DNIEPER, NIEPER, OF DANAPRIS, the Borysthenes of ancient Geographers, (Herod. iv. 53; Strabo, vii.; Pompon. ii.; Plin. iv. 26,) a large River of European Russia, which has its source in a morass in the Government of Smolensko, near the frontiers of Twer, and not far from those of the Volga and the Dwina. After a winding course through the greater part of the Province in which it originat. s, it intersects that of Mohilev, flowing towards the south-west, and then forming the boundary between the Government of Czernigov, Pultawa, and Taurida on the one side, and those of Minsk, Kiev, and Cherson on the other; it ultimately falls into the Euxine, after a course of more than 1000 miles, through some of the finest climates and districts of Russia. The Dnieper is a noble stream, exceeding the Don in magnitude; but its course being impeded by waterfalls and moving sands, it is less serviceable to the commerce of the country. It becomes navigable at the city of Smolensko, whence it passes Orcha, Mohilev, Bobryow, Kiev, Crementchong, Ekaterinoslav, Nicopol, and Cherson. A series of cataracts occupy a space of about forty miles below Kiev; but from the termination of these to the sea there is an expanse of 200 miles, free from obstruction, a part of which is occupied by the extensive lake Liman. These water-falls are not of a majestic character, and some of them may even be descended by boats, except after heavy falls of rain. In 1784, the Empress Catharine II. caused some of the rocks to be blown up, but without effecting any material advantage to the navigation of the river. Works of the same kind have been slowly continued from time to time. The banks towards the lower parts of the Dnieper are overspread with vast forests, which have frequently been the scene of sanguinary conflicts between the Russians and Turks. Nor has the upper part of its course been rendered less memorable by the engagements between the French and Russians at Smolensko, in 1812. The Dnieper receives a great number of tributary streams, the chief of which are the Priepitz, the Bezyna, the Ross, and the Bog. Like most of the other Russian rivers, it abounds with fish, particularly sturgeon, shad, pike, and carp. It falls slowly into the Euxine through several branches, amidst numerous sand banks; and its bed in summer is so shallow that merchant vessels are obliged to unlade at Gubokaya Pristan, the Deep Wharf, thirty-five versts beyond its mouth. Even this road is sometimes unnavigable from November to May. Its port has therefore been successively transferred from Cherson to Nicolaef, and

VOL. XXI.

latterly to Odessa. (Tooke's View of the Russian Em- DNIEPER. pire; E. D. Clarke's Travels, i.)

DNIESTER, the Tyras and Danaster of the Ancients, a large River of Europe, separating the Russian and Turkish dominions. It originates in a lake of the Carpathian Mountains in Austrian Galicia. It first traverses a great part of that country, and then enters Russia at Choczim, in the Government of Podolia. In its course towards the Black Sea, which it reaches after an extent of 600 miles, it passes the cities Tzekinooka, Rasczcow, Bender, Tiraspol, and some other towns, forming the boundary between the Governments of Cherson and Bessarabia, and terminates at Akerman, in the Euxine, about half way between the mouths of the Pruth and the Dnieper. Towards the mouth it forms an extensive estuary; and though a large stream, it is so obstructed by rocks as in some places to impede navigation. Much attention, however, has lately been paid to its improvement by the Russian Government, and it is in consequence become the principal channel through which the adjacent parts of Poland transmit their produce to the flourishing port of Odessa, situated about fifty miles north-east of its mouth. (E. D. Clarke's Travels, i.; Herod. iv. 51; Strabo, vii.)

DO, A verb auxiliary, and a verb absolute, Do'ER, (says Wallis ;) as an auxiliary having only Do'ING. the present and preter-imperfect, (did for do-ed;) as a verb absolute, having the participles, (doing, do'n,) and then also itself admitting auxiliary verbs.

