34 REPOET OF THE SECRETARY. 



From the Hydrograpliic Departmcut of the Ministry of Mariue, St. 

 Petersburg — 57 charts, IG volumes, aud 9 parts. 



From the Eoyal Academy of Sciences, &c., Rouen — " Memoire sur 

 le Comiuission maritime de Rouen," vols, i aud ii; aud "Precis ana- 

 Jytique," 180J-1S70, 14 volumes. 



From the Ohio State Library, Columbus — 13 volumes and 5 charts. 



Amoug- the donations there are two which deserve especial notice, 

 namely, the memoir upon the works which have been executed for the 

 improvement of the mouth of the Danube, aud the fac-similes of the 

 Egyptian papyrus. 



The first consists of an account, with a large atlas of plates, of the 

 investigations wliich have been made in regard to the obstruction iu 

 the way of navigation of the outlet of the Danube, through several 

 channels along the delta of the river. This subject appears to have 

 been of so much importance that a commission was instituted in accord- 

 a"Ace with the provisions of the treaty of Paris of SOth March, 18oG, 

 including the representatives of seven different powers. The body of 

 the memoir in question gives an extended account of the followiug sub- 

 jects : 1. Preliminary investigations and preparatory works ; 2. The 

 choice of the mouth to be improved, and an elaboration of a definite 

 project; 3. The provisional work. An appendix presents the report of 

 the chief engineer. Sir Charles Hartley, containing : 1. A general de- 

 scrii)tion of the delta of the Danube; 2. The formation of the bars; 3. 

 The means of imi)roving the entrance to the river; 4. A comparison 

 of the different branches ; 5. The result of meteorological and technical 

 observations from 1859 to 18G5; C. Statistics relative to commerce and 

 navigation. The memoir is accompanied by a large atlas of 40 double- 

 folio colored plates. 



The work is one of great value to the engineers of this country, in 

 reference to the improvements which will doubtless be undertaken in 

 regard to the rivers and water-courses of the United States. To this 

 subject public attention has not been directed with an intensity com- 

 mensurate with its importance. 



If we cast an eye ou the map of the United States and view the rela- 

 tion which exists between the vast body of water in the northern lakes 

 and the branches of the Mississippi and the Ohio, we must be struck 

 with the means which nature has i)laced within the power of man for 

 improving the navigation of the great water-courses which form the 

 channels of communication between the interior of the country aud the 

 sea-board. 



We have, in a previous report, mentioned the interesting fact that 

 among our correspondents was the Institute of Egypt, founded at 

 Alexandria in 1859. Since then our correspondence with that coun- 

 try has been kept up, and more especially increased during the last year 

 by the visit to that country of one of the members of the Board of 

 Regents, General Sherman. We have received from General Stone, of 



