New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-02-14
Philip canal bill, especially if he resides in

| uNlp CAudl plll. especially IL NC E0SlUc0 IL
the Mississippi valley. g
| invite the attention of the committee to
the language of the engineers report just
submitted, page seventy-seven: "The cases
| OF the Vistula and the Sulina mouth Of the
| Danube manifest essential points of diver.
| gence from the circumstances attending the
improvement of the Mississippi, and the re-.
suits obtained in the former cases constitute
no precedent for the employment of the
same means at the latter place. Upon q
| review OF the practical difficulties which
the adoption OF the jetty system of improve
ment at the mouth Of the Mississippi would
entail, and due consideration of the Ori-
glnal cost OF construction and of annual
extension, and entertaining doubts, more
over, OF the successful issue of the attempt,
the board do not consider it advisable to
recommend it." With regard to the cost of
this operation, owing to the uncertain na-
ture Of the problem, made 80 by the pecr-
liar risks attending it, the board find it i'm
possible to fix any reliable limits. The esti-
mate in this report, made upon hypothesis
favorable to the project indeed, but which
does not exist is useful only to convey to
the mind some idea of the magnitude of the
undertaking.
As an auxiliary to the improvement by
jetties of che mouths, dredge boats must be
employed to remove mud humps. On page
makes use of the following language re-
specting the application of the jetty system
to the improvement of the channels at the
mouth of the river:
The board, Colonel Barnard dissenting,
reports adversely, both as to the difficulties
attending the constructions, and the cost of
the system. After a careful investigation of
the question of applying this method of i'm
prOvement to the Mississippi river, am of
the opinion that it does not present, either
in its construction or cost, superior advan-
tages to the canal plan. One of the CHEF
objections to the jetty system is the un-
avoidable necessity of constantly extending
the pier rs IN the open sea, exposed to the full
force OF storms.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
A. A. HUMPHREYS,
Brlgadier General, and Chief of Engineers.
The friends of the Fort st. Philip canal
might be willing to rest the case on this
testimony, but 1T may be interesting to the
advocates of the jetty system to offer the
views OF the officer making the minor re-
port, who is quoted in favor of that SYSTEM
quote from General Barnard's minority
report, page eighty-fve, as follows: "Con-
corning the Vistula, it is stated no more
unfavOrable circumstances for the opening
of the river could be imagined than those
that existed at the old mouth, where for $50
y j,
to produce an adequate permanent depth.
In 1910 the river burst through a narrow
tongue of land and formed a new mouth.
five miles from the old one, to which piers
Getries) were Immediately applied, by the
effect of which, aided by dredging, a
depth Of fifteen feet is obtained" If
this is the best test Of the iettv
system it certainly is not wanted at the
mouth Of the Mississippi river. While
quoting from General Barnard's report 4
must notice the following, 1T is clear,
then, that for commercial purposes depth
of twenty feet on the bars of the passes will
suffice to furnish a navigable outlet, and to-
relieve the commerce of the valley from
enhanced charges arising from insufficient
tonnage in the transports" So in the opins
ion of this officer twenty feet on the bar
will suffice for the Mississippi
What would New York, or Philadelphia
or Boston say to proposition to limit them
to twenty feet of water in their harbOrs. Do
we deserve less than they! Such an opinion,
almost justiies the belief that the officer who
gaveit is either ignorant OF the necessities of
the Mississippi valley, or he is prejudiced
against the interests of it's inhabitants.
Major Howell says truly in his able report,
page five: What is required to inspire con-
tdence in the future of the commerce of
the Mississippi river, is permanent outlet
not one of uncertain tenure" This can only
be secured by constructing the canal, which
has been pronounced practicable by all the
engineers who have examined it. The safe
rule for Congress to follow ia the precedent
established and followed for twenty-five
years, is to act upon the engineers reports
authorized by Congress. This canal is a
national necessity, and it will be national
disgrace if it is not constructed.