigable 

 water-way between the Caspian and Azof Seas has been revived. 

 This project is of great antiquity, having been contemplated by 

 Sultan Selim II., about the year 1570, and subsequently by Peter 

 the Great, who, in 1697, caused works to be commenced with the 

 object of establishing a communication between the Volga and the 

 Don. These were, however, discontinued in 1701, and to this day 

 the Don is the only great river in Eussia unconnected with any other. 

 Explorations were also made in 1831 and 1846 to ascertain the prac- 

 ticability of effecting the desired junction by means of the Kura, 

 but they appear to have revealed insurmountable obstacles. 



Dr. Bergstriisser, of St. Petersburg, is now engaged in inquiring 

 into the possibility of uniting the Caspian and Azof, by improving 

 the water-way which now partially connects tliose seas. A very 