Mr. Tyrwhit remarks, that Do is used very rarely by Chaucer as an auxiliary, (v. 1472, 4;) that he more frequently uses it transitively, (v. 10074, 5;) but still more frequently to save the repetition of a word, (v. 269.) This latter usage has been noticed by Hickes in the A. S., who gives, with other instances, one from Mark, viii. 6. Et dabat discipulis ut apponerent, et apposuerunt turbæ; And he gave to his disciples, that they should set before them, and they did so; in A. S. And hig swa didon. Mr. Tyrwhit also observes, that the exact power which Do, as an auxiliary, has in our language, is not easy to be defined, and still less to be accounted for from analogy. Tooke answers, "that though we cannot account for the use of this verbal sign," (as he emphatically calls it,) "from any analogy to other languages, yet there is no caprice in these methods of employing to and do," (the same word, in his opinion) "so differently from the practice of other languages: but that they arise from the peculiar method which the English language has taken to arrive at the same necessary end, which other languages attain by distinguishing termination," i. 359.

To (i. e. Act,) prefixed to a noun, invests such noun with a verbal character, and was used to distinguish the infinitive from the noun, after the infinitive had lost that distinguishing termination, which it formerly had.

Do, for the same reason, and with the same effect, is prefixed to other parts of the English verb, undistinguished from the noun by termination, and to those parts only. In Chaucer's time the distinguishing terminations of the verb still remained, although not constantly employed; and he availed himself of that situation of the language to use them or not; and thus both To and Do are used by Chaucer more

2 в

-

DO.

rarely than we use them at present. See Tooke, i. 350, et seq.

To or do is the Goth. substantive taui, or tauhts; i. e. act, effect, result, consummation, which Gothic substantive is itself the past participle tauid or tauids, of the verb tauyan, agere, to do or cause to do, to act. A. S. don; Ger. thun; Dutch, doen.

Do is used emphatically, with subauditions to be implied from the context; e. g. We shall do without his help, i. e. do what we wish, what we aim at; and so succeed. Thus it may be supplied by various other words, more fully expressing the meaning intended, and principally by the following:

To act or transact, to cause or occasion, to effect or produce, to perform or execute, to make, to practise, to accomplish, to complete or fulfil, to finish.

po Claudius pe emperour to ys ende was y do.
R. Gloucester, p. 67.

Hys poer he let sumný, þat ysprad was wel wyde,
And grey bede ys noble ost, and dude him it be weye,
And dude hym so in to see, and vorst to Norpweye.

Id. p. 182.

Therfore I seye to you, that the kyngdom of God schal be taken fro you, and schal be goven to a folk doynge fruytis of it. Wiclif. Matthew, ch. xxi.

But be ye doeris of the word, and not heerers oonli, disseyuynge yousilff. Id. James, ch. i. Therfore I biseche firste of alle thingis, that bisechingis, prieris, axyngis, doyngis of thankyngis be maad for alle men.

Id. 1 Timothy, ch. ii.
Have on him routh

For Godde's loue, and doeth him nat deie.
Chaucer. The third Booke of Troilus, fol. 167.

His yonge sone, that three yere was of age,
Unto him said, fader, why do ye wepe?
Whan will the gailer bringen our potage?
Is ther no morsel bred that ye do kepe,
I am so hungry, that I may not slepe.

Id. The Monkes Tale, v. 14744.
And if I do that lakke,
Do stripen me and put me in a sakke,
And in the next river do me drenche.
I am a gentil woman, and no wenche.

Id. The Marchantes Tale, v. 10074.

And sometime at our praiere han we leve,
Only the body, and not the soule to greve :
Witnesse on Job, whom that we diden wo.

Id. The Freres Tale, v. 7073.

And in his harping, whan that he hadde songe,
His eyen twinkeled in his hed aright,
As don the sterres in a frosty night.

Id. The Prologue, v. 270.

Great good through hem may come to the
Bicause with her they ben priue
They shall her tell how they the fande
Curteis and wise, and wel doande.

Id. The Romunt of the Rose, fol. 128.

Right so behinde his brother's backe (With false wordes, whiche he spake) He hath do slayne, and that is routh.

Gower. Conf. Am. book ii. fol. 38.

