New-York tribune., 1867-04-11
uo0DS or THE MISSISSIPPI.


Tie floods on the Mississippi River are this
year fully month earlier than usual. Already
several crcvaSses are reported, some of which
have attained uncomfortable dimensions and
power. The great levec on MOrganza Bend III
the Parish of Point CoupGe, first yielded to the
pressure of the flood on the Goth of March.
According to our latest adyiceS, the current
rushing through this crevaSsc was over half
mile in width and over twelve feet in depth.
This is one of the largest leyecs on the river,
and is the same through which destruction
was carried over seven parishes last year.
The entire section lying between Point
CoupGc and Berwicl<'s Bay is again threatened,
and will, in all probability, he laid waste. The
rich country east of the Crosse Tttc Is already
under water. The inhabitants have fled to the
west side for protection, abandoning their plan
taions and stock to the floods. The Chinn
and Roberts lcvees below New-Orleans are re-
ported broken the Roman lcyec, 80 miles above
the city, has given way and there is a crevasse
in the Parish of East Baton Rouge. The cross
leyees on the bayous, recently rebuilt, are
deemed insufficient to resist the waters from
the Grand levec crcvasse, and hence the floods
will sweep Mnrcstrained from the Red River TO
the Gulf.
Thus, the story of destmctiOn annually told,
is again repeated. The question of each year
is again put Cannot the waters of the Nlissis-
sippi be restrained within fixed channels! 1t
is question of dynamics, and, like all other
physical problems must be susceptible of de-
termination. I'm quantity, velocity, and pres
sure. the waters of the Valley of the Missis-
sippi are measurable. The capacity of outlet,
and the strength and hight of levees required
to convey these waters safely To the Gulf are,
therefore. deteImnable. The depression OF the
surface of the Gulf of Mexico below the land
surface of the State of Louisiana is 80 slight
that it is impossible to deliver, through
single mouth, the whole volume of water
brought down the river. And, before bungling
engineers interfercd with the course of nature,
the waters reached the Gulf through num-
her of mouths and bayous, which so
difnsed the floods as to make the
escape from the Delta natural and easy.
Some of these outlets have been closed, others
obsructcd, and none of them have been en-
larged. All the efforts hitherto put forth have
been exhausted i'll attempts to coniine the vol
ume of water within fewer channels, or 10
straghtcn the main channel above, so as 10 de-
liver the water more rapidly upon the lower
country, whence no adequate escape was pro-
ydcd. The old system, of whose efficiency scedy
planters aud politicians now delight t0 boast,
was Il miserable patchwork controlled by mo-
body, and managed 10y everybody. As Il mat
ter of course, il failed. The work of protect
ing 600 acres of the most fertile land in
the States of Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi,
and Louisiana from annual Over1ows, will be
done eifccualy only by Congress. IL will not
suffice to appropriate funds. That was tried in
better days and failed. In 1850, al the val
liable Government lands in these States were
ceded 10 the States scvcrally, under express
provision that the proceeds of the sale thereof
should be expended for lcyee purposes. The
mnnilicent appropriation was squandered' by
political proflieates, 10 enrich men, who sub
sequently We're the leaders in the Inauguration
of the Rebellion. The folly of repeating this
experiment is not likely to be committed by
the XLth Congress. ..... I'D,
Ii is, however, the plain duty of the nation
TO redeem these lands, and then 10y proper
taxation procure a revenue from them sufficient
TO pay the cost of the original works, as well
as of annual repairs. The system suggested by
Gen. Humphrey, an able engineer in the u. ).
A., is both simple and reasonable lie proposes