350 Sixty Articles of Literary and Philcfophical Intelligence. [Nov. 1, 
ossy (one of the moft able and {cientific of 
the military men that accompsn'ed Bona- 
parte in his expedition to Egypt) entitled 
-«¢ A Hiftory of the Southern Canal, for 
merly known by the name of the Canal of 
Languedoc,” with plates, anda mogn ficent 
chart. The object of this celebrated ca- 
nal, it is well known, is to form an in- 
Jand navigation between the two feas that 
bound the kingdom of France, the Bay of 
-Bifcay and the Gulph of Lysns ; an ob- 
ject which is well fulfilled by this noble 
undertaking. The fouthern part of France, 
which is inclofed by the Pyrennées and the 
two feas above-mentioned, rifts gradually 
from either there, fo that the height of the 
ground to the weit of Caftelnaudry is more 
than 100 toifes (fathoms) above the level 
of the fea. In forming a navigation be- 
tween the Mediterranean and the Garonne, 
this obftacle conftantly pretented itfelf, and 
required for its removal all the refources 
which couid be fuggefted by genius and a 
very exact knowledge of hydraulics, with 
all the details of the art of the engineer, 
The publication of G. Andrecfly includes 
feven chapters, the contents of fome of 
which we fhall notice. On the fice of the 
Atlantic, the canal terminates in the Ga- 
ronne at Touloufe: but as the navigation 
of this river is dificult from this town to 
the point of Moifiac, the author thinks 
that the canal fhould have been continued 
as low down as the junétron of the Tain 
and Garonne. Towards the Mediterranean 
the cana! terminates in feveral falt water 
lakes or pools, which communicate with 
the fea, and with others fituated higher up 
the country. The former of theie pools 
are formed behind the long flat fand banks 
on the coafts of Languedoc, which are 
thrown up partly by the current thar flows 
from eaf to weft, and razes all the fhores 
of the Mediterranean, and partly by the 
a€tion of the winds. The fea-ports of 
Cette and Acde here receive the canal, and 
thus unite it to the fea: but they are both 
fubject to be choaked by fand, which has 
given much trouble, and cau‘ed much ex. 
pence. The third chapter of: this work 
contains the account of the numerous 
works along the courfe of the canal, which 
ferve either for the fupply of water, or 
for conducting it acrofs unequal ground. 
As.the want of water, in time of drought 
is the great inconvenience to which a na- 
vigation, on fo high 2 level, and in fo 
warm a climate, is fubjeét; a number of 
fireams and mountain torrents are made to 
yield a fupply, and diverted into the ca- 
nai by means of collateral cuts and aque- 
duis; and allo feveral large referveirs 
have been conitructed, to be ufed in time 
of drought. A little to the eaft of Car- 
caflone is formed the grand refervoir of 
27,000 toifes, which contains a number of 
feparate works, the moft remarkable of 
which are, the fyphon aqueduét near Ven- 
tenac, a very ingenious work of modern 
invention, the aqueduét of Ceffe and the 
channel which conveys the warers of that. 
river into the canad, the o€tuple fluice of 
Fonferanne, and the fubterranean paflage 
through the mountain of Malpas. The 
canai, belides ferving the purpofes of na- 
vigation, is largely employed in irrigas 
tion of the fields below it, and this caufes 
a valt confumption of water, for which, 
it fhould feem, notwithftanding the nu- 
merous refervoirs and aqueduéts, there is 
fearcely an adequate fupply. The latter 
part of this interelting work is employed in 
the hiftory of the properiy of this canal, 
of the royalty which belonged to the fa- 
mily of Paul Riquet, and is doing juftice 
to the memory of F. Andreofly, an ancef- 
tor of the author, whofe name has been 
undelervedly negleéted, whilft that of 
Paul Riquet is cherifhed through all 
France, as the principal contriver of this 
noble work, which reflects honour on the 
nation and the age in which it was exe- 
cuted. Andreofly was born at Paris,in 
1658. While yet a young man, he con- 
ceived the vait project of uniting the Ga- 
roune wiih the Mediterranean ; and having 
enriched his mind by ftudy and travel he 
Jaid open his plan to Riquet, and 
the latter to the celebrated Colbert. 
This minifter, in order to make the 
defign agreeable to Louis XIV. required 
that the Chevalier Clerville, commiflary- 
general of the fortifications, and a great 
favourite at court, fhould prefent to the 
king the general outline of the plan, and 
demonfrate its utility. It is very rare 
that perfons raifed to fuch high fations 
can make fo great a facrifice to their felf- 
love as openly to adopt the ideas of ano- 
ther perfon, efpecially in thofe particular 
points in which their profeffional reputa. 
tion is interefted. Clerville repairs to 
Languedoc, fees Andreoffy, and examines 
wih him the whole ground. Andreofly, 
with the open confidence of a young man, 
explains to him the whole of his project ; 
Clerville obtains a written copy of it, and 
engages the other to eftimate the expence. 
This being done, Clerville prefents a me- 
moir to the king, with full particulais, 
but without mentioning a word either of 
the author of the projeét, or of Riquet. 
Ardreofly,; forced to keep on good terms 
with Clerville, and forefecing difficulties 
Pts) 
