K 64 CURRENTS AND DEPTHS OF MEDITERRANEAN. [Ch. XXL 



vapour less considerable ; accordingly it does not draw any 



Mediterranean 



most 



of the year, through the Dardanelles. The discharge, how- 



small 



volume of water carried in by rivers, as to 

 amount of evaporation even in the Black Sea. 

 In regard to the depth of the 



lm 



Mediterranean 



Admiral 



fathoms 



bottom 



ments 



Saussure sounded to the depth of 2,000 feet, within a few 

 yards of the shore, at Niee ; and M. Berard has lately 

 fathomed to the depth of more than 6,000 feet m several 



bottom 



mor 



made 



Malta 



or 13,800 feet. The abysses, therefore, of what is generally 



called the 



Mediterranean 



be abont as deep as the Alps are high. It was formerly sup- 

 posed that the saltness of the water increased m proportmn 

 to the depth ; but Captain Spratf s_ observations do not tor 

 out this conclusion, though the "- J - t --— 



Mediterranean 



freshened at moderate depths, near the Black Sea, from which 

 a current charged with much river water as constantly flowing. 

 The diagram,fig. 58, p. 562, in which I have embodied some 

 of the results of Captain Spratfs survey, shows how different 

 part, of an inland sea and the adjoining ocean may have 

 1 • i — - j.- distance from the sur- 



Ze, Z confluence of submarine barriers The range of 

 aq uatic species inhabiting the watersat various dep« s must 



moderate 



small 



submarine 



* Bull, de la Soc. Geol. de France Resume, p. 72. 1832. 



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