New-York tribune., 1900-11-03

THE CITY OF ROME, OF SEXTUS JU5-
ton of the Sole Original Latin Manuscript and
English and ExpIanatory chapters By Clemens
Herschel, Hydraulic Engineer. Svo, PIP. xxiv,
xiii and 296. Dana Estes & Co
The title page gives an inadequate statement
of the contents of this quite unusual book.
which is a monument of the intelligent pursuit
of what the author calls his 'pastime and
hobby" 1t is not only a discussion of the tech
nical work of Frontinus curator aquarium" or
Water Commissioner of Imperial Rome under
Nerva. in A. D. 81. 1t is an elucdation Of the
whole Roman system Of water supply-a matter
then considered of the highest impor
tance A careful investigation Of the subject
involves many interesting points in Roman
polity, mechanical and engineering knowledge,
and domestic and civic customs. Mr.. Herschel
has considered it to be within his province to
elucdate all these points, and his book has
a curious archaeological interest It has, also,
special value In that II embodies the researches
of an engineer in a matter that has hitherto
been investigated only by phologists and anti
quarians.
To rehabilitate Frontinus a writer deserv-
ing of attention is his first He dscams
the title Of scholar; but nevertheless gives
account of the sole authoritative manuscript of
Frontinus Qn the monastery of MOntecassino)
that would do credit to German photographer;
Z
graphs he made of 1t himself; translates 1t,
gives all the known data about the Roman
gineer and his work and then gives interest
ing account of how water was used by the
ancient Romans. how it was piped and con-
trolled 1t is all copiousy illustrated by repro
ductons of the authors photographs taken in
Pompeii and at several Italian archaeological
museums. OF course, the aqueducts themselves
or the ruins of them, fully pictured. and
numerous technical details of their construction
and repair explained.
Mr.. Herschel has several corrections to make
Of erroneous ideas about the Romans hydraulic
knowledge. One is the shallow notion that
these men did not know that water would rise
as high in pipe as the source from whence il
came" wherefore they went to the vast trouble
and expense of building the long and high aque-
ducts instead of using underground pipes Wit
ruvius tells Of inverted siphons; Pliny the Elder
remarks incidentally that water climbs to the
height of its origin" The Romans built as
they did because they had cast iron pipes:
they did simply what every engineer does at
the present day, using to the best advantage
the materials and facilities for his work found
at hand for the time being" Another important
correction relates to the amount of the water
supply delivered TO the city by it's aqueducts
Most cyclopedias and other refernce books give
the Impossible figure of 3T5, 600, 900 gallons a
day. By his study of the problem from an en-
gineer's point Of view. Mr.. Herschel shows that
when the nine aqueducts were all running
which they seldom at the same time be
cause Of necessary repairs. and also because of
the shameless theft OF water before it reached
the city-the discharge about 81. 5000
gallons day. Under ordinary circumstances
the discharge was probably less that forty mill
ion gallons.