Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-06-25

l ferent plans Of opening a perfect watel
1 route from the sea to New Orleans. He
aaid that unless he was wholly and
grossly in error, no scheme of lefty.
! building could be successful. There i
no means Of elevating the volume OF
wster. This is not done by contracting
the width or deepening the channel.
There must be "head rise" If sought
to be made, the river will only break
out Of its channel, and find new route
10 the gulf While Mr.. Davis believes
that perpetual dredging, honestly done,
and with the most approved vessels and
machines, may keep the river open, he
presented the very objections to The jetty
scheme Of Mr.. Eads, and to the Fort
st. Phillips canal, which We have often
considered. Mr.. Totten, an able and
honest civil engineer, years ago, said
Mr.. Davis, had examined and con.
demned this proposed Fort st. Phillips
canal, and General T0tteu's Ieas0lIng
and facts were, be believed, incontro.
vertible. Ofall plans, if dredging be not
approved, that Of Captain John Cow
GOn is most faultIess. He would dis
pense wholly with the need for tow
boats; there would be no mud projscted
into it by the ri yer, the canaPs mouth
which constantly moves further east.
In conclusion, Mr.. Davis pronounced
a glowing eul0gIum upon the present
chief of the corps of civil engineers of
the United States, commencing in un-
measured terms his personal worth and
scholarly and professional attainments.
While this gentleman would persist in
levee-building, Mr.. Davis deems the
system an utter, unmiXed failure. de
prefers the diversion Of the superabun-
dsnt fiOOdtide OF the river and OF its tTib-
utaries, as Captain COWdon has often ex-
planned. He has infinite faith in science,
but even more in practical common
sense. He knew that the rivers bot
tom was constantly uplifted with its
banks, by means OF levees, which would
be utterly ruinous if the process were
continued. The bottom of the river Of
to-day might be upheaved by leYees to
the level Of the water surface of to-day,
and when 3 Creyasse, as would often hap
pen, spent its fury upon the lOwlands
its destructiveness would be measureless.
When the river IS highest and its cur
rent swiftest i5 most fills up the chan
mel, only to be deepened again when
the water falls and seeks its old cham
neis. The more levees have been eX-
tended, the more ruin0Us and wide
spread have been the ficots. There are,
or were, countless natural drains on
both sides of the river that should never
have been closed by the Ievee- builders.
Mr.. Davis sail that the people of this
country might rely implicitly upon ev-
cry statement aud everv assurance given
by the Mississippi Valley society Of Lon
don. It would promote trade by lessen
ing the cost Of conducting it; but it is
no trading company: it "has no AK to
grind" and therefore il is a most re-
liable counselor. The dream OF Mr.. D4-
Wis has been the establishment Of direct
trade between this valley and cities of
the old world. Mr. Davis had said this
t0 the president oi the London society.
''DO you doubt that it will be done?p
asked. No % answered Mr.. Davis;
'you can achieve this consummation
and via tile undying gratitude Of my
" "Fae time will Gomez
continued the speaker, when these
ends viii be achieved, and when the
vest and snuLh. richest among the nS-
ions, like the Indies, viii enrich the
nations"