. Physical and commercial geography; a study of certain controlling conditions of commerce. gchau, which is on the maintributary of the bay and is the capital of Chekiang and the center ofthe silk-producing industry, has practically no connection with the sea,and the more favorably located Shanghai is in possession of the ex-port trade. OCEAN, COAST LINE, AND HARBOR 13 14. Tides and harbors. The coming and going of ships from theland is largely governed by the tides. Fishing boats and other smallcraft time their daily movements by the tide, and there are few har-bors which do not depend upon t
. Physical and commercial geography; a study of certain controlling conditions of commerce. gchau, which is on the maintributary of the bay and is the capital of Chekiang and the center ofthe silk-producing industry, has practically no connection with the sea,and the more favorably located Shanghai is in possession of the ex-port trade. OCEAN, COAST LINE, AND HARBOR 13 14. Tides and harbors. The coming and going of ships from theland is largely governed by the tides. Fishing boats and other smallcraft time their daily movements by the tide, and there are few har-bors which do not depend upon tidal rise for the safe exit and returnof their vessels. If the moon were suddenly to be struck out of existence, we should be imme-diately apprised of the fact by a wail from every seaport in the kingdom. FromLondon, from Liverpool, from Bristol, we should hear the same story — the riseand fall of the tide had almost ceased. The ships in dock could not get out; theships outside could not get in; and the maritime commerce of the world wouldbe thrown into dire confusion.^ Scale of Milas. Fig. I. Mouth of the Mersey and Port of Liverpool Many large rivers without tides, which would normally furnishconvenient access to the interior, are practically closed to navigationunless deepened by artificial means. The Mississippi, 50 feet deepabove its mouth, has a natural depth over the bar of 13 feet. TheDanube, draining 316,000 square miles, in its natural condition has anavigable depth of 7 to 12 feet, and the Rhone is rendered navigableonly by the aid of canals connected with the sea (§ 34). The Neva has13 feet of water, the Volga 8 feet, and the Nile is navigable with diffi-culty below Cairo. On the other hand, the Mersey, with a drainage 1 Ball, Story of the Heavens, p. 49. 14 THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT basin of less than 2000 square miles, makes Liverpool a great sea-port, owing to a tidal rise of 27 feet (fig. i). The tides make thecity of London an important shipping center, though
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