She [Laodomie] hath asked of the wise
Touchend of hym in suche a wise,
That thei haue done hir vnderstonde,
Toward other howe so it stonde,
The destyne it hath so shape,
That he shall not the deth escape,
In caas that he arriue at Troie.

Id. Ib. book iv. fol. 74.

If any good thing to mennes liking in this Scripture be found, thanketh the maister of grace which that of the good and all other is authour, and principall doer.

Chaucer. The third Booke of the Testament of Loue, fol. 308. But your glorie that is so narowe and so strayte throngen into so little boundes, how mykell conteineth it in large and in great doynge. Id. The second Booke of Boecius, fol. 220.

They can also set them [false Goddes] vp alofte, salute them wyth lyes, perfume them with sensynges, and cause a greate nōbre of people to worshipp the vpō ye earth. Soche mostruouse doers are they. Bale. Apology, p. 141.

For though thou hast the godlye gyft of prophecie with the grace of vnderstandynge and iudgement, yet haue I founde thy workes vngodly, and thy doynges vyle and abominable before God my celestyall father. Id. Image, F. 2.

For wherein shall we excell others, if those things which thou hast secretly taught us, be made common to all? I do thee to understand, that I had rather excell others in excellency of knowledge than in greatness of power. Farewell.

Sir Thomas North. Plutarch, fol. 561. Alexander the Great.

Being therefore thus arraied and decked accordingly, and doing the mariners to wit beforehand, that he had a wonderfull desire to chant a sonnet or hymn unto Apollo Pythius, for the safety of himselfe, the ship and all those fellow-passengers who were within it, he stood upright on his feet in the poop close to the ship side, and after he had sounded a certain invocation or praiers to the sea Gods, he chanted the canticle beforesaid.

Holland. Plutarch, fol. 282.

If he [the king] command to do a man wrong, the command is void, et actor fit author, and the actor becomes the wrong

doer. State Trials. Charles 1. Anno 1628. Proceedings relating to the Liberty of the Subject.

By the power or omnipotence of God is meant, an ability of doing all such things, the doing of which may argue perfection, and which do not imply a contradiction, neither in the things themselves, or to the nature and perfection of the doer.

Wilkins. Of Natural Religion, book i. ch. xi.

Cicero doth not plainlie expresse the last sentence, but doth invent it fitlic for his purpose, to taunt the follie and simplicitie in his adversarie, Aetius, not weiging wiselie the sutle doynges of Chrysogonus and Stalenus.

Ascham. Works, fol. 286. The Schole-Master.

These were, indeed, works of excessive grandeur and difficulty, but he did others far more great and hard, and these were greater from the manner of performing them, than in their own nature; he did other acts so great, that they were onely to be done by an infinite power; and most of these he performed in a manuer which argued omnipotency present with the doer.

Barrow. Works. Sermon 20. vol. ii.

It is needfull that he should have this power of discerning whatever moveth, or passeth within him; what he thinks upon, whither he inclines, how he judgeth, whence he is affected, wherefore he doth resolve; without this power he could not be a moral agent, not able to perform any duty, not properly subiect to any law, not liable to render an accompt of his doings.

Id. Ib. Sermon 12. vol. iii.

If you set yourself up as the doer of good works, you endeavour to get the praise from God, who professes himself to be the author of all good, and whom you ought always to glorify.

Gilpin. Works, vol. i. p. 137. Hints for Sermons.

DOBERA.

DOBERA, in Botany, a genus of the class TetranDOCIBLE dria, order Monogynia. Generic character: calyx four-toothed; corolla, petals four; nectary of four glands between the petals and stamens; drupe superior; seed one.

One species, D. glabra, a large tree, native of Arabia. Forskall, Egyp. DO'CIBLE,

Do'CIBLENESS,

Do'CILE,

DocI'LITY,

Do'CTOR,

DOCTORAL,

Do'CTORALLY, Do'CTORATE, V. Do'CTORATE, n. Do'CTORESS, Do'CTORLIKE, Do'CTORLY, Do'CTORSHIP,

Do'CTRICE,

DOCTRINE,

Docible or docile; It. docibile; Sp. docil; Fr. docile; Lat. docibilis, contracted into docilis, from doc-ere, which Vossius thinks with Scaliger, is from the Gr. dox-elv, existimare, putare; Martinius (with more probability) from beik-ev, to show, to point out; and thus, a docile person takes, comprehends readily, easily, willingly, what is shown, pointed out or explained to him; and thus, is apt or quick to learn.

