THK HISTORY OF IRRIGATION. 9 



was increased to 312,500,000 gallons daily. Most of 

 the Roman works were construdled for the supply of 

 cities with drinking water, and such were built in all 

 countries under Roman control. That of Claudia was 

 47 miles long and 100 feet high, so as to furnish the 

 hills. Martia's was 41 miles, of which 37 were on 

 7,000 arches 70 feet high. These vast erecftions would 

 never have been built had the Romans known that 

 water always rises to its own level. 



Julius Caesar, in his efforts to conquer the world, 

 carried the irrigation idea into Great Britain, and his 

 subservient soldiery constructed many miles of artifi- 

 cial watercourses, or, rather, superintended the work, 

 which was done manually by the people whom they 

 had enslaved by conquest. When Constantine was 

 sent to the Bosphorus to found the great city which 

 bears his name he detailed certain numbers of his army 

 for canal work, and they built many permanent irri- 

 gating works. 



The Spaniards are the best irrigators in the world ; 

 they have been applying water artificially for over 

 3,000 years, and have thoroughly familiarized them- 

 selves as to its uses, adaptability, application, etc. 

 Modern travelers tell us they have the best-construdfed 

 works of any people, and many of these works were 

 made prior to the Moorish occupancy. The solid 

 masonry, the handiwork of men living before the 

 advent of the Christian epoch, is still extant and in 

 actual use. What was done with irrigating science 

 during the dark ages we know but little. 



Coming down to more modern times, and looking 

 at the western hemisphere through the murky vista of 



