Physics and Hydraulics of the Mississippi River. 181 
Art. XVIIL—Physics and Hydraulics of the Mississippi River.* 
THE volume with the subjoined title constitutes No.4, of Pro- 
fessional Papers of the Corps of Topographical Engineers, Uni- 
ted States Army, and is published y authority of the War De- 
partment, Bureau of Topographical Engineers. It requires but 
a cursory examination to authorize the conclusion that this work 
is the most important one ever issued by this Bureau, and one 
of the most profoundly scientific publications ever published by 
the U.S. Government. The authors, commencing with a quota- 
hon from one of Franklin’s letters to the Abbé Souliave as their 
motto,—“T approve much more your method of philosophizing 
Which proceeds upon actual observation, makes a collection of 
acts, and concludes no further than those facts will warrant,”— 
Seem to have adhered to it literally, collecting a mass of facts 
and statistics which must ever remain a monument to their un- 
Wearied industry and patient accuracy. But we cannot present 
4 better idea of the object and scope of the work before us than 
by citing the following extracts from the able introductory letter 
h 
“Some reference to the state of the question of — 
the Missis- 
te made may be appreciated, and that it may be understood 
to substitute observed facts, and the laws connecting them, for 
“ssumed or imperfectly observed data and theoretical speculations, 
A wide Sistcdhions aa necessarily entrusted to the officer in 
yl ‘ pole) @ * Dp: ‘ the 
a Report upon the Physics and Hydraulics of the ag site “8 Sepang othe 
of the Al Region against overflow ; 8 ie th e acts of Congress di- 
Mouths ; seanmetand and investigations made wg ‘hue ss ee Mississippi 
the To hical and Hydrographical survey of thé i lan 
River, with s pographical oat ine the most ee 
. och a to determine the 
ine nen investigations as migh' » ade of i at the 
Deutls of ‘the ri itted to the Bureau of Topographica ar 
Cre lek, 2roed wy Cap A A Bowral 
‘of Topographical Engineers, Uni ._ Ato, 
Pend of 146 pages and s large oumber of maps and chars Philadelphia, J. B. 
Uppincott &: Go. 
