CAMBAY

cambay, gulf of, an inlet in the coast of india, in the gujarat division of bombay. it is about 80 m. in length, but is shallow and abounds in shoals and sandbanks. it is supposed that the depth of water in this gulf has been decreasing for more than two centuries past. the tides, which are very high, run into it with amazing velocity, but at low water the bottom is left nearly dry for some distance below the latitude of the town of cambay. it is, however, an important inlet, being the channel by which the valuable produce of central gujarat and the british districts of ahmedabad and broach is exported; but the railway from bombay to baroda and ahmedabad, near cambay, has for some time past been attracting the trade to itself. camber (derived through the fr. from lat. _camera_, vault), in architecture, the upward curvature given to a beam and provided for the depression or sagging, which it is liable to, before it has settled down to its bearings. a "camber arch" is a slight rise given to the straight-arch to correct an apparent sinking in the centre (see arch).