Musical ever.”
The Ruins of Rome.
INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.
AQUEDUCTS, FOUNTAINS, ETC.
A supply of pure and wholesome water is an object so essential to the health and prosperity of a city, that it should form one of the leading features of the public improvements which characterize its growth. The advantages arising from it are so numerous, and the comforts so great, that every effort should be made to accomplish it.
The means which have been resorted to for such purposes in almost every city of importance in the Old World, are examples for us of the New, and should induce us early to avail ourselves of that important element of health. We contemplate with mingled emotions of wonder and admiration, those works of art which were achieved by ancient Rome in her palmy days of wealth and power, and among them we find that her Aqueducts hold a prominent place.
Among the ruins of cities whose history is shrouded in mystery on this continent, we find provisions for bringing water from distant sources. In the wilds of Central America, the persevering traveller finds ruined cities buried in the depths of the forest, where nature is at work covering and concealing them: among those ruins he tells us of the Aqueduct. We find them also among the ruins of cities along the western coast of South America. With such examples before us, we may consider that by the construction of the Croton Aqueduct for supplying the City of New-York with water has been secured an important measure for the promotion of its growth.
Many cities of the United States have directed their attention to this object, and some have been fortunate in finding a supply of water near at hand, but others will look towards distant sources for a supply, and will, ere long, resort to the construction of Aqueducts.
In the history of cities built in remote periods of antiquity, we find mention made of plans for supplying water, and among remains of those cities which are found at this day, are traces of Aqueducts. We have accounts of Aqueducts constructed under the reign of Solomon, and the remains of them still existing in Palestine, give evidence of an extensive acquaintance with the principles of hydraulics among the Hebrew architects. The Pools of Solomon, which are mentioned by travellers who combine in their researches a regard for the arts as well as the religion of Judea, are connected with a scheme for supplying Jerusalem with water.
The vast expense incurred in the construction of Aqueducts by the Ancient Romans, as well in Italy as in other countries of Europe, proves the value that was attached by that people to a plentiful supply of pure water, and the details of the plan of construction of the different works, evince an acquaintance with the principles of hydraulics which, at this day, is not generally accorded to them. That they understood the principle that water seeks the level of its source after encountering depressions in its conduit, is sufficiently proved by instances, in works constructed by them, where the inverted syphon of pipes was used in crossing valleys. That this plan was not generally adopted by them in cases where great expense has been incurred to maintain the uniform declivity of the conduit over valleys, may be accounted for perhaps by the want of proper material for the construction of pipes. In cases where this plan has been adopted leaden pipes were used, and since it is only within the last century that iron pipes have been invented, we may reasonably conclude that considerations of such a nature would have induced them to adopt the more expensive plan of maintaining the general inclination of the conduit by vast structures of masonry.