INLAND WATERWAYS AND IRRIGATION.

INLAND WATERWAYS AND IRRIGATION.

在罗斯福总统在第一的消息session of Congress, the only reference bearing upon the subjects treated of in FIRE AND WATER ENGINEERING was that which spoke of the inland waterways of the United States and reclamation work by irrigation. The Message advocated the development of the work of improving the great river systems as natural highways, and named the Mississippi, with its tributaries, as first in importance, and the Columbia, second. The work should be undertaken by the National government, and the Mississppi should receive especial attention. "From the Great lakes to the mouth of the Mississippi (it was pointed out) there should be a deep waterway leading from it to the Fast and the West. Such a waterwav would practically mean the extension of our coast line into the very heart of our country. It would be of incalculable benefit to our people. If begun at once, it can be carried through in time appreciably to relieve the congestion of our great freight-carrying lines of railroads. The work should be systematically and continuously carried forward in accordance with some well-conceived plan. The main stream should be improved to the highest point of efficiency before the improvement of the branches is attempted; and the work should be kept free from every taint of recklessness or jobbery. The inland waterways which lie just back of the whole eastern and southern coasts should likewise be developed. Moreover, the development of our waterways involves many other important water problems, all of which should be considered as part of the same general scheme. The government dams should be used to produce hundreds of thousands of horsepower as an incident to improving navigation; for the annual value of unused waterpower of the United States, perhaps, exceeds the annual value of the products of all cur mines. As an incident t creating the deep waterway down the Mississippi, the government should build along its whole lower length levees, which, taken together with the control of the headwaters, will at once and forever put a complete stop to all threat of floods in the immensely fertile delta region.” The president stated that he had appointed an Inland Waterways Commission to study and outline a comprehensive scheme of development along all the lines indicated. As to reclamation work, the Message expressed the opinion that “irrigation should be far more extensively developed than at present, not only in the States of the great plains and the Rocky mountains, but in many others, as, for instance, in large portions of the South Atlantic and Gulf States, where it should go hand in hand with the reclamation of swamp land. The Federal government should seriously devote itself to this task, realising that utilisation of waterways and waterpower, forestry, irrigation, and the reclamation of lands threatened with overflow, are all interdependent parts of the same problem."

在罗斯福总统在第一的消息session of Congress, the only reference bearing upon the subjects treated of in FIRE AND WATER ENGINEERING was that which spoke of the inland waterways of the United States and reclamation work by irrigation. The Message advocated the development of the work of improving the great river systems as natural highways, and named the Mississippi, with its tributaries, as first in importance, and the Columbia, second. The work should be undertaken by the National government, and the Mississppi should receive especial attention. "From the Great lakes to the mouth of the Mississippi (it was pointed out) there should be a deep waterway leading from it to the Fast and the West. Such a waterwav would practically mean the extension of our coast line into the very heart of our country. It would be of incalculable benefit to our people. If begun at once, it can be carried through in time appreciably to relieve the congestion of our great freight-carrying lines of railroads. The work should be systematically and continuously carried forward in accordance with some well-conceived plan. The main stream should be improved to the highest point of efficiency before the improvement of the branches is attempted; and the work should be kept free from every taint of recklessness or jobbery. The inland waterways which lie just back of the whole eastern and southern coasts should likewise be developed. Moreover, the development of our waterways involves many other important water problems, all of which should be considered as part of the same general scheme. The government dams should be used to produce hundreds of thousands of horsepower as an incident to improving navigation; for the annual value of unused waterpower of the United States, perhaps, exceeds the annual value of the products of all cur mines. As an incident t creating the deep waterway down the Mississippi, the government should build along its whole lower length levees, which, taken together with the control of the headwaters, will at once and forever put a complete stop to all threat of floods in the immensely fertile delta region.” The president stated that he had appointed an Inland Waterways Commission to study and outline a comprehensive scheme of development along all the lines indicated. As to reclamation work, the Message expressed the opinion that “irrigation should be far more extensively developed than at present, not only in the States of the great plains and the Rocky mountains, but in many others, as, for instance, in large portions of the South Atlantic and Gulf States, where it should go hand in hand with the reclamation of swamp land. The Federal government should seriously devote itself to this task, realising that utilisation of waterways and waterpower, forestry, irrigation, and the reclamation of lands threatened with overflow, are all interdependent parts of the same problem."