Dr. Blackie on Russian Acquisitions in Manchooria. 231 



invitation of the Council, would exhibit and explain an apparatus in- 

 vented by him, for illustrating the persistence of images on the retina. 



Dr. Walter G. Blackie read a paper " On the Recent Acquisitions 

 made by Eussia at the expense of the Chinese territory of Manchooria, 

 with some accoimt of the river Amoor in its physical aspects and as a 

 pathway of commerce." 



Recent Acquisitions 'made hy Russia at tlie expense of the Chinese territory 



of ManchoM'ia, loith some account of the river Amoor in its jyhysical 



aspects amd as a pathway for commerce'"' By W. G. Blackie, Ph. 



D.,r.R.G.S. With a Map. 



The river Amoor claims our attention in consequence of the command 



of its navigation having passed into the hands of Russia, by whom it 



has been opened to commerce, and by whom it was employed as a means 



of transporting provisions, munitions of war, and supplies of troops to 



her forts on the Pacific at a period when we little suspected her to be 



in possession of so splendid a highway to the ocean. 



The Amoor is one of the largest rivers in Asia, being only exceeded 

 in length of course by the Yang-tse in China, and the Yenessei and 

 Lena in Siberia, and in the area of the basin which it drains by the 

 last two named rivers and the Obi, likewise in Siberia. From having 

 direct communication with the north Pacific Ocean, it is superior as a 

 commercial highway for conducting intercourse with foreign countries, 

 to the other rivers of northern Asia, all of which fall into the almost 

 inaccessible parts of the Arctic Sea. It is formed by the junction of 



* Authorities.- — Bericht uber die Beendigung der Expedition von Udskoy-Ostrog 

 durch das Oestliche Grilnzgebirge, und das Amur-Gebiet bis nach Irkutsk, in 1845. "Von 

 Hr. von Middendorff. Beitrage zur Keiintniss des Russischen Keiches. St. Petersbu;g, 

 1855. 



Die neustea Russischen Erwerbungen im Amurlande. Zeitschrift fiir allgemeine 

 Erdkunde, 1855. 



Die ostsibirische Expedition des Kais Russischen Geographischen Gescllchaft. Zeit- 

 schrift fur all. Erdkunde, 1857. 



Uber Nikolajewsk und das Gebiet am Amvir. Zcit. fiir all. Erdkunde, January, 

 1858. 



L. Schrenks, Erforschung des untern Amurlandes und der Insel Sachalin. Peter- 

 manna Mittheilungen, 185G. 



Beschreibung des Amur-Stromes, niit besonderer liiicksicht auf Ilydrographie und 

 Ethnographic von PeschtschurofT. Beschreibung des Amur-Stromes, niit besonderer 

 RUcksicht auf Geologic, Thier-und Pflanzenluben von Permikin. Die Amur-Miindung, 

 von Sclienurin. Die Vegetation des Amur-Landes, von C. Maximowitsch und Rup- 

 recht Schrenk's letzte Forschungcn im Amur-Landc. Pctermanus IMittheilungen, 

 1867, &c., &c. 



