Illustrations of the Croton Aqueduct

by F. B. Tower

The channel-way was 6⅓ feet high, by 3 feet wide, constructed with stone masonry and having an arch over the top: the interior face of the walls and the bottom was covered with a coat of plastering; 3 inches thick in the bottom, and 2 inches on the sides. From remains of this Aqueduct which are now found at various points along its course, it appears to have required many expensive structures for crossing valleys; in one instance the Aqueduct bridge was 3,600 feet long, and the greatest height was 100 feet. In constructing the Aqueduct over these bridges, they formed it in two channels separated by a wall, and each covered with an arch; thus they insured a supply of water across the bridge by one channel in case the other required repairs.

Aqueduct of Bourgas, near Constantinople.

Three Aqueducts exist in the valley of Bourgas, 8 miles from Constantinople, for conducting water into the city. One of them is remarkable for the beautiful architectural arrangement and the solidity of its construction. It is 115 feet high, and was built under the Emperor Justinian, A. D. 527. It has two ranges of arches, one above the other, and the Aqueduct supported upon the second. These Aqueducts are in some parts unlike those of Rome, which were formed on a continuous line for many miles, with a regular inclination from the source to the city, but are interrupted by reversed syphons. Instead of crossing deep and wide valleys in the usual manner of stone structures, the Aqueduct terminates on one bank in a reservoir or cistern, and a pipe is laid from it down the sloping side of the hill to a stone pier erected at a suitable distance; the pipe rises up the pier to the top where the water is discharged into a small cistern nearly as high as that in the reservoir. From the cistern, another conduit pipe descends to the bottom of the pier, passes along the ground to a second pier at a proper distance and rises to another cistern on the top of it, and so on till it rises on the crest of the opposite bank, where the water resumes its regular motion along the Aqueduct.

This plan was probably adopted with a view to avoid the expense of constructing a bridge which should preserve the general inclination of the channel-way; but it is difficult to imagine any advantage arising from the construction of the piers, instead of laying the pipe along the bottom of the valley.

Modern Rome.

Rome is now supplied with water by three Aqueducts, being three of the ancient works restored in modern times.

First, Aqua Virgini, called by Frontinus, Aqua Virgo, or Virgin Aqueduct.

The trunk of the Aqueduct having been injured, the reparation was began under the Pontificate of Nicholas V. and Sextus IV., and completed under that of Pius IV. in 1568. This water supplies the beautiful fountain Trevi, thus named from the three discharges issuing from it, or from its being placed at the junction of three streets. The water this Aqueduct furnishes is 2,322,762 cubic feet (14,168,848 gallons) daily, discharging through 7 principal conduits, at 13 public and 37 other fountains.

Second, Aqua Felice. This is a part of the ancient water of the Claudian and Marcian Aqueducts united with many others, and collected under Sextus V. The daily quantity it furnishes is 727,161 cubic feet, (4,435,682 gallons,) and supplies 16 public and 11 other fountains. The Moses fountain discharges from this source.

The Pauline Aqueduct, called Aqua Paola, is the third of the ancient works restored. The water is collected within the territories of Arcolo and Bassano, and conducted along the ancient Aqueduct of Alsietina. This was effected under Pope Pius V., and directed by Charles Fontana, an eminent Hydraulic Architect, who constructed the great fountain of S. Pietro-in-Montorio. Additional water was also taken from Lake Bracciano by Fontana in 1694, under Clement X. The whole quantity in 24 hours is 3,325,531 cubic feet, (20,285,739 gallons,) about one third of which goes to feed the fountains of St. Peters, and those of the Pontifical Palace on the Vatican Hill; the rest is distributed among 8 public and 23 other fountains, as well as to 21 work-shops, (usines) in St. Pancras-street.