APPENDIX A	&4fr
State Engineer of Louisiana; Jas, B. Eads, whose success with the jetties
at New Orleans is a warrant of his competency, and Judge Taylor, of
Indiana.
It would be presumption on the part of any single man, however skilled,
to contest the j udgment of such a board as this.
The method of improvement proposed by the commission is at once in
accord with the results of engineering experience and with observations of
nature where meeting our wants. ajs in nature the growth of trees and their
proneness where undermined to fall across the slope and support the bank
secures at some points a fair depth of channel and some degree of perma-
nence, so in the project of the engineer the use of timber and brush and tlje
encouragement of forest growth are the main features. It is proposed to 10-
duce the width where excessive by brushwood dykes, at first low, bat raised
higher and higher as the mud of the river settles under their shelter, and
finally slope them back at the angle upon which willows will grow fr*elv.
In this work there are many details connected with the forms of these shelter
dykes, their arrangements so as to present a series of settling basins, etc., *
description of which would only complicate the conception. Through tha
larger part of the river works of contraction will not be required, btrt aeaxij
all the banks on the concave side of the bends most be held against the wear
of the stream, and touch of the opposite banks defended at critical points.
The works having in view this conservative object may be generally de«#-
nated works of revetment; and these also will be largely of bro&hwood,
woven in continuous carpets, or twined into wire-netting. Tim mtemng
process has been successfully employed on the Missouri Rrrer; and in aoow
cases they have so covered themselves with sediments, and hare become 00
overgrown with willows, that they may be regarded as permanent. la
securing these mats rubble-stone is to be used in small quantities* mad in
some instances the dressed slope between high and low river will h*v* to fe»
more or less paved with stone.
Any one who Has been on the Rhine will have observed opantftog* at*
unlike those to which we have jnsfe referred; and, indeed, moot of the rm*9
of Europe flowing among their own alluvia have required ausQsjr treatment
in the interest of navigation and agriculture*
The levee is the crowning work of bank rervetoeDt, ak&oagfe oot neee*-
sarily in Immediate connection. It may ba set haek * abort rJMfrtaoo from
the revetted bank; but it is, in effect, the requisite parapet* The Hood rrvw
and the low river cannot be brought into register, and compelled to- wnite is
the excavation of a single permanent channel, without & complete content rf
all the stages; and even the abnormal rise mast be provided «g*0ee,l
this would endanger the levee, andooee in fcaaee bafamd tbft wttte *£ i
ment would tear them also away.