GAUTHEY, EMILAND-MARIE

born Dec. 3, 1732, Chlon-sur-Sane, France died July 14, 1806, Paris French engineer, best known for his construction of the Charolais Canal, or Canal du Centre, which united the Loire and Sane rivers in France, thus providing a water route from the Loire to the Rhne River. Gauthey studied at the cole des Ponts et Chausses (School of Bridges and Highways) in Paris, then taught there while making important pioneering contributions to the study of building materials. About 1767 he drew up plans for a canal linking the Loire and the Rhne. Work began under his direction in 1783, and the project was completed nine years later. The work involved construction of locks and several bridges. He also directed the building of a church at Givry between 1773 and 1791 and restored the castle of Chagny (both in Sane-et-Loire dpartement) in 1780.