436 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



works, or to maintain them. They may also tax all those who 

 are benefited, but have no power to tax those occupying lands 

 outside of the reach of floods. The State contributes a portion of 

 the cost of protection works where such works have the effect 

 of improving land and increasing its taxable value, on the prin- 

 ciple that such increase is a source of profit to the State. The 

 State also grants aid to townships, and if it becomes evident that 

 nothing will cure the evil of flooding but a diversion of a part 

 of the water, the State, by virtue of its property in the water, 

 executes the work gratuitously. 



The system of river conservancy in France is somewhat different 

 from the German. In this country the general government has 

 always undertaken the conservancy of navigable streams, and has 

 recouped itself from navigation dues and other charges, but lat- 

 terly taxation of this kind has been mostly abolished, and the 

 government is now chargeable with nearly all the expenses con- 

 nected with the conservancy of rivers, though in certain cases the 

 owners are also taxed in proportion to their interests. In May r 

 1858, it was enacted that the State should undertake works for 

 the protection of towns from inundation, providing also that the 

 departments, communes and owners should contribute to the cost 

 of the works in proportion to their respective interests. There is 

 an inland navigation system on nearly every river of any import- 

 ance in France, which has, perhaps, to some extent, influenced the 

 action of the State. 1 



The storage dam on the Furens river, at Saint-Etienne, was 

 built to protect the city of Saint-Etienne from floods. About 

 64 per cent of the total cost was paid by the city of Saint-Etienne, 

 and the balance was paid by the department. The cost of con- 

 struction of the Terney dam, also in France, was borne by the 

 State, town and manufacturing interests. A number of other 

 storage dams have been built in France in recent years by a com- 

 bination of the general government, department government, local 

 or municipal government and private interests benefited. 



The cause of floods. While, broadly, the cause of floods has 

 been stated as irregularity in the rainfall, we may now go some- 



KHe Conservancy of Rivers, Whteeler and Jacob, Proc. Inst. 0. E., 

 Vol. XLVII, pp. 246 and 311 . 



