464 



FOURTH REPORT 1834. 



different channels there is generally one more considerable than 

 the others, and which forms the navigable channel, or thal- 

 tveg, as it is there termed. These branches are annually dimi- 

 nished by artificial works, and it seems probable that in a few 

 years hence, the whole of the waters of the Rhine will be forced 

 into one channel. In general, however, the Rhine may be com- 

 pared in the upper parts above Bavaria to an immense torrent. 



The inclinations vary according to circumstances, but the 

 greatest inclination is near Basle, at low water, on account of 

 the rocks, which inclination decreases jths in times of flood. 



The inclination of the Upper Rhine, in its mean state, is 

 0"964024 per 1000 metres ; while at the frontier below the con- 

 fluence of the Lauter, after a course of 222*460 metres along the 

 French shore, the inclination is only 0*395185 metres per 1000 

 metres, or a third only of the inclination of the upper part ; then 

 taking the total fall at 143*935 metres, the mean inclination 

 would be 0*647015 per 1000 metres, which is nearly the inclina- 

 tion of the river at Brisack and Sponeck, that is, about a third 

 of the total length of the river. 



The velocities of the Rhine vary not only according to the 

 differences in the inclinations, but according to the perpetual 

 changes which the river undergoes in its motions from the irre- 

 gularities in its bed. The following are the velocities : 



i 



The conclusions are, that the decrease of the velocities is 

 irregular, and that they do not follow the law of the square 

 roots of the inclinations, nor the cube roots of the wetted peri- 

 meters. 



