New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-02-03

WHO ARE THE WITNESSES
THE BURDEN OF PROOF
A QUESTION OF ENGINEERS

The report of the second board of engi
neers has been before the public long enough
to have been digested. Before another
board comes to confuse the question, it is
well to compare the present scientific
strength of the Fort st. Philip canal with
its opponent, the jetty system.
To begin with, the canal is considered
practicable by General John G. Barnard
General John Newton, General @. A. Gill
more, General G. X. Warren, Colonel Viii.
liam P. Craighill, General G. Weizel and
Major C. w. Howell, of the first board of
engineers; General H. G. Wright, General
b. S. Alexander, General C. B. Comstock,
Professor Henry Mitchell, of the United
States coast survey and civil engineers; T.
E. Sick kles, w. Minor ROBBERS. and II. D.
Whitco1 NIB Of the second board, and also by
scientific engineers who have given great
attention to the question, though unat-
tached to any board such as General A. A
Humphreys, General G. T. Beauregard
General j. H. Simpson, Governor P. 0. He.
bert. Professor c. G.. Forshey, and Major
William H. Chase, besides many others
who have not placed themselves on the
record.
The jetty experiment is declared to be
unworthy of trial by Newton, Gilmore,
Warren, Craighill, Weitzel and Howell of
the first board, by Wright, of the second
board, and also by Humphreys, Simpson,
Hebert and Forshey.
OF those who consider the jett;es worthy
of trial, the great majority only admit the
propriety of trying the experiment at
South Pass. These are Barnard of the first
board, and Alexander, Comstock, Mitchell
Sickles, Roberts and Whitcomb of the
second board. Four civil engineers, Messrs.
James H. Wilson, Q. Chanute. C. Shaler
Smith and Henry Flad, are in favor of
ietties somewhere, and in favor of having
them at Southwest Pass are Captain James
B. Eads and Civil Engineer G. w. r.
Bayley. If there are any others who insist
on that locality, they have not placed their
names on record.
1t is noteworthy that none OF the twenty
six engineers above named have expressed
doubts of the practicability of the canal, but
twenty have publicly pronounced in favor
of it. Eleven have given an unqualified
opinion that the jetties are impracticable.
OF the rest seven are in favor of them at
South Pass only, four consider them prac-
ticable generally. but only two practicable
and desirable at Southwest Pass.
The eleven whose experience has taught
them not to rely on jetties for relieving the
mouth Of the Mississippi are Humphreys,
who spent ten years, from ls49 to 1860, in
the study of the physics and hydraulics of
The Mississippi river and its delta, and who
visited the river deltas of Europe in the
course of that study; Wright, who was
in 1856, with the work of i'm
,rovement then undertaken: Newton, now
n charge of the river and harbor improve
nents about New York; Gilmore, in charge
# all such works on the South Atlantic |
'oast; Warren in charge of those on the |
North Atlantic, and lately of those on the |
lpper Mississippi, and who was assistant |
o Humphreys in the delta survey from /
$50 and 1854; Craighill, in charge of the |
works. on the middle Atlantic seaboard,
nd who bas just given Baltimore a twenty
our foot channel to the sea; Weitzel, in
barge of the Louisville canal, and harbor
works. on the eastern coast OF Michigan,
nd who was stationed at New Orleans
rom 1855 to 1859; Howell, who has spent
tx years in continual study and practical
york at the mouth of the Mississippi;
mpson, who has mad several years prac-
ical experience in the Mississippi and its
Hebert, who has been the
reater part of his life associated with the
roblem of opening the Mississippi, and
rho has been chief engineer and Governor
+ the State; Forshey, whose whole life has
een devoted to the study of the subject,
nd whose writings rank high in the
piniOn of both practical and scientific r1en.
'hese authorities need no strengthening,
ut it is proper to add to them the opinions
Chase, who first gave prominence to the
anal project in sharp discussion with
Barnard forty years ago, and Beauregard,
'hose connection with the work at the
Mouth Of the river, and long residence in
Few Orleans, would justify his decided
pinion in favor of the canal as against the
ettiee.
The most prominent of those who favor