THE DESTRUCTION OF SZEGEDIN. 37 



we admit the possibility that some time or other the 

 Theiss at its highest may meet the Maros at its highest, 

 then one of the most populated, industrious, flourish- 

 ing cities of Hungary will be exposed to dangers and 

 catastrophes which those only can understand who 

 know how low three-fourths of the city lie, and from 

 what material the pretty houses of Szegedin are 

 built." 



The Maros flows at right angles into the Theiss at 

 Szegedin, and when at flood arrests the current of 

 the other river, pushing it back, and thereby greatly 

 increasing the risk of inundation. It was in view of 

 this danger that the great Italian engineer Paleocapa 

 suggested that a canal should be constructed which 

 should direct the Maros into the Theiss much lower 

 down, thereby avoiding the dangerous confluence at 

 Szegedin. This was in the year 1846, when the 

 abolition of serfdom and other sweeping reforms were 

 agitating Hungary, and possibly economic projects 

 got shelved ; or perhaps Szegedin did not wish to 

 turn a navigable river from her doors. Be it as it 

 may, nothing was done to forward so commendable a 

 scheme. The proposal of securing Szegedin by the 

 much -talked -of "ring-dike" is considered "utterly 

 futile " by Major Stephanovich, on account of the 

 subterranean water. 



It has recently been proposed by Messrs Stephan- 

 ovich and Hobohm to make a canal in the ancient 

 course of the Theiss, at the base of the Transylvanian 



