The weekly Louisianian., 1874-08-01

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borings which he considered a nee
essary preliminary to a precise 10
cation Of the route Of the cana
throughout its entire length. TIT
estimate: submitted can therefore
only be regarded as an approxima
ton to. the probable cost Of thu
work." ..t
And the Board, in their examina.
ton of the matter, take occasion K
say: ..a.
"But It is suggested, in orde,
to avoid beds and pockets Of quick.
sand know to exist at sorne points
in this locality, that the precise, line
of the canal should. not be decided
upon until q more thourough exam
nation Of the substrata has been
made by borings.' .;ss~
The officer in charge Of the duty
is unable to make a definite report.
The advisory borad appointed to ex-
anime what he has done also say
that his Investigations are go in
complete that they cannot form any
idea as to the precise locality of
this canal, Or its cost And the
conclusion that the board comes to,
alter giving some general, vague
Acknowledgements that such q thing
was practicable as to make such a
canal was:
1.-THE fact that the board had
it necessary to relegate the
whole matter to the officer in charge
for additional Investigations before
the location, even, of the canal, could
be satisfactorily settled, is q suffi-
Gent justification for their brief re-
port (ifbrevity in such matters j.
ever to be excused) and for omit
ting to, discuss further details,
most, of which Will probably be
solved by the examination recon-
mended X and besides
our present knowledge of the Gulf
in that locality is too limited to
permit it to be assumed that the
excavation of the trunk would be
permanent"
Now do you wonder that the
chief Of engieeers in submitting
that report, comes to this conclu-
sion? Here is the action of the officer
charged with the duty, who says
that his over whelming callings and
obligations in other directions have
prevented him from giving proper
to it. His associates on
the board say that such is the fact,
and they say they examinations and
measurements, and tho preparation
Of plans based upon their results"
How long is the commerce of the
Mississippi River to be delayed and
DISTRACTED by this scientific engi-
neering crops, who, with the whole
power of that organization devoted
10 the examination of this subject
come back at the end OF three years
md say they want more time, while
We are standing here and starving!
Is it any wonder, gentlemen, when
such a report as that was made,
hat both branches of Congress i'm
came to the conclusion
hat all hope Of getting any work
lone on the Fort st. Philip Canal,
his year, was out Of the question.
will come to what they did do,
subsequently,, and I will show you
he motive for what they did; but
hat was the invitable conclusion in
10Th Houses of Congress, and II
heard It first from the other end of
he Capitol. The advocate, the fra
ner, perhaps of the bill, that passed
he House Of Representative, took
occasion to say in the opening Of
ois remarks that the difficulty and
only difficulty in the way Of adj
the canal system and pro-
now for its immediate con-
was the fact that the en-
did not have sufficient time
o make all the necessary borings
md examination. He admits it
himself; and we are without any
recommendation from the engineer
corps to-day that the money Of the