PREFACE. 



THE following treatise has been prepared in the hope that it may assist in meeting 

 a want which has probably been felt by many engineers and others engaged on the 

 improvement of rivers. With the exception of De Lagrene's "Cours de Navigation 

 Interieure," published in 1873, and which is now out of print, there is no work known 

 to the authors which treats of this important subject except in a general way, or with 

 sufficient detail for those engaged on actual construction or design. Much valuable 

 information is to be found scattered through the various Government Reports relating 

 to inland navigation, and matter of great interest has also appeared from time to time 

 in various domestic and foreign publications. A search through these for informa- 

 tion on any special point would, however, involve an expenditure of time and labor 

 which few of those engaged in active work could give, even if the documents were 

 accessible to them. Moreover, since the appearance of De Lagrene's work many new 

 methods have come into use, especially in America, and wider experience has been 

 gained, and as experience is probably more necessary for successful work in this branch 

 of engineering than in any other, owing to the imperfect understanding of the laws 

 governing the flow of rivers, the authors believe that a treatise combining the results 

 of theory and recent modern practice may prove of some utility in this field. They 

 have accordingly endeavored to include all the important points of design and con- 

 struction which are likely to be met with in ordinary practice, and the calculations 

 have been simplified as far as possible so as to bring them within the range of those 

 who do not possess a thorough technical education. It is hoped, therefore, that the 

 book may prove of use not only to engineers, but also to inspectors, surveyors, and 

 others who are engaged on the more practical side of work. 



The authors desire to acknowledge their indebtedness to Brigadier-General G. L. 

 Gillespie, Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army, and to the Officers of the Corps of Engineers, 

 for their courtesy in granting access to drawings and data connected with the works 

 under their charge and permitting the publication of certain of them, and also to return 

 thanks to certain civilian engineers for information on similar matters. 



Their thanks are also due to Major W. M. Black, Corps of Engineers, author of 

 "The United States' Public Works," and to Mr. Edward Wegmann, author of "The 

 Design and Construction of Dams," for permission to reproduce illustrations from 



