New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-03-14
NATURAL ENGINEERS,

The REPUBLICAN has explained that a
civil engineer is professionally neither a
statesman nor Q scholar. His mission is
1 to devise the best mode of construction
after the more enlarged intelligence Of the
legislator has determined the special work
to. be necessary. Thus the agency of the
board Of engineers who recently made a
reconnaissance and survey of location for
the Fort st. Philip canal. we're limited in
their report to the cost and pract!cability
Of the proposed work.
On the other hand we defend the in.
valuable professions Of the engineer from
any Invasion by the inexperts who claim
authority to speak on questions Of mathe.
NAUTICAL and mechanical science. and who
are thus, SO to speak, natural engineers.
That the distant public may see how We
are beset by these gifted interlopers. we
will cite an article from the Memphis Re.
gtster. The natural engineer who runs
that jourua! neither approves the outlet
canal nor the jetty. In fact he proposes
to ignote the mouth Of the Mississippi
entirely and carry the Western commerce
to sea by a new outlet. to wit: the Bara.
taria canal and the Barataria bay. When
we demonstrate with this patura! enginee:
that the canal which he proposes will be.
by the chain Of hayous and lakes. about
sixty miles in length, that it will open into
an exposed roadstead where there is neither
depth Of water nor harborage for the
heavy shipping Of the period. and cha. it
will fall into the gulf sixty OF seventy
miles west Of the present outlet. We should
hope to be ''let up" Oh this improvement.
This instructive expert discovers an adj
vantage in this last geographical! fact. He
says:
II this canal was made. it would have q
great saving of time, Jfitle. ETC.. to vessels.
70 steamer coming from Texas, aud TO.
turning. there would be saving OF two
hundred and ninety miles on tho round
trip.
Now as Our trade with Texas is limited
to small sehooners and line Of steamers
which connects by the Opelousas railroad
and Atchafalaya bay, it would be poor
policy to send all our corn and cotton
trade so much out of the way to save time
and distance in the Texas trade.
But OUT officious friend Of the Register
is not satisfied with this suggestion. He
persists in prescribing for our wants. He
adds:
Another great Improvement in this regard !
would attend the cutting Ut a canal from
New Orleans which weuId empty the Mis-. !
sissippi river into Lake Borgne, six miles |
from the city. This canal wcnld greatly |
aid in passing off the great foods of water |
which move down and overflow the bottom !
lands. as well as give direct water ccm,n,,- /!
nication with tho city OF Mobile.
Lake Eorgne il not six miles from the /,
city. The canal connection proposed be. !
tween that lake and the river is twelve |;
miles below the city. The Lake Borgne |;
itself does not pretend to more than nine
or ten feet depth, while the commerce Of |
the West demands ten feet more depth
than we now have. or thirty feet. The
explanation Of this natural chemis: why |
his canals would not ill. with mud is so
lucid that we s'.bjoin it tot the considsra.
tion Of Professor Eads:
Bat we have been asked wiz will NOT
the mouth OF the canal ill up with mud rs
the mouth of tho river now does' The
cause of the ''mud Jumps" forming 1T SIZE
mouth Of the river Is that the fresh muddy
water Of tbs river coming in contact with |
The salt water of the gulf. causes ,he mud
in the one to settle at once, and thus a bar
IS forming all the time. II The canal is cut |
he main current of tho river will not run
through il, but the water from the bay and !
rom the river will :omingle SO gradually
hat no bar can be formed by til. settling 2!
If the muddy water.