GERMAN OCEAN, OR NORTH SEA. 3S1 



face of which, in making these investigations, lias 

 been estimated to contain about 153,709 square 

 miles, while the aggregate superficial contents of 

 the sand-banks alone, amount to no less than 

 27,443 square miles, or include an area of about 

 5| of the whole surface of the North Sea. 



But to render these dimensions a little more fa- 

 miliar by comparison, we may notice, that the Island 

 of Great Britain contains about 77,244 square miles, 

 being not quite one-half of the area of the North 

 Sea ; so that the area of the Sand-banks bears a 

 proportion equal to about one-third of the whole 

 terra firma of England and Scotland; and they 

 are, therefore, perhaps, far more considerable in their 

 extent than has been generally imagined. 



In speaking of the dimensions of sand-banks si- 

 tuate in the middle of the ocean, we are aware that 

 great allowance must be made in forming a proper 

 estimate of their extent, especially in speaking of 

 their cubical contents. From a vast number of ob- 

 servations and comparisons relative to this sub- 

 ject, I have, however, been enabled to determine, 

 that the average height of these banks measures 

 about 78 feet, from a mean taken of the whole. In 

 ascertaining their height above the surrounding 

 bottom, the measurement has been taken from the 

 general depth around each respectively. Now, up- 

 on taking the aggregate cubical contents of the 

 whole of these immense collections of debris, sup- 

 vol. III. x 



