176 Navigation of Rapids. 
rivers, with an account of some experiments instituted te 
establish its practicability,” in a pamphlet of 11 pages, 8vo. 
He has taken out a patent for his method, and has put it ia 
successful operation at the rapids of Columbia, on the Sus- 
guehannah. His principle is the following :—If a water- 
wheel be attached to a boat at anchor in a rapid, or to any 
other fixture, and a rope be made to revolve around its 
windlass, the current of the rapid will turn the wheel, and 
will cause a boat attached to the rope to ascend the rapid. 
This is certain; but it has this inconvenience, that it is ap- 
plicable only to a rapid in one direct line ; and in such rap- 
ids as make one or more curves in their course, two or more 
such wheels, or a system of pulleys would be necessary-— 
Mr. C. obviates these inconveniences by the plan he has 
here explained. The wheel is attached to a boat moving 
against the current ; the rope is fastened at the upper end 
of the rapid to a fixture, (a pier, anchor, &c.) and is made 
to coil around the windlass; in this way, by inverting the 
process of the former method, the attachment of the rope 
depend on that of the boat. It is only necessary that the 
paddles expose a greater surface to the action of the cur- 
rent than the transverse section of the boat, The force 
ad 
