A Treatise on the Law of Navigable Rivers

A Treatise On The Law Of Navigable Rivers by Louis Houck is a foundational legal treatise that examines the concept of navigability and the law governing navigable waterways in England and the United States. The author argues that navigability is a fact-based function tied to public access and commerce, not merely the ebb and flow of tides. The work surveys bed, shore, and bank definitions, distinctions between navigable and non-navigable rivers, and the rights of riparian proprietors, alluvion, avulsion, and the public claim to beds in major rivers like the Mississippi and Ohio. It traces the evolution from English Common Law toward an American doctrine, discusses admiralty jurisdiction, and details the boundaries of grants and the surveying system, as well as the regulation of ferries, bridges, and ports. Relying on numerous state and federal authorities, Houck argues that navigable rivers are common public highways, essential to commerce and national unity.