Abstract:
1.1 General
Through experimentation hydraulics can be made a more useful and serviceable science in every day life. However theory should always be the guide and must go hand in hand with the experience. With the aid of theory the results of the experiments can be assembled comprehensively and the laws deduced and ddfined.
The river engineer has especially to control the forces of nature which are largely impredicatable. The purpose of these control has to be realised in the most economical and nearly perfect manner possible. But in order to do this an intimate acquaintance with the nat-ural processes is a prime requisite. This acquaintance can only be obtained through careful observation in the field.
" Only by seeing experiments performed" says Tul-lius Weisbach in the preface to his "Axperimental Hydr-aulic" it is possible for a beginner to grasp correctly the mainfold hydraulic principles that experience has established; to keep them in mind permanently and to form correct opinions regarding them.
