The Yazoo City weekly Whig. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 18??-1855, 1854-08-04
THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI.

forbid and charged accordingly
THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI.
DeBoW's Review for July contains the
report of a special board, detailed by the
War Department. on the subject Of the
mouths of the Mississippi. The board re-
commends several expedients to deepen the
channel Of the main pass, and as an auxili-
airy measure, that Of dredging. It is stated
in the report, that cas- the northwest pass
has been shoaled, the south channel Of Pass
la POutre has increased in depth probably
at the expense of the former
e.The bottom of these passes isextremely
soft, single man being able to force pole
down ten or fifteen feet into the bottom with
little exertion." \
"But all experience at these passes, it is
remarked. has shown that the depth on any
one bar is greater as the volume Of water
discharged by the pass is increased. The
contraction of the same volume to narrow
er channel is analogous to throwing greater
volume into the same channel Hence, it is
reasonable to believe, that the new bar
would have considerably more water than
the old, and that this increased depth would
continue for considerable period Of time"
No considerable additional volume can be
thrown down the southwest pass. This plan
may, however, be applied to pass PouTe.
They therefore recommend the gradual and
successive closing of the north channel Of
pass f0utre, of pass Cheval, Of the south
pass. and partial detection ofsthe north-
east pass.
In order to improve the navigable depth
of the southwest pass, we think it would,
therefore, be only necessary to close up all
lateral streams or bayous of the PISS, about
twenty in number. and confne the water
within proper channel, to prevent the dis
lpersion Of the water over large surface,
which would greatly increase its velocity
and with this the securing and Transporting
IpOwer,
IL is well known that depth of twelve
feet Of water has been on the bar of the
mouth of the Mississippi these three hundred
years past, because the causes which pro-
Iduced the bar have remained the same, and
Iitmust be admitted that the depth has been
made and maintained By the securing pow
Ter of the current.
When we increase the velocity and vol
urne Of water to scour down its bed to twenty
feetdepth. and BY means which will preserve
The action Of the water. we can certainly
draw he conclusion that the depth oftweniy
fleet will be as well maintained for one hun
bred years to come By the velocity Of the
water as that Of twelve feet for one hundred
years previously.
The following projects are well known,
the board says, and have appeared to merit
their consideration:
LIST. Stirring up the mud ct the bottom.
Cd Dredging.
Srd. Confning the water within q proper
channel. 'Fetters projected from the shore
to contract the current over the bar.
: 4th. Closing the useless passes:
This report continues; ''They believe that
nothing but experiment can prove whether
or not any project viii be eficacious.
"The operation Of dredging is believed
to have much to dom common with the pro-
cess Just recommended. The causes Of fall
ure for the frst may be the same Is for Che
latter
Mr.. Brooks says; ''It We inquire Why g
little has been effected in the improvement
Of many navigable rivers. Notwithstanding
tie great outlay which hes been annually
incurred il The employment Of dredging YES.
sels. We shall always find that those Who
directed their ice, have con.snied them