The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-04-23

cucntt Of the Mississippi, Is sntial that should. for the
csArsr eineidhton Of The subject Of the tides, offer some
further remarks regarding them and in support Of my POSI-
ton, shall quote from WRITER'S whose very CON-
mAnd attention Many of the local and intermittent rises IN
the waters Of the Mississippi and which taken for granted
by ne majority to be the effect Of tides are manifest to the
scientific and obserya 70 be merely the natural effects pro-
duced by shifts Of wind from point of the compass the
other For instance when the current Of particular bend
Of the river, bearing North East Is met by strong South
West wind concentrated that particular portion Of the
rivers channel the evident effect b. the partial check the
current and leaping up and driving back Of the waters
contained In the channel bearing h.East and North
West and nice This most natural and easily
counted for phenomenon has been and mistaken naturally
for ebb and flow Of the tides in the Mississippi and would
admit have deceived had not foruitous circumstances
enabled me to arrive at different conclusion During the
greater portion of the month Of January Of this year. 8)
was engaged in taking soundings survey of part of
the Mississippi, Qn connection with Mr. Harrison) This
gentleman was selected BY the Commissioner to devise
plan for the protection of the city of New Orleans from in
undation, and TO his indeatgaby and professional indus
try we are Indebted for complete map Of portion of
the Mississippi the Metaie RIDGE etc. and for accurate
pofes end gradients Of the Metare RIDGE River etc.,
During observation infinitely noted the rise and fall Of
the river and from admeasurenen taken each successive
twelve hours, have arrived at what conclude be salts
factory data viz; First, that there is as before stated,
lite or no effect exercised by the tide tc elevation
depression Of the level of the Of the Mississippi, any
great distance from s point Of seboguement flood time
that is when there fresh 10 the because the velocity
anu lorce OF ue current together with the specific gravity
and density OF the river WATER cobined powerful
than the like attributes in the writer's Of the Gulf and be-
cause the obstacles the tide IN the snuosy of
the channel and the unduaHs character bed ere su
ficient to nniT tidal effect almost completely; and,
secondly that the apparent tidal the effects of winds
As am proud to position supported by the concur,
ring opinonsend experience of the scientific writer's
beg 70 fraish few quotations The venerable and re.
specad Baron Humboldt wrtes' Local causes, probably
prevailing winds and currents may produce ptaanet al
though ng changes in the level of soe deeply indented
bays as for instances the Red and Caribbean seas Capan
bueheys voyage to the Pacsc and Lenzs observ aions
tend 70 prove = that the duration and intensity prevailing
winds heap the OF the ocean, The form of the
Straits of Aande through which the waters find an
easier ngess than egre seem to contbuteto this remarn
bic phenomenon, which known to the anceutS From
this hypothesis that the winds affect in percepble manner
such bodies OF water and as my own observations
cur have no hesitation in stating that my deductions are
correct.
The currents of the Mississippi are now 10 he
It's bends and their effect upon the currents its specific
gravity, comparative and individual the properties ana in
cinailon OF the foreign mners ii carries in solution
The study OF the cee of this wonderful river s perhaps
as dicn as sesrOse as important subject can well be
Imagined; smporan in all its bearings fraught with the
most vital Influences for good r evil to this great nation
in general but especially che jewellers upon the hanks nf
the lower Mississippi and its tributaries Lafourcbe Paoue
mime and Atchaissya; TO the forceo the currents their
muupicity tssbulance, and rotary notion their proieca
influence their abrasive tendency and the Uncommon
nc gravity OF the water that this upendous volume of anne
Gus iud owes It's power, its liability barst its artificial
banks or Levees this power will augment wear hv ,h
specnc gravity and density offs viii Increase As civil
zaton advances, the industry Of an euude, The sb If
the natural sward sod, the wants and 81
the tide Of emigration reclaim tie forest theland VII be
TO the plough, cultivation will loosen the sol each
season. The energy Of man. his sefmtest will induce him
by artificial ditches by Canals conduct the surfae
and the moisture hitherto hid in suspension bv fa o
earth when in state 81 nature, into the of the Mi.
