B A S 



321 



B A S 



Basic 



Bui. 



Eernoullis, and Euler. All travellers have been 

 struck by a singularity in the regulation of the 

 clocks of Basle, which were always exactly an hour 

 faster than the real time of the day. The origin of 

 this peculiarity was unknown even to the natives ; 

 yet they seemed to think, that it in some manner 

 reflected upon them a national honour, for every pro- 

 posal to regulate the clocks by a sun-dial was op- 

 posed with the utmost violence. The clocks, how- 

 ever, like the people, now move under the direction 

 of other masters, and are no longer allowed to out- 

 strip the sun. The inhabitants of Basle claim the 

 honour of having invented the manufacture of paper 

 in 14-17, and of having discovered the art of printing 

 " in 1418. N. Lat. 7 3.5', E. Long. 7 29' 30". See 

 Coxe's Sn-isserland, ubi supra. Diclionnaire de la 

 Suisse. Moore's View of Society in France, Germa- 

 ny, and Swisserland, vol. i. p. 178. () 



BASLE, or Basil, Bishopric of, a province of 

 Germany, in the circle of the Upper Rhine. This 

 province, which forms part of the ancient territory 

 tf the Rauraci, is of great extent ; beginning at the 

 lake of Bienne, it crosses Mount Jura, and stretches 

 -almost to the very gates of the town of Basle. It is 

 bounded on the north by Sundgaw Proper ; on the 

 west by Franche Comtc ; and on the east and south 

 by the Swiss cantons of Basle, Berne, and Soleure. 

 It lies partly in Germany, and partly in Swisserland : 

 to the south of Pierre Pertuis it belongs to the latter 

 country ; to the north of, the same boundary it be- 

 longs to the former. While it remained a separate 

 state, the bishop was a prince of the German empire, 

 and did homage to the emperor for his German ter- 

 ritories. He was connected, at the same time, by an 

 alliance with the seven Catholic cantons of Swisser- 

 land, but was never included in the Helvetic Confe- 

 deracy. He was elected by the chapter of 18 ca- 

 nons, resident at Arlesheim, and confirmed by the 

 pope. His government was a limited sovereignty ; 

 he was obliged on all occasions to consult his chap- 

 ter ; and his prerogative was extremely confined by 

 the immunities of his subjects. The whole province 

 is now annexed to the dominions of France, and 

 forms the department of Mont Terrible. The inha- 

 bitants are Protestants and Roman Catholics. The 

 Protestants reside chiefly in the valley of Munster, 

 and in the district to the south of Pierre Pertuis, and 

 are in number about 15,000. The Roman Catholics 

 are estimated at 35,000. This province is remark- 

 able for its romantic scenery, and for the variety of 

 it3 fossils and petrefactions. The only towns of 

 note which it contains, are Porentru, formerly the 

 episcopal residence, and Delmont. See Coxe's Tra- 



. in Swisserland, lett. 18.; Diclionnaire de la 

 Suisse; and Encyc. Melhodique. (,) 



BASRAH. See Bassohaii. 



BASS, a great rock in the Firth of Forth, about 

 three miles irom the shore, directly opposite to the 

 promontory upon which the ancient fortress of Tan- 

 tallon is situated. It is nearly round, not above 

 the sixth of a mile in diameter, and about four 

 iiundred feet above the level of the sea. Towards 

 the south, that is, opposite to the land, it declines 

 with shelving rocks to the water, where it affords the 

 only landing place. Yet here it is accessible only in 



voj,..m. PART II. 



calm weather, and even tlien not without danger, to 

 those who arc unaccustpmed to make good their land- 

 ing, by catching the rise of the boat upon the top of 

 a wave. Towards the west, north, and east, it rises 

 perpendicularly out of the sea, near two hundred feet 

 high ; and in some places, this lofty precipice pro- 

 jects at the top, which, to those who sail round it, 

 has a frightful appearance. In other places this 

 vast rock is excavated to a great depth by tke waves. 

 Upon the south side, where the isle has a gradual de. 

 scent, the sea is shallow ; but on the west, north, 

 and east, where it is perpendicular, the sea is from 

 two to three hundred feet deep, close by the side 

 of the rock. As far as we can judge from hand 

 specimens, this isle appears to be principally com- 

 posed of clinkstone, and therefore belongs to the 

 newest floetz trap formation. 



The most remarkable land plant which this isls 

 affords, is the beautiful lavatera arborea of Lin- 

 nxus. Of sea plants it contains but few species, as the 

 fucus saccharinus, fucus loreus, &c. 



Very few zoophytes occur. The most abundant, 

 and in every respect the most interesting bird of this 

 isle, is the pelicanus bassanus of Linnanis, the solan 

 goose. They arrive at the Bass in the month of 

 March, and after they have bred go away in Sep- 

 tember. Yet generally some few stay about the island 

 the whole winter, which are judged to be the old 

 ones, that are not able for the distant flight under- 

 taken by the others. They neither arrive or depart 

 all at one time. Before their arrival a few of their 

 number come to the Bass, which are supposed to be 

 dispatched as scouts ; and in some days thereafter, 

 the main body arrives in several successive divisions. 

 Ur Walker gives the following statement of the rent 

 and produce of the Bass. 



Rent of the Bass. 



Rent to Sir Hugh Dalrymple, Baronet, the proprie- 

 tor, 840 merks, or .46 13 4 



To the climber 100 merks, or - - - 5 11 lj 



To seven men employed in catching the 



fowls, 16 Scots each, or - - - 9 6 8 



To the carrier 36 times to Edinburgh, 



28 stone each time 3120 



Total 65 3 V r 



Produce of the Bass. 



They take the solan goose thirty-six 

 times in the season, and at a medium 

 thirty-six every time ; which, at Is. 8d. 

 sterling each, is ----- - 118 



Sheeps grass -------- 500 



Ten Scots gallons of oil, drawn from the 

 fat of the fowls, at 8d. sterling each 

 pint 2 13 5 



Ten stone weight of feathers, at 10s. per 



stone -..---.--- 500 



130 13 5 



BASS Straits, a channel in the Australasian 

 regions, situated in 40 of south latitude, and 147 

 1 18 east longitude, which separates New Holland 

 2 8 



