2^8 Geographical Collections. 



which, slow and less deep, is very navigable for all vessels that do not draw much 

 water. 



The Niemen is one of the principal means 6i communication between western 

 Russia and the other countries of the north ; for on it all the commerce of Li- 

 thuania and of Podolia is transacted. It forms the limit between Russia 

 and Prussia, from Grodno, when it begins to flow to the north, as far as Jour- 

 bourg, at a short distance from Tilsit, when, at the same time that it enters upon 

 the territory of the kingdom of Prussia, it takes the name of Memel, which it 

 carries afterwards to its mouth in the Baltic Sea. Its source is in the govern- 

 ment of Minsk, but before arriving at the frontier, it again traverses those of 

 Vilna and of Grodno. 



The Duna, called by the Russians Zopadnaia Dvina, that is to say Western 

 Dvina, and by the Lettons Daugava, originates near the sources of the Volga, 

 in the forest of Volkhonski, in the government of Tver. From Velige, where it 

 is already navigable, to beyond Vitebsk, it courses parallel to the Dneiper and the 

 resulting opening. 



After a navigable course of 250 leagues, which is slightly interrupted by some 

 cataracts in the vicinity of Dunabourg, it empties itself into the Gulf of Riga, a 

 little below the sea-port of that name, at Dunamunde, where its width is impos- 

 ing ; but at its mouth sands prevent large vessels ascending as far as the great 

 bridge of Riga, about 900 feet long. Though its affluents (the Toropsta, the 

 Solderaa, &c.) are not considerable, this river is of great importance to commerce. 



Lastly the Neva, which traverses the beautiful capital of the north, aud gives 

 to it a new character of beauty, has a course of only fifteen leagues through the 

 government of St. Petersburg from Lake Ladoga, to which it serves as an issue 

 to the Gulf of Finland, into which it empties itself before Cronstadt by several 

 arms. This majestic river, though it divides itself into Neva, Great and Little 

 Nefka, and several other arms that water Petersburg, is every where broad, navi- 

 gable, and rapid, and it is unfortunate that its limpid and healthy waters should 

 sometimes threaten the existence of the capital. 



Establishment of the Trial by Jury amongst the Native Inhabitants of the 

 Island of Ceylon. 



Few civil improvements have ever been introduced among a people of a more 

 extensively beneficial nature than the communication to the native inhabitants of 

 Ceylon, (the only settlement in India that is directly under the government of 

 his Majesty,) of the right of acting as jurymen on the trial of their own country- 

 men for criminal offences, and the consequent resolution of the proprietors of 

 slaves in the same island, that all children born of those slaves, after a certain 

 date, should be born free. The following passages, which we extract from a key 

 published with an engraving of Mr. Ackerman's, convey a brief but perspicuous 

 history of the two interesting occurrences to which we have alluded : — 



" Sir Alexander Johnston, when first member of his Majesty's Council in 

 Ceylon, having conceived that the best mode of insuring the stability of the Bri- 

 tish authority in that part of the world was, to admit the natives to share the be- 

 nefits of the institutions of our free country, was deputed in 1809, by the gover- 

 nor and council, to submit, in his official capacity, to his Majesty's ministers 

 such measures as he thought best calculated to accomplish this object. The 

 ministers having approved the measures thus recommended, caused a charter to 

 be issued under the great seal of England, granting to the natives of Ceylon the 

 right of sitting upon juries, and of being tried by juries of their countrymen. 

 Sir Alexander having returned in 1811, with the appointment of chief-justice and 

 president of his Majesty's council in Ceylon, lost no time in carrying the provi- 



