328 



ON THE BED 01' THE 



neighbourhood) to be no less that 24 feet 9 inches 

 above the present level of the Frith of Forth at 

 high water of spring-tides. Now, whether we are 

 to consider these as proofs of the higher elevation of 

 the waters of the ocean in the most general accepta- 

 tion of the word, at a former period, I will not 

 here attempt to enquire. But aside from these ano- 

 malous appearances, there is reason for thinking, 

 that the^watcrs of the higher parts of the Frith of 

 Forth, like those of the Murray Frith, may at one 

 time have formed a succession of lakes, with distinct 

 barriers, as we find in the case of Lochness, and the 

 other lakes forming the track of the Caledonian 

 Canal. My object on the present occasion, however, 

 is simply to notice the wasting effects of the North 

 Sea upon the surrounding land, its deposition in the 

 bottom of the sea, and the consequent production of 

 surplus waters at the surface, and to endeavour to 

 account for these appearances consistently with the 

 laws of nature. The opinion accordingly which I 

 have formed, and the theory which I have humbly 

 to suggest, (for I am not aware that this subject has 

 been before particularly noticed), is, that the silting 

 up of the great basin of the North Sea, has a di- 

 rect tendency to cause its waters to overflow their 

 banks. 



Referring to the chart, we find that the North 

 Sea is surrounded with land, excepting at two in- 

 lets or apertures, the one extending about 100 

 leagues between the Orkney Islands and the Nor- 