Doctor, Fr. docteur; It. dottore; Sp. doctor; Lat. doctor, vel quod sit doctus, vel quod doceat. Minshew.

DOCTRINAL, n. DOCTRINAL, adj. DOCTRINALLY, Do'CUMENT, v. A teacher, one who teaches, Do'CUMENT, n. one who shows, points out or explains, one skilled in teaching; a learned man. Doctrine, Fr. doctrina; It. and Sp. dottrina ; Lat. doctrina.

That which any one teaches; the principles or opinions taught, held or maintained.

Document, Fr. document; It. and Sp. documento; Lat. documentum, quidquid nos aut doctiores reddit, aut certiores, aut prudentiores.

Any thing taught, shown, pointed out or explained, any principle or opinion held or maintained; it is also applied to a writing produced in evidence or as proof; (quod nos certiores reddat.) '

Bale. Apology, p. 50.

DOCIBLE

Ho so dob by youre doctrine. dop wel ich leyve. Piers Plouhman. Vision, p. 195. Jhesus answeride to hem, and seide, myn doctryn is not myn, but his that sente me. Wiclif. Jon, ch. vii. Yet also haue I leaue of the noble husbande Boece, although I be a straunger of connyng to come after his doctrine.

Chaucer. Prologue of the Testament of Loue, fol. 206. Fyrste comedies, whiche they suppose to be a doctrinall of rybaudry, they be vndoutedly a picture, or as it were a mirrour of man's lyfe: wherin yuell is not taughte, but dyscouered. Sir Thomas Elyot. Governour, book i. ch. xiii. And among these sects there are three more famous then the rest the first is of them that professe the doctrine of one Confucius, a notable philosopher.

Hakluyt. Voyage, &c. A Description of China.
Thus louers with their mortal documents

And eloquent language they can exemplifie
The craft of loue what it doth signitie.

Chaucer. Certaine Balades, fol. 341. Men must be prudent in diuiding and receiuing the prophets documents. Thei must loke whiche parte containeth the lawes, whiche preche the promises & the Gospell.

Joye. Exposicion of Daniel. The Argument. All the whiche, besydes the pleasure that maye be taken in readynge of them, be full of teachynges and documentes, to hym that woll taste, dygeste and reduce them vnto a morall sense. Nicolls. Thucydides. Prologue, fol. 7.

This consideration of the humble, docible temper of our church (together with our professed appeal to those first and purest times, to stand or fall, as by those evidences we shall be adjudged) necessarily renders it our infelicity, not our crime, if in judging of Christ's truth, we should be deemed to err.

Hammond. Works, vol. i. fol. 527. Of Schism, ch. viii. Add hereunto that the world stands in admiration of the capacity and docibleness of the English, that persons of ordinary breeding, extraction and callings should become statesmen and soldiers, commanders and counsellors, both in the art of war and

mysteries of state, and know the use of the compass in so short a

tract of time.

Howell. Letter 47. book v.

Observe the patient service he [the horse] does us at the plough, cart, or under the pack-saddle, his speed upon the high way in matters of importance, his docibleness and desire of glory and praise, and consequently his notable atchievements in war.

More. An Antidote against Atheism, book ii. ch. viii.

I might enlarge myself in the commendation of hunting, and of the noble hound especially, as also of the docibleness of dogs in general. Walton. Angler, part i. ch. i. Be briefe in what thou wouldst command, that so The docile mind may soone thy precepts know, And hold them faithfully.

