RKPORT ON HYDRAULICS. — PART II. 4"t»3 



ravages constantly committed on its shores, particularly those 

 of Alsace, one of the most fertile provinces of France, rendered 

 the construction of defensive veorks imperative, and it was to 

 counteract these evils that M. De Fontaine was selected to fulfill 

 this important task. 



The length of the course of the Rhine from Reichenau to the 

 sea is stated to be 1342 myriametres, viz. 



From Reichenau to the French frontier . . . 420 



Along the French shore 222 



Thence to the sea 700 



1342 



From careful barometrical observations, the heights of the low 

 waters above the level of the sea at the following places are : 



Metves. 



At Reichenau 1194-00 



At the lake of Constance 405-00 



At the bridge of Basle 252-30 



At the bridge of Kehl 138-96 



At the confluence of the Lauter, which ) , o'r-nn 

 is the limit of the French frontier . J ' 



At the bridge of Manheiin 93-00 



At the entry of the defiles of Bingen . . 67-00 



The general inclination, according to the three great sections 

 of the Rhine, is 



The part of the Rhine to which M. De Fontaine principally 

 directed his attention is comprised between Basle and Neubourg, 

 that being the political limit between France and the German 

 states. In this part the bed of the Rhine is situated in the 

 alluvium which forms the bottom of the valley, and through this 

 the Rhine forces its way by many channels, forming (in its 

 passage) islands and sandbanks, which render its motions very 

 irregular both in times of high and low water. Among the 



