Mr. Allen on the Volume of the Niagara River. 69 



and with the hope, also, that others may be induced to com- 

 mence a system of similar admeasurements of the other great 

 rivers of the earth, such as the Mississippi, Ganges, &c, which 

 may form a basis of comparison of their relative magnitudes. 



I have also subjoined some calculations, from which it will 

 appear, that the motive power of the cataract of Niagara exceeds 

 by nearly forty fold, all the mechanical force of water and steam 

 power, rendered available in Great Britain, for the purpose of 

 imparting motion to the machinery that suffices to perform the 

 manufacturing labors for a large portion of the inhabitants of the 

 world, including also the power applied for transporting these 

 products by steam boats and steam cars, and their steam ships of 

 war to the remotest seas. Indeed it appears probable that the 

 law of gravity, as established by the Creator, puts forth in this 

 single waterfall more intense and effective energy, than is neces- 

 sary to move all the artificial machinery of the habitable globe. 



In order that confidence may be placed in the estimates now 

 presented, it may be proper to subjoin a statement of the modes 

 in which the admeasurements were made, and the calculations 

 based upon them were accomplished. 



After having personally, and with much labor, sounded the 

 fearfully rapid current of the Niagara River above the falls, at 

 Black Rock, where the bottom, or bed, appears to be nearly level 

 from one side to the other, and the depth about thirty two feet; 

 and having repeated a course of similar admeasurements below 

 the falls, at Q,ueenston, where the current is more placid and the 

 depth in the deepest place about one hundred and sixty feet ; and 

 after having lost an anchor in the course of these experiments. I 

 finally found it necessary to have recourse to the aid of an engi- 

 neer, in order to perfect all the admeasurements, which my lim- 

 ited time would not allow me to complete. For this purpose the 

 services of Mr. E. R. Blackwell of Black Rock, a most skillful 

 and accurate engineer, were engaged by me. His residence at 

 that time, in the immediate vicinity of Black Rock, enabled him, 

 with his zeal for the accomplishment of this object, to devote 

 much time to completing an exact survey. By reference to the 

 annexed sketch reduced from his elegant map of a section of Ni- 

 agara River opposite Black Rock, it will be observed that thirty 

 eight soundings were taken in three distinct ranges or lines across 

 the channel of the river, each of the ranges being at the distance 