Ben Jonson. Horace. The Art of Poetrie. Other men I am sure do make a wonder at that which the elephant learneth, and is taught, whose docility is exhibited unto us in the theaters, by his sundry sorts of guestures, and changes in dauncing. Holland. Plutarch, fol. 787. Indeede St. Chrysostome, that noble and eloquent doctor, in a sermon, contra fatum, and the curious serching of nativities," doth wiselie saie, that "ignorance therein, is better than knowledge." Ascham. Works, p. 281. The Schole-Master.

The golden laurell of teaching doctorall, is not from aboue indifferently euery man's gift.

Fox. Martyrs, Anno 1391. The Letter Monitory of the Bishop of Hereford.

He bath in the last place his chair of ease and state, and here he sets up his rest, here he sins with as much majesty as delight. In cathedrâ, as a seat of authority, sinning doctorally, and magisterially, by his practice defining the lawfulness of these scoffs, even setting up a school of Atheism.

Hammond. Works, vol. iv. Sermon 17. He [John Dee] was bred (as I believe) in Oxford, and there doctorated, but in what faculty I cannot determine.

Fuller. Worthies. Lancashire. These, and such others are the men that are made martyrs in the Pope's bead-rolle, as chosen vessels to suffer for the Romish cause, of which number Sanders was not worthy to be, as himself doctor-like signified in his letter vnto Allen. Speed. Queen Elizabeth, book ix. ch. xxiv. sec. 88. Anno 1577.

DOCIBLE.

And thus hast thou (louing reader) the whole action and stage of this doctourlie disputation shewed forth vnto thee, against these DOCK. three worthy confessors and martyrs of the Lord.

Fox. Martyrs, fol. 1526. Disputation of M. Latimer at Oxford.
Anno 1554.

One that had spent his time abroad, between the schools and the camp (for he had been in or pass'd through armies) and had gotten a doctorship.

Clarendon. History of the Civil War, vol. i. part i. p. 199. Paula, the wife of Senec, informed with the doctrine of her husband, followed also her husband in conditions.

Vives. Instruction of a Christian Woman, book i. ch. iv. And this is a good doctrine, which admonisheth us to give all praise unto God, and not to ascribe it to our own selves.

Latimer. The third Sermon upon the Lord's Prayer.

His conversation (for ought I can learn to the contrary) very unblameable; and the poison of heretical doctrine is never more dangerous, than when served up in clean cups, and washed

dishes.

State Trials. James I. Anno 1612. The Cases of Legate Whiteman, &c.

When the clergy submitted themselves in the time of Henry VIII. the submission was so made, that if any difference doctrinal, or other, fell in the church, the king and the bishops were to be judges of it in the national synod or convocation.

Id. Charles I. Anno 1625. Proceedings against Richard Mountague.

His teaching is not to teach you the doctrinals of salvation and of the Son, for he leaves that to ministers, and to the Bible, to teach you the doctrinals only in a doctrinal way.

Godwin. Works, vol. iv. part i. fol. 126. Let these [apothecaries] obey, and let the learn'd subscribe; That men may die, without a double bribe : Let them, but under their superiors kill; When doctors first have sign'd the bloody bill.

Dryden. Epistle 12. To my Friend Mr. Motteux. [He] soon after left the university, and whether he went beyond the seas, and was doctorated there I cannot tell.

Wood. Athene Oxonienses, vol. i. fol. 268.
Afterwarde he was doctorated in physick elsewhere (at Leyden
I think.)
Id. Fasti Oxonienses, vol. ii. fol. 122.
In one place of Cartwright's book he spake of Whitgift's
"bearing out himself, by the credit of his doctorship and deanery."
Strype. Life of Whitgift, Anno 1573.

A preacher's doctrine, and his proof,
Is all his province, and enough:
But is no more concern'd in use
Than shoemakers to wear all shoes.

Butler. Miscellaneous Thoughts.

We are not much degenerated from the purity of Christianity as to doctrinals. Sharp. Works, vol. ii. Sermon 1.

O Alciphron, if I durst follow my own judgment, I should be apt to think there are noble beauties in the style of Holy Scripture in the narrative parts a strain so simple and unaffected: in the devotional and prophetic, so animated and sublime: and in

the doctrinal parts such an air of dignity and authority, as seems DOCIBLE. to speak their original divine. DOCK.