ssippi and its tributaries The hoofs Of tomez,c c. III
1 he ALI
auumna rains 10 carry off with the floods greater !,
debris, for amalgsmstion, with the waters of the Mis.
formerly the FalAs were received upon surface Of the
OF the pnneval forests. The porous natnre or ,, s
great soFehouse for humidity the brous roots Of ts
OF grass OF cTytogarme plants acting as ducts ysyd ~
moisture TO suberransan Teservors where il remained r
gradually disposed of by enfpsfbn absorption and eva
aoh now the rains viii rush like torrents off the depuded
ana cultivated surface of the country and fill the n,,ul
channels of thesivers and bayous Sneh must he ~, 80;
Bile result which the march of civilization and the
state OF cultivation the mighty Western praires fn
e vaey o. lhe iss'ppi that vast portion of country lying
between the Rocky and Allegheny mountains between ~
Laks Istaea and the Gulf of Mexico; and trpv NH.
proper precautions taken, and timely ones too Io
LOUISIANA viii become for partially
uhi me ustous OF the Mississippi raises new stratum
| until II deposits new formation.
With regard to the source of the N;..;s;rD; tI,,,
hs hspecu Of Mature, Whites: Beltram who sn.r,sd
heh nom MAJ Longs Expedition in 1875 boosted Of hav
ne i u>e Source of the Mississippi in Lake Cas-
= the upper part oil Its course, throug
y which Lake Cas- is the second the uppermost i
W. istaca Lake, in lat AZ deg 10 min NJ and long s5 deg
West, and was first recognized the source of the N
sissppi, in the expedition Of Schoocat and Allen in 1892
This aitewsrd mighty river only II feet wde and IS nche
deep. when issues from the singular horseshoe
Lake Of Isaca. The height of the sources of the M.np
wiz OF the Eemot auent received by the Lake of Istaca
from the dividing line Hauteur de Tee 1880 feet aboy,
the level Of the sea-"
The fall then in the Mississippi per mile is foot an,
1886 inches in its gradient according to Humboldt The cur
rent Of river have already Proved when the grade of th
bed nearly HORIZONTAL is alone maintained by the veloc
acquired, in its descent. by the specific gravity and the coe
sion Of the particles Of the euent fluid the velocity of tn
current continually mpeded by unnatural distractions suc
tornou banks, opposing Winds friction against the bot
and sides of the channel with islands, and coun
ter currents.
The currents of this most peculiar river are regulated h.
fire great causes, the effects of which shall now prooeed
parieularze and explain:
Fitthe natural current, incidental TO the plane of tn
rivers mean fall
secondlythe downward DETECTED current at the point
athon and abrasion in the bends where the ara
| sive power is greatest.
Thrdly-the diagonal current the river, from thu
point OF auton and excavation 10 e point of formation
the opposite bank This the effect of reco and percussion
Fourthly-an eddying and reograde current close TO tn
bank above the point OF aon the consequence of the snu
osy OF the lateral banks and the unduatng and snguarsur
face of the natural bed OF the river. And,
fitthyvertcal ascending and descending currents pro
duced by the various degrees of the temperature of the differ
ent amina of the fluid and the specific gravity OF the foreig
matters carried in solution.
First-he natural currents incidental the plane of ry
ers mean ta The natural of river founded upo
Newtons principles specific gravity, would be at the sam
rate body equal gravity and cubca content and ou
occupy in falling from state of the horizontal plan
OF the foot OF the rivers gradient that is supposin
the inclination of the plane uniform and the sides of the chan
mel smooth and perpendicular (See DR.. Parknsons Cam
bridge edition of Hydrostac) By this find that one foo
oil fall per mile will give descending velocity of one mil