European rivers flow in part to the Atlantic and its Mediterranean
branches, partly to the Arctic Sea, and partly to the Caspian, which
last belongs to the “continental” system of drainage, or the area from
which no rivers escape to the open ocean.
The _Volga_, the largest European river, is the principal feeder of the
Caspian, and the great highway of commerce of Central and South Russia.
The _Don_, _Dnieper_, _Dniester_, and _Danube_ all flow into the Black
Sea. The last-named is the second of European rivers, and forms, with
its navigable tributaries, the route for traffic between Central Europe
and the East.
The _Po_, the _Rhone_ (the most rapid European river, though of little
value for navigation), and the _Ebro_ flow into the Mediterranean.
The chief rivers (all of immense importance) draining into the Atlantic,
are: the _Tagus_ (with its port of Lisbon), the _Douro_ (Oporto), the
_Gironde_ (Bordeaux), the _Loire_ (Nantes), and the _Mersey_
(Liverpool); while of less importance are the _Guadalquivir_,
_Guadiana_, _Tagus_, and _Douro_ in Spain; the _Garonne_, _Loire_, and
_Seine_ in France. Into the North Sea flow the _Thames_ (London), the
_Meuse_ (Rotterdam), the _Rhine_ and the _Elbe_, giving uninterrupted
water-way to Switzerland and into the heart of Bohemia; and into the
Baltic, the rivers _Oder_, _Vistula_, _Niemen_, and _Dwina_, more or
less important for purposes of transport.
On account of the great historic, political and scenic importance that
attaches to the Rhine and the Danube, in addition to the fact that their
courses are not confined strictly to any one country, these rivers call
for more detailed descriptions. The other European rivers of importance
are described in connection with the country to which they either wholly
or in great part belong.
=THE RHINE= (_Ger._ Rhein), is probably the most famous river in the
world, and, except the period between 1697 and 1871, always a purely
German possession. It is usually divided into the upper, middle, and
lower parts, the first lying within and along part of the boundary
line of Switzerland, the second between Basel and Cologne, and the
third between Cologne and the sea.