Berkeley. The Minute Philosopher, Dialogue 6. Your state doctors do not so much as pretend that any good whatsoever has hitherto been derived from their opperations, or that the publick has prospered in any one instance, under their management. Burke. Letter to a Member of the National Assembly.

An English or Irish doctorate cannot be obtained by a very young man, and it is reasonable to suppose, what is likewise by experience commonly found true, that he who is by age qualified to be a doctor, has in so much time gained learning sufficient not to disgrace the title, or wit sufficient not to desire it.

Johnson. A Journey to the Western Islands.

He [the chevalier] was induced to believe, that they would exact far less from him, than we knew they expected: and they were confirmed it. an opinion of his docility, which we knew to be void of all foundation.

Bolingbroke. Works, vol. i. p. 115. A Letter to Sir William Windham. The Psalmist, speaking of his exemption from haughtiness, compares himself to a young child; and the humble docility of little children is, in the New Testament, represented as a necessary preparative to the reception of the Christian faith.

Beattie. Moral Science, part i. ch. ii. sec. 5. p. 305.

It is by an evident abuse and perversion of Mr. Locke's doctrine, that Dr. Reid pretends that it is favourable to Bishop Berkeley's notion of there being no material world; when in reality our author's own principles are much more favourable to that notion than Mr. Locke's.

Priestley. Remarks on Dr. Reid's Theory, sec. 7 He hath therefore communicated to us a much greater number of doctrinal truths, all fitted to instruct our worship, and inflame our gratitude; but hath reduced our ritual performances to two. Secker. Works, vol. i. p. 335. Sermon 21.

Saint Luke professes not to write as an eye-witness, but to have investigated the original of every account which he delivers; in other words, to have collected them from such documents and testimonies, as he, who had the best opportunities of making inquiries, judged to be authentic.

Paley. Evidences, ch. viii.

Resolutissimus.
Authenticus

Illuminatus.

Christianissimus,

Evangelicus.

Irrefragabilis.

. Admirabilis.

head or behead, is, to cut off the head) to dock to cut off the dock; and generally

may be

To cut off, to lop off, to curtail or shorten. Docket, a Briefe in writing, or some small piece of paper or parchment, containing the effect of a large writing; (Minshew,) i. e. a large writing curtailed, shortened.

His here was by his eres round yshorne, His top was docked like a preest beforne. Chaucer. The Prologue, v. 592. The saide shippe called the Holy Crosse was so shaken in this voyage, and so weakened, that she was layd vp in the docke, and neuer made a voyage after.

Hakluyt. Voyage, &c. Trade to Siv. vol. ii. part i. fol. 98.

I should not see the sandie houre-glasse runne,
But I should thinke of shallows, and of flats,
And see my wealthy Andrew docks [dockt] in sand,
Vailing her high top lower then her ribs
To kiss her buriall.

Shakspeare. Merchant of Venice, fol. 163.
We know they [bishops] hate to be dockt and clipt.
Millon. Works, vol. i. fol. 6. Of Reformation in England.
Thus having dispersed his power all abroad, he brought all the
pyrates' ships that were in a fleet together, within his danger;
and when he had taken them, he brought them all into a dock.
Sir Thomas North. Plutarch, fol. 536. Pompeivs.
Asses have the said docke or rumpe longer than horses,
Holland. Plinie, vol. i. fol. 352.

Here will be officers, presently; bethink you,
Of some course sodainely to scape the dock:
For thither you'll come else.

Ben Jonson. The Alchemist, act v. sc. 5.

Sterne Minos and grimme Radimant
Descend their duskie roomes:
The docke was also clear of ghosts,
Adiorn'd to after-domes.

Warner. Albion's England, book iii. ch. xviii.

And for Worcester, there is no proof but the docket-book; now my Lorde, it is well known in court, that the docket doth but signify the king's pleasure for such a bill to be drawn; it never mentions who procured the preferment.

