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



1,402,500,000 lbs, of wa ter X 160 feet of descent ) 1 _ 



33,000 \ ~ 3 ~ 4 > 533 > 334 



horse-power, which is the measure of the mechanical force, or mo- 

 tive power, that the waterfall of Niagara is capable of imparting. 

 It has been estimated by Mr. Baiues, in his history of the Cot- 

 ton Manufactures of the United Kingdom of Great Britain in 1835, 

 that the motive power employed to operate the machinery of all 

 the cotton mills in Great Britain, was then equal to that of about 

 33,000 horses, imparted by the agency of steam. 

 11,000 " " " waterfalls. 



100,000 horse power he estimated to be employed to operate the 

 the woolen, flax, and other mills and mechanical opera- 

 tions. 

 50,000 horse power for propelling the machinery of steamboats 



and coal mines. 



194,000 horse power in 1835. 



Supposing about twenty per cent, to have been added to 

 to this motive power in the increase of locomotive en- 

 gines for railways and steamboats, as well as for various 

 39,000 manufacturing purposes, since 1835, we add to this ag- 



gregate 39,000 horse power more. 



233,000 horse power may be taken to be the aggregate of motive 

 power of all the steam engines and improved waterfalls of Great 

 Britain ; which, it will be perceived, is only one nineteenth part 

 of the effective water power of Niagara falls. 



When it is considered that the water power of the cataract of 

 Niagara is unceasing, by night as well as by day, and that the 

 power as calculated above for practical purposes in Great Britain 

 is only applied on an average about eleven hours per day, during 

 six days of the week, it may be assumed that the motive power 

 of Niagara falls is at least forty fold of the aggregate of all the 

 water and steam power employed in Great Britain ; and probably 

 equal to the aggregate of all the motive power employed for me- 

 chanical purposes on this earth. 



The surface of Lake Erie is found to be three hundred and 

 thirty one feet above the level of the surface of Lake Ontario, and 

 five hundred and sixty five feet above that of the ocean. The 

 descent of the waters of Niagara River in the few miles of distance 

 between Black Rock and Glueenston, is about one hundred and 

 seventy one feet, exclusive of the grand cataract itself, forming a 

 succession of rapids, which in some places present to view the 



