Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-08-25
ENGINEERING OBSERVATIONS.
Professor DavidsOn's Scientific Mis-
sion and Inspection of the Irrtgat-
Ing systems of India, Egypt and
Italy.
from the San Francisco Bulletin

From the San Francisco Bulletin.
Professor George B. Davidson, of the
United States Coast Survey and Presi-
dent of the California Academy of
Sciences, left this city nearly q year
ago, with the chief object of superin-
tending the observations of the transit
of Venus from the Japan station, and
subsequently to inspect the great sys-
TENS of irrigation in the Old World,
with reference to improved irrigation
in this State. Professor Davidson had
reached Turin, Italy, when last heard
from, and a letter just received from
him by friend in this city, dated at
Turin, July 1lth, will be read with in
terest. After speaking of two months
delay in his travels, in consequence of
the illness of Mrs. Davidson in Japan
and unexpected detention in India,
the Professor writes:
In India I travelled over $500 miles
and examined seven of the great
schemes of irrigation, where the works
were in various stages of progress as
well as complete. 1t is marvellous
what they have done, as well as what
they have projected; and / feel that by
this personal examination of the de-
tails and a careful study of the great
projects, have gathered q vast amount
of Information useful to our needs Of
irrigation from 100 deg. meridian to
the Pacific. Every facility and assist
ance was afforded me by the Viceroy
and the Royal engineers who have
charge of the different works. / had
no reason to think that any informa-
ton was withheld. On the contrary,
had been two months earlier, L would
have been shown all the works of the
Southern and Eastern coasts toward
Madras, and some of the inundation
works near Lahore. But from those I
visited gathered all that was abso-
lutely necessary to comprehend their
works beyond the dry outlines of the
books.
In Egypt L travelled 1850 miles and
gave up 38 days to examining the
Suez Canal and the inundation work
of Egypt. AT the request of General
Stone, l extended my inquiries far up
the Nile, and wrote him long letter
expressing my views of the best sys.
tenn for that country. He expressed
himself greatly pleased Herewith, and
perhaps more especially as it was in
conflict with the (Englsh) Fowler
scheme, which proposed to turn the
whole Nile out of its bed and $50, ,000,-
600 out of the Khedive's treasury.
The English project would swamp the
nation financially, and perhaps agri-
culturally, every few years. My pro-
ject will be placed, word for word, be-
fore the Khedive, and l am not afraid
to have it criticised severely as an en-
gineerIng and commercial project.
Tomorrow visit the great "Cavour
Canal" that irrigates the greater part
of Lombardy, and with some of the
italian engineers, L examine the works
at ChivaSso, Lalluggia and Mercelli.
Afterward l shall examine the great
pumping works near Ferrera, for
drainage, etc. All this work has
given me little time for sightseeing,
and see vastamount of work yet to
be done before 1 cross the Atlantic.
But cannot lose this opportunity of
learning from actual works what may
be of value to our citizens of the Paci-
tic Coast have got over 1900 miles
of land and water since | left San
Francisco, and will cover about $1,000
more before returning.
Yours, very sincerely,
GEORGE DAVIDSON.