VV, whenever it occurs at the beginning, or in the middle, of a word; and an f, whenever it is found as a termination. There is yet another letter of the Russian alphabet, which, from its frequent recurrence as an initial, requires a perfect reconciliation to some settled law of English orthography; viz. the Tchérve this has the power of our ch, in cheese and child, and occurs in the name of the Cossacks of the Black Sea, Tchernomorski. With regard to words terminating in ai and oi, as Valdai, Paulovskoi, perhaps it would be well to substitute ay and oy, as Valday, Paulovskoy; or y only, as Valdy, Paulovsky; which last offers a close imitation of the vulgar mode of pronunciation in general: but the variety caused by different dialects, in different parts of the empire, will, after every attention is paid to a settled rule of writing, occasion frequent perplexity and embarrassment. In the orthography of the names of places immediately south of Moscow, frequent attention was paid to the Map of Reymann, published by Schmidt, at Berlin, in 1802. But even in that map, the territories of the Don Cossacks, Kuban Tartary, and the Crimea, appear only as a forlorn blank. Many years may expire before Russia, like Sweden, will possess a HERMELIN, to illustrate the geography of the remote provinces of her empire; especially as it is a maxim in her policy, to maintain the ignorance which prevails in Europe, concerning those parts of her dominions. On this account, the indecision, which must appear in the perusal of this volume, to characterize the description of the country between Biroslaf and Odessa, admits of explanation. The geography of all that district is little known; the courses of the Dniester, the Bog, and the Dnieper, as well as the latitude and soundings of the coast near their embouchures, have never been adequately surveyed. The only tolerable charts are preserved by the Russian Government, but sedulously secreted from the eyes of Europe. It has however fallen to the author's lot, to interfere, in some degree, with this part of its political system, by depositing within a British Admiralty certain documents, which were a subsequent acquisition, made during his residence in Odessa. These he conveyed from that country, at the hazard of his life. They are too voluminous for insertion in the work, but may serve to facilitate the navigation of the Russian coasts of the Black Sea, if ever the welfare of Great Britain should demand the presence of her fleets in that part of the world. In making this addition to our stock of knowledge, for the use of our navy, no ties of confidence, or of honour, were broken with a people who have violated every engagement with this country. Those documents were entrusted to the author by persons fully authorized to concede the information, and their injunctions have been sacredly obeyed. TABLES OF RUSSIAN MEASURE, WEIGHT, & MONEY. MEASURE. The Archine, or Russian Yard, equals 28 English Inches. The Sajen, or Russian Fathom, equals 7 English Feet. Three Versts equal 2 English Miles. The Russian Foot is exactly that of England. The Vershock equals 1 English Inch and 4. The smallest weight of Russia is the Solotnick, which equals The first silver money of Russia was coined at Novogorod in 1420, in small pieces, which were called Copeeks. The present value of the Copeek may be estimated as equal to an English Halfpenny. Almost all calculations of the country are made according to the number of Copeeks. In In 1654, Roubles were introduced at Moscow in the form of bars, with deep notches in them (roubli), which enabled the possessor to detach as much of the bar as his payment might require*. Hence the origin of the word Rouble. Almost all the copper money of Russia is coined in Siberia, and principally at Catherineburg, near the Ural Mines. Sixteen Roubles of pure copper weigh a Poud. At present, the specie of the country has nearly disappeared, and paper is its only representative. The Copeek no longer exists as current coin. The following statement of the Names and Value of Russian Money is chiefly extracted from Georgi.† This last coin represents, in front, the Figure of St. George on horseback, piercing a dragon with his spear. "From this spear," says Georgit, called Copoea in Russian, the word Copeek has been derived. Georgi, Déscript. de St. Peters. p. 187. Edit. Franc. Peters. 1793. Ibid. p. 191. |