The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1805-01-17 00:00:00

THE C.11V41, OF LANGUEDOC.

";st.-ry of the Canal of. Languedoc, considered in relative to
"sr, hoeptioa, Administration, Ac. Rv ANDREOSSY,
renal of Artillery, First tifficor of the Legion of Honour,
111,,rober of the Order of k.gr lit, Ac.
(Concloded from our Paper of Friday last.)
In the different descriptions of the canal of Lan-
guedoc, published down to the present, they con-
line themselves to consider it as a navigable canal.
'losvever, it they have observed with attention, that
crosses a rich country, the fertility of which might
still he angmentecl by well-direaed waterirgs, they
wiruld soon see, that the waters, which were more
than sufficient for the principal objc'il, could, at their
coming, be distributed with advantage over the
onface of the cultivated lands. We are indebted
-r" General Andreossy for having at first pointed out
in what manner this great work could fill this
irn-
.ptrrtant point, or, at least, for having given to some
. good ideas of the late engineer, Lespinasse, on this
• ofiza, the publicity they deserve. According to
projea of this engineer, the canal of Languedoc,
:ar;.ter. than all t!:e waters which could be brought
1. the point of die.-ion, sh nu! serve to water the lands
wren it, s!uice of Fresquel. The lake
~f Marseillerte shouLd furnis!) resources sufficient,
Is well to indemnify the navigation for the loss of
waters emplosed in irrigation, as to water the
lands of lower Languedoc, as far as Rezurs, ex-
clusively. On account of this projea, General
Andreossy entered into curious details on the prac-
tical proceedings of irrigation, by ancient and mo-
dern nations. His travels in Italy, Egypt, and
England, have afforded him opportunities of gather.
ing observations, which he gives an account ot. and
which furnish the grounds for his opinion. It le-
- rosined for General Andreossy to impel the Canal
of Languedoc in hi, reports, with the lakes of the
interior, and the I,ncls which border on them. Ile
west back to the c. raining of the lake of Montadi,
undertaken in the 11th century. He afterwards
treats of the question, debated a long time since, of
the draining of the lake of Marseillette, by the ague-
du& of l'Aiguille, and here thinks contrary to the
opinion of the engineer Lespinasse ; that in case the
draining of this lake should not be found impossible,
the operation would be attended with so many in-
convemencies and expences, that it would he more
advantageous to charge tire projea, by altering the
lake from which it swells, in preserving the junc-
tion of waters, which overflow its banks, to supply
the Canal of Languedoc, in case of a scarcity, and
to maintain the system of irrigation as before de-
seribed.
These observations on the drying up of some
lakes in Languedoc by draining, and particularly
that of Capertong by reclaiming it, are followed
by details as little interesting as ugderstood, relative
to the Canal of Languedoc. It ffiust be, that Gel..
Andreossy found, in his own family, titles as ancient
as the Canal; which preserved, as he did, a con-
neßion with the most part of the persons employed
in the then administration, to write the history of it
from the year 1684 to the present time.
We know, that before the Revolution, the Canal
was ereited in feoffe, in favour of the family of
Ricret, which had the charge of maintaining the
works, bT means of the rights of navigation, receiv-
ed to their own profit, according to a book of late:
established immediately after it was finished,—
Nothing relative to this part of the Canal has ever
been published till now. The author here subjoins
a table of the receipts. expencis, and het profits of
the Canal of Languedoc during 106 years succes-
sively.
Another point in this history, the description of
which is not less new, and which General Andreossy
treats with an interest, to which any one in his plaice
might be animated, is the questien of the true au-
thor who projected the construction of the Canal of
Languedoc. When he thinks be has a well founded
right to reclaim the priority of an invention frcm
which the country draws such great advantages, it
is allowable, without doubt, to demand it, and
produce, to strengthen his pretensions, any authentic
evidence which can justify their legality ; for the
rest. General Aadreossy, in claiming from his great
grandfather the first idea of the Canal of Langue-
doc. is but impressing that which was known be-
fore. It is nothing more than to trace back the
connection which existed between M. Piquet and
his predecessor to determine the execution of this
prejea, such as it was conceived, and the zeal with
which the first assisted this enter prise with his credit
and fortune ; the powerful means which have, un-
doubtedly, established its success.
The 11th chapter includes the measurements of
different parts of the canal and its branches ; and die
twelfth, an historical note, on the ancient province
I.r•.iter! oe, which cannot be read without interest.
l'oe work is finished by explanatory notes and
:-•ireti• es, and by an accurate idea of the materials,
t•iich, at the same time, is an analysis of the whole
'eon k, and is a kind of diaionary of the art of canals.
Such is the short account of The theory of the
raga/ of Len,gatJee, which General Andreossy is
about to publish, and the beautiful ereetion of which
does much honour to French typography and en-
graving.
This work is written in a plain, easy, and precise
.tole. The choice of the sttbjeA, the excellent me-
th %.4 with which it is treated, the discussions relative
to the art which is there explained, and the learned
:er iar kb with which it is filled, recommend it highly
to readers of all ranks. and form a classical.work
for those whose employment leads them to the study
of hydraulics, and the construltion of canals, for
which that of Languedoc will a long time serve as
a model.

Tuesday se'nnight, a Ball and Supper were given
at Cadbury House, Dorsetshite, the seat of J ant s
Br xle ar, Esq. to a large party of his ft iendc and eiC•
quaintance, in the true style of English hospitality.
The noble rooms, lately added to this venerable
mansion, by its present owner, were prepared for
the occasion with taste and elegat ce ; the pillars and
arches were encircled and adorned with wreaths of
evergreens, and festoons of flowers. The company
t' began tn assemble soon after seven o'clock, and, be-
fore eight, mrre than twenty couple joined is thy
festive dance. The supper Was announced at twelve,
of which more than seventy partook. At one, the
dance was renewed, and continued tili three o'clock,
with tie same animation wirh which it begun,
when the compahy retired, truly pleased and sie-
Llighted with the whole of the entertainment.

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