and a recent traveller relates a case which happened during his residence at Constantinople, when no rain had fallen for six months. "The coming of rain," he observes, "is indicated here, as in Syria, by a small dark, dense, circumscribed cloud, hanging over the Euxine or Propontis. On such occasions, a dervish stands on the top of Giant's Mountain, and when he sees a cloud, he announces its appearance, like Elijah from the top of Mount Carmel. One day I climbed to the same place, and saw the dervish on the watch, and I looked towards the sea, and beheld a little cloud rising out of the sea, like a man's hand, and gat me down that the rain stopped me not. In effect it immediately followed, and the Turks were relieved from a very serious cause of anxiety; because for 700,000 people, the reservoirs then contained only fifteen days supply."*-Such a circumstance could not be otherwise than alarming, because they had no other resource to which they could apply in exigencies of the kind; and the same writer remarks that "if the Russians ever approach and lay siege to Constantinople, a supply of water will be their first object. In its present state, if the besiegers cut off the communication with the reservoirs, (which it is presumed they would do in the first instance), the city could not hold out for a week." The possibility of such an emergency must give rise to serious reflections; and delightful as may be its situation, the contingency mentioned above renders it inferior, in that particular point, to all the other great cities in Europe, which generally have either large rivers, or copious springs, in their vicinity; besides the supply of water to some of them is aided by various contrivances of science and art. The present Sultan seems to

* Walsh's Travels.

have a propensity to encourage improvements; and perhaps, therefore, a reasonable hope may be indulged, that the inhabitants of Constantinople will enjoy those advantages, which in Great Britain have conduced, not only to diminish the casual evils of dry seasons, and frequent fires, but likewise to augment the conveniences and pleasures of human life.

CHAPTER XIV.

Remains of Roman Aqueducts in different countries. Segovia, Seville, Nismes, Metz, Fourvieres, Rungis, Paestum, Puzzuola, Pisa.-Solomon's Aqueduct near Bethlehem, &c. Antioch, Hamah, Tyre, Mytelene, Salamis, Tunis, Caserta, Versailles.Aqueducts in Great Britain;-Barton Bridge, Valley of Kelvin, Cysylte, Chirk, Valley of Slateford.-Magnificent Fountains at Rome;-Pauline, Aqua Felice, Trevi, Piazza Novana, Circus of Flora, Temple of Vesta; Colonnade of St. Peter's, Piazza di Spagna, Gardens of the Doria Family. Conclusion.

ADMIRABLE as may be the elaborate contrivances for supplying Rome and Constantinople with clear and salubrious water, other countries also possess magnificent works of a similar kind, demonstrative of the lofty conceptions of the Romans, as well as their extraordinary exertions to realize their schemes. Indeed they left some memorable traces of their genius, enterprize, and skill, in all the nations to which their power extended and continued for a considerable length of time. Notwithstanding so many ages have elapsed since these useful edifices were first constructed, yet several still endure, affording the advantages originally contemplated.

Spain possesses one of the noble aqueducts constructed by the Romans. It is employed for supplying Segovia,

and its water actually flows through the city, having its course above the greater number of the houses. The length of this structure is about 2,400 Spanish feet, and its greatest height about 100 feet. It is formed by a double row of arches, composed of large square stones, placed together without cement; and over these the channel for the water is constructed with large oblong flat stones, having a wall on each side. The number of the lower range of arcades is forty-two, and they have a width of fifteen feet by a height of sixty-five; but the upper range of arches consists of one hundred and nineteen, with a height of twenty-seven feet, by a breadth of seventeen, and the transverse thickness of the piers is eight feet. This fine structure is remarkable for its solidity and excellent masonry. Fortunately this admirable relic of antiquity has equally withstood the desolating violence of barbarians, and the powerful attacks of inclement seasons, through a long series of ages. The design is strikingly light and beautiful; and its aspect has not only afforded gratification to architects, but puzzled antiquarians, who have entertained different opinions with regard to the epoch of its construction,— some ascribing the merit of erecting it to Trajan, and others to Hercules, for it has no inscription to determine the period when it was built.

The city of Seville is chiefly supplied by a great aqueduct which the Romans probably contrived and executed, though the numerous repairs of the structure, at different periods, have so far defaced and obliterated the style of its architecture, as to induce some persons to ascribe its construction to the Moors. In its present state the arches composing it are not only unequal in their dimensions, but rugged in external appearance; and even its line of direction is crooked. Inattention and neglect have also

concurred to deteriorate its condition and hasten its decay; for the channel has been suffered to become so very leaky, that the water which escapes has actually formed a rivulet below it. Lamentably defective, however as may be the state of this extensive aqueduct, its utility is evident from its conveying an abundant supply of water from Alcala, which is many miles from Seville, where almost every house in the place has the advantage of receiving it, excepting such as are situate in the districts supplied by the pipes from the fountain belonging to the Archbishop. In order to obtain the water at Alcala, the rocks are perforated in various directions for a considerable length under ground, so that every little stream or spring may be intercepted, and the water from each conveyed into the channel of the aqueduct. The quantity thus collected is very considerable; besides the current has so much velocity as to render it applicable to the operations of several mills, in the progress of its course.

The Romans likewise constructed several magnificent aqueducts in France, the object of one being the supply of Nismes, from the sources of the Eure and Airon. Those parts of the structure which have resisted the ravages of time and the elements, evince the extent and importance of this great work; for the bridge over the Gard probably surpasses any erected during the continuance of the Roman authority in Gaul. It consists of three tiers of arcades placed one above another; the lowest is formed by six arches; the second by twelve; and the third has thirty-five. The latter contained the channel which conveyed the water across the valley, at an elevation of more than 150 feet above the level of the water in the river. M. Genieys, an eminent French engineer, estimated that the quantity of water conveyed by this aqueduct amounted to more than 63,244,000

litres, or about 465,277 hogsheads, in every twenty-four hours.

Metz is also distinguished by a stupendous aqueduct of Roman construction, and the great number of arcades of which it formerly consisted, attest its original magnitude. Though the breadth of the river Moselle is very great at that city, superb and lofty arches were erected to convey the water over it; and some of them still remain at the distance of two leagues from Metz. The workmanship of this structure was likewise so excellent, and the cement employed united the materials composing it so firmly, that excepting parts which have been forced away by large masses of ice, during impetuous floods, it has resisted the effects of inclement seasons through many centuries. During the time that the Roman power existed in Gaul, other aqueducts branched off from these arcades to convey water to baths, and also to a place where the representation of a naval engagement was exhibited. For this latter purpose the water of the river Gorze was likewise conducted by tunnels formed of hewn stone, and terminating at a great reservoir, peculiarly adapted for exhibiting a sea-fight.

In the reign of the Emperor Claudius, an aqueduct was formed to convey the water from Fourvières to the highest part of the city of Lyons, and this structure was remarkable for the beauty and boldness of the design, As valleys of great depth were in the line of its course, if arcades had been erected with a view to preserve uniformity in the flowing of the water, such enormous and expensive works would have been requisite, as might have prevented the execution of the project; consequently, instead of an elevated canal, leaden pipes were substituted, forming a syphon: thus the plan was realized with much less labour and expense.