New-York tribune., 1879-04-12
GoYERyoR FREu0YTS PRoJECTED SCI

GOVERNOR FRENONT'S PROTECTED SEA.
Every now and then some uneasy person, who
disapproyes of the surface of the earth
"a at present constituted aud arranged,
steps forward with plan TO cover
up some of the land with naygablo water. The
Valley Of the Dead Ssl has alwaYs been a tempting
basin ior these asSalers of the established, and
they 1--we on the hope Of seeing a ditch
cut which will let into it the waters
Of the Mediterranean. II needs but lttle
Imagination TO picture the bottom Of this paIched
depression. more than thousand feet below sea-
level rs the very roofing of Sheol." And IN spite
of the advantages which the enlarged area of
evaporation would bring. III theory, to tn"
climate aud temperature of Europe, Asia and
Africa, the dread of some convulsion
which the weight of 1900 feet OF water might
cause, if poured over the hot crust which thiniy
covers the central fires Of the earth in this
region Of death, will probably discourage
iudcious persons from trying the experiment.
French engineers, too, have been for years measur-
ing heights and distances, with n view 10 the pro-
fuse irrigation of Sahara, the plan being to convert
thousands of square miles into an inland
sea, with depth Of 800 feet, fed by
the Mediterranean. And now comes General
Fremont asking the Government to help him extend
the Gulf Of California by tapping Its northern end
and letting it run into and fill up the Colorado
Desert.
This is not n novel enterprise, and long ago its
feasibility and adyisability were freely discussed.
1t seems that the sediment carried down for ages
by the great river Colorado at last col
lsctod at what was then its mouth
in sufficient quantity to dam of the
northern arm of the Gulf of California from
any connection with the ocean. The water in this
unfed reservoir then slowly eyaporated leay-
ing dry basin some 130 miles long
by 80 miles in width. and this, to-
gsther with the surrounding slopes, soon became a
"bladeess d0sOlation," while tho river turning
southwark found entrance to the Gulf many miles
below. Between this arid waste and the present
head of the gulf lies some thirty miles OF
soft earth, just lifted above sea-level.
and through this, a. we CLEAN from the brief item
given 10 tho press, Governor Fremont
proposes to cut his connecting canal.
IL IA a highway of commerce that
Is now mainly contemplated. but originally tn
main object aimed at by pouring the desert full of
water. was 20 restore the natural harmouies
and balances which had been disturbed
by tho drying up Of the sea. The ten
dency of natural forces generally
toward conservatism and permanence and the pro-
ects of man usually interfere with rather than con-
firm this stability and equilibrium. But here
WAS recent revolution. Remains Of trees on
the shores Of tho lost sea, and fragile shells
which could not long have endured the attacks OF
time, seem to prove that the drought began but
a fow centuries ago. Human remains prove
that tho desert lately fertile, and
an old Spanish map is mentioned which
places tho boundaries of the gulf far beyond
their present position. This great change in the
geography OF the region worked iucalculable harm,
il WAS held, by desiccatng Southern California.
and the flooding OF the valley would restore the
climate aud temperature and electrical conditions
10 what they were few centuries ago. and b. in
creasng the rainfall would bring fertility and com
fort 10 all the surrounding region.
But the Fremont method OF setting things 70
rights differs from the old one. and is por-
haps impractcable. A river which runs
quietly down hill, as a responsible river should, is
always an aggrayating spectacle 30 the born dis
organizer. Every iudopeudcnt river on the earth
has had its course criticised and tho Nile at ono
timo barely escaped being drained away into
tho Red Sea- and has been threatened with Danish
ment into the Libyan desert. Half a dozon years
ago some plausible arguments for turning tho Col
orado River into tho desert for which 1t is res
ponslble were set forth in The Oporidnd
monthly II was there stated that tho bed Of the