APPENDIX, N° II. 
46 
regulation has not, as yet, taken place on the 
Dnieper. The Second fatal obstacle to the 
safe navigation of this river is, the Cataracts, 
which limit the passage to the time of high 
water during the spring; and even then at- 
tended with some difficulty, and only of a 
fortnight or three weeks’ duration. Nothing 
but the enaction of a code of commercial laws 
can ever render the Black Sea useful to the 
empire. Since Russia has acquired the domi- 
nion thereof, the inconvenience and obstacles 
which trade has suffered are manifest, and 
severely felt. During Prince Potemkins go- 
vernment of these provinces, a vain attempt 
was made to clear the Cataracts : the war in 
1787 put a stop to the work. The Board 
of Inland Water Communication have begun 
the following works : First, The deepening a 
passage between the Cataracts, by means of 
temporary dikes, through which vessels may 
pass in the very middle of summer, both up 
and down the river. Secondly, The great 
Nenasilez Cataract, having baffled all attempts 
made to render a safe passage practicable, 
particularly for vessels going up the river, it 
was resolved to dig a circuitous canal round 
it, provided with sluices, through a rocky 
shore; which is now in hand. Three other 
vol. r. 
2 a 