State Trials. Charles I. Anno 1640. Trial of Archbishop Laud. For which the said Theodore and Jacob had undertaken, by their agreement with us, to buy in Holland, and to transport from thence hither, at their own charge and adventure, several proportions of arms mentioned in a docquet, then sent inclosed in our said letters. Clarendon. History of the Civil War, vol. ii. part i. P. 426. "The sea is yours, but mine the land,"

Pallas replies;

by me were plann'd

The word Dock was formerly applied to the slip or excavation made for the purpose of building_or repairing a vessel; and was distinguished as a Dry Dock, when furnished with flood-gates to prevent the influx of the tide, if required; and as a Wet Dock, when, having no flood-gates, the vessel could only be cleansed or repaired during the period in which the tide left her accessible. These slips or Docks are still used. At present the name of Graving or Building Dock is more generally given to what we have termed Dry Dock, which latter term is applied to those Docks or basins left dry by the tide; while the appellation slip is confined to the narrow inlet for building or repairing, unprotected by gates.

But during the growth of the maritime power and the commerce of Europe, it was found highly inconvenient to load and unload vessels lying in a tide river, or in a harbour not entirely landlocked; for either the ships could not be brought close to the wharfs, or, when conducted there at the flood of the tide, they were left dry at the ebb, and suffered continual

damage by straining, by delay from neap tides, and DOCK. other accidents and inconveniences. To obviate these, improvements in the existing Docks or slips were made from time to time, until England, taking the lead, introduced a system of Floating Docks, which have greatly contributed to the advancement of her commercial prosperity.

It would be a matter of curious inquiry to trace the first adoption of flood-gates, for the purpose of excluding the water during the operation of ship-building; but the materials for such an investigation are wanting, and we can only conclude, from the very small tides which occur in the Mediterranean, that flood-gates were unnecessary, and therefore were unknown to the ancient inhabitants of the shores of that sea; and that probably they were not in use till within the last two centuries; at least nothing is to be found that can lead to an opposite conclusion.

Old Dock.

The old Dock of Carlscrona, a sea-port on the Baltic, Carlscrona constructed at the commencement of the last century, was undoubtedly the best existing Dock of that age. It is a vast basin cut out of the solid rock, 350 feet in length, 46 feet in breadth, and 33 feet deep. At each end is a channel and large sluices. When a vessel was brought in, the flood-gates were shut, and the water was drawn out by a forcing pump worked by animal power.

The perfection of Docks for single vessels soon led to the idea of constructing Docks capable of containing several ships. In the latter end of the XVIIth century, London, Bristol, Hull, and Newcastle, appear to have been provided with Quays or Jetties, alongside of which vessels were brought by the flood, but left dry by the ebb; these were considered great advantages at the time; and in the sheltered rivers, on the banks of which these towns are built, vessels were not exposed to the action of the wind and tide as in more unprotected situations, such as the estuary of the Mersey. Early in the reign of Elizabeth a mole had been built in front of the town of Liverpool, and on the banks of the river, under shelter of which, vessels might winter in comparative security. And from an expression in the Act to form the first Dock at Liverpool, we find that there was a pool or inlet at the same place.

In 1757, the perfection of the Old Dock at Carlscrona, after the plans of the celebrated Polheim, led to the construction of a similar, but more extensive work, under the directions of Thunberg, a self-taught engineer, and his son.

The form of the New Dock is semicircular, and it is Carlscrona divided into four compartments, each of which has New Dock. five slips for vessels, with a gate 48 feet in width, and nearly 30 feet in height, and a detached edifice over it with a copper roof. The entrance basin is nearly 50 feet deep, cut out of the solid rock, and sufficiently large to allow four men of war to lie together along the quay, which is of hewn stone. From this basin each vessel may enter its lodge or slip by means of large sluices or canals of communication. The bottoms of these are cut in the granite rock, and shaped like the keels of ships; the sides are built of hewn granite set in Puzzolana cenient. The walls which separate these lodges are nearly 40 feet in thickness, and support the building over the slip. When the vessels have entered the lodges, the water is let out through a culvert at the bottom of the