an inlet of the Irish Sea, partially separating England from Scotland, and washing the shores of Kirkcudbrightshire and Dumfriesshire in the latter, and those of Cumberland in the former. It stretches inland, from S.W. to N.E., for 31 miles, and its breadth from the head as far down as the mouth of the Annan is 2 miles; between Southernness Point in Kirkcudbright and Allonby in Cumberland, it expands to 7 miles; and at its mouth, between Rayberry Head and St Bees Head, it is 20 miles across. The chief rivers that fall into the Solway Firth are the Urr, Nith, and Annan from Scotland, and the Derwent, Ellen, Waver, Wampool, and Eden from England. A great part of the firth is occupied by broad sandbanks, which are dry at low water. The tides both ebb and flow here with great rapidity and force; and bores are formed at the mouths of several of the rivers. The Sol-

way Firth is navigable for its whole length for vessels of 100 tons, and for those of 300 tons a considerable distance.