on Rivers and Canals. 
609 
linking current lhould enter and circulate therein, fo as 
to deftroy, or at leaft greatly diminifh, its velocity. This 
effedt would be felt for a confiderable way down the 
river. 
This fame method might probably be ufed with fuc- 
cefs againft the deftrudtion of bridges, weirs, &c. by the 
violence of the ftream during floods. Such gulfs being 
dug into the outer fide of thofe turnings in the river 
which are immediately above the place to be fecured 
from the violence of the ftream, would fucceffively di- 
minifli its velocity, its force and dangerous effects, a con- 
fiderable way down the river. It is true, this method 
might contribute to produce an overflowing of the river 
upon the grounds adjacent to thofe artificial gulfs, this 
being a natural confequence of the decreafe of the velo- 
city of the current in thofe places ; and it would remain 
to be confidered whether thofe local inundations, or the 
danger of deftruftion of the bridges or edifices in the 
river, were the lefler evil. 
47. The nature of inundations, and the manner of 
their formation, merit a particular attention in this 
place. 
While the volume of water in the bed of a river in- 
creafes, the velocity of the current increafes in propor- 
tion, as has been repeatedly fhewn above (N° 1 3. 1 8. 20,: 
4 , 23. 
