The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-12-01
TH DISP ATC II


Improvem eMt or the kanawh M.
We haze received copy Of report on tho y"
p,ovcmsnt Of the Kanswha and ineidea,ahJ -
che Ohio River, BY means OF artificial 'sAe'' -
Charles Rilet, Jr., Civil Engineer.
The great motive FOR improving the ns.
OF the Kanaxha, a. stated by Mr.. kiies - ~ aAs
certain, regular and reliable outlet tor .ae CIV
salt and ether heavy products OF toe A@'."s.
Valley, to the markets on the ONO. o"'as 49,
reevlar condition of the channel, the present out
let i. oa,v available for boats Of heavy boftaeS'
x,.v,n, Az or 6 feet, n very high water, ana i''
hoa,s Of light burthsn, drawing feet or less, 10
vsrv tov water. The efforts Of the company 10
ovsroome these impedimeuts by locks aud dams
ke. Mr.. Ellet saya even IL successful woe'o oni3
Aave delivered their commerce at the mouth OF
,h. Ksnawhs. where there 10 no market, ana con
ssoseutiy their expectations, based upon the per
lection OF the Kanawha improvement, would no
haye bsep realized. In the opinion OF this dis
tiesu,,hed engineer, to make the improvement OF
the Kanawha really available for permanent AND
constant navigation, the Ohio Eivcr must DO made
equally available below tho mouth NJ the Kama
VIA 90 that the loaded coal.boats floating out OF
the Kanawha may be permitted to continue %
their couree without hindrsnce down the ohic.
Mr. Eilet proceeds to unfold at length the plan
Of the improvement by which be expects to
faIdl this object We are unable to express az
opinion Of the practicability Of the application Of
artificial reservoirs TO the improvement Of the
navigation of the Ohio and Kanawha, bnt the facts
stated IN Mr.. Eilets history of that proposition,
and his reasonings upon the subject, entite it 10
the respectful consideration OF the public. 1t was
In ls49 that he first suggested this system of in
provemeut and control for the Mississippi and lite
tributaries. Though set aside by the War Depart
ment 40 10 conflict with supposed deductions from
French and italian authorities, 1t was accepted as
emiuently valuable and practicable by several of
che most prominent Of Mr.. Ellet's professional
contemp or aries, and extensively reviewed and
criticised In the United States, England and
France. Two years after a somewhat equivocai
review Of Mr. Ellet's work in the organ of the I'm
rerial School of French Engineers, the Emperor
Of the French issued paper from his own pen, in
which he announced a purpose of ordering sur
vey OF nearly all the rivers of his empire, with a
view to the construction Of RESERVOIRS to receive
their floods, and prevent future foundations, and
IN . subsequent speech from the throne declared
that 1t would thenccforth be the proud objects of
his government "to suppress revolutions and make
the rivers of his empire keep In their beds" About
the same time, work was published by Lieut.. Col.
Arthur Cotton, then Chief Engineer of the Ma.
dras Presidency, on the improvement of the navi.
CATION OF the great rivers of India, by the plan OF
reservoirs, plan for the suggestion Of which Col.
Cotton acknowledges his obligations to Mr.. Ellet.
The discussion has since extended to Switzerland,
where records Of observations have been made to
show the practcabiiity Of controlling the floods
of the Arve one of the principal tributaries Of
the Rhone, by means of reservoirs. The practi-
cability Of controlling the floods Of rivers in this
way was believed in by the Egyptians three thou
esnd years ago, and Telfourd the first professional
authority of his day in England, proposed, nearly
sixty years ago, to improve the navigation of the
Severn, by means of reservoirs, designed to hold
back the surplus waters in tiae of excess and
from which it could be drawn in times of scarcity.
Other examples are mentioned by Mr.. Ellet, of
similar character. We have not room to give the
large array Of facts and arguments by which he
claims to have established the probability of
the great system of Improvements which no has
projected for the navigation Of the western rivers