Chapter III (3)

After the plan had been published and promulgated for some time, all sorts of objections were raised and attacks made upon it. I replied coolly and steadily to them all, and the more it was investigated, the more the world became convinced of its practicability. Still it was impossible to combine the various conflicting interests, and equally difficult to form a company for such a vast and novel undertaking. The public naturally said, if the drainage and navigation interests and the landed proprietors, who were so much interested, did not see their way, how could it be expected that a company should? Thus the affair, although frequently agitated, lay in abeyance for several years. Its chief supporters, Lord William Bentinck and Mr. Hoseason, having gone to India, there remained none of sufficient energy and influence to push it forward. At length the late talented and indefatigable Lord George Bentinck became member for Lynn, in succession to his uncle, Lord William, when he became Governor-General of India. Lord George was unanimously chosen chairman, and examined most minutely, with his usual sagacity, every detail of the measure, and was perfectly satisfied of its practicability and value, but thought that it was too great to be undertaken as a whole, and that it would be better to divide it into two parts, one comprising the Ouse and Nene, the other the Welland and Witham. I must not omit to mention that the late Prince Consort was much pleased with the plan, and expressed his approbation to me of it. It was accordingly decided to form a company for the Norfolk half, including the Ouse and Nene, and to reclaim 35,000 acres of land from the Great Wash; and at the end of 1845 the requisite plans were prepared and notices given for a Bill to be applied for in the ensuing session, under the title of the Norfolk Estuary Act. The Company originally calculated that the land gained from the estuary would have indemnified them for making the new cut for the Ouse; and so it would, if they had been allowed all the land below high-water mark, without having any other burdens entailed upon them. But unfortunately this was not the case; they were saddled with the maintenance of the Great Cut, although, strictly speaking, it ought to have been maintained by the navigation and the drainage interests, which alone derived the benefit from it. The land frontagers claimed all the land, or green marsh, to be embanked at the expense of the Company, who were only to receive a certain portion of its improved value; the Ouse bank owners were to be indemnified to some extent also. The Crown was to have a commission of five per cent. upon the expenditure; and the Church was to have a certain portion, or tithe, upon the land gained: indeed, so many restrictions were placed on the Company that their calculated profits were materially reduced; nevertheless, as a number of the shareholders were otherwise greatly interested in the improvement of the drainage, frontage, &c., they calculated that if the shares were worth nothing, they would still be the gainers. I protested as much as I could, without avail, against all these restrictions, and I doubted much whether the Act could or would be carried into effect with any benefit to those shareholders who simply looked to their profit from the shares. It turned out as I expected. The Act passed during the session of 1846. Still there was no prospect of the Norfolk Estuary Act being carried into effect, on account of the restrictions above mentioned; and the Company wisely determined not to proceed unless the drainage and navigation interests, which were so materially concerned, came forward with a handsome contribution towards it. The Middle Level proprietors had obtained a Bill, in the year 1846, for the improvement of their drainage, which was much opposed, and in which I took a leading part. However, they carried their Bill, and the works were designed and commenced under Mr. James Walker; but they soon found that the work would be comparatively valueless. The Norfolk Estuary Act had now been carried, and they therefore entered into negotiations with the Norfolk Estuary Company, and these negotiations finally ended in the Middle Level Commissioners and the Lynn Corporation, who represented the drainage and navigation interests, agreeing to contribute each the sum of 60,000_l._ towards the completion of the new channel for the Ouse, contemplated by the Norfolk Estuary Company, upon condition that the late Mr. Robert Stephenson should be joint engineer to the Norfolk Estuary Company with myself, to which, of course, I had no objection; and it was agreed that an Act of Parliament should be obtained in order to ratify this agreement, which passed in the year 1850.

At that time a former Act rendered it necessary that before any improvement was made in any port or harbour, a Commission should be appointed by the Admiralty to investigate the plan, the Commission to hold its inquiry in public; Captain Washington and Captain Veitch were appointed by the Admiralty for this purpose. They held their court at the townhall, Lynn, and, singular to relate, the gallant gentlemen advocated a curved instead of a straight channel, which, under the circumstances, was so contrary to the practice of every good hydraulic engineer, that their report was simply ridiculous, and when produced by the Admiralty before the Committee of the House of Commons on the Bill, was proved by the best engineers to be wrong, and was therefore ignored by the Committee, and the plan proposed by Mr. Stephenson and myself was unanimously adopted. The Bill accordingly passed, and the agreement between the Middle Level Commissioners, the Corporation of Lynn, and the Company, the two former contributing 60,000_l._ each, was ratified; still there were several restrictive clauses, such as entailing the maintenance of the works upon the Company, giving up the whole of the green marsh to the several frontages, which materially abridged the profits of the Company, and increased their risks, and which I in vain protested against. The main cut commenced on the lower side of Lynn, and was continued in a straight line 2½ miles. We calculated that certain dimensions were ample in the first instance, because it was not necessary to excavate the cut artificially to the full depth, as we knew that as soon as the current began to act upon it, it would in a short time be adjusted to its proper capacity for the admission and discharge of the tidal waters, in the same manner as had taken place in the Nene estuary outfall already mentioned. From the lower end of the above cut the channel for a distance of two miles farther to deep water was to be trained through the sands, formed by guide walls of rough stone raised to about the level of half tide, with beacons upon it at certain distances to indicate the channel; and when once the channel had been thus trained, the remainder of the banks to their full height above high water would be raised naturally by the silting up on each side, combined with the gradual process of embanking the land from each of the shores of the estuary, if properly managed.

Messrs. Peto undertook the contract of the main cut. The land having been bought, and everything arranged, a day was fixed for turning the first sod, at the upper end near Lynn. The ceremony was performed by the late worthy Sir William Foulkes, the chairman of the Company, on the 1st of November, 1850. On that day a grand procession, consisting of the Company, the Corporation and trades of Lynn, the Earl of Leicester, Lord Lieutenant, together with numerous gentry, and other spectators, attended the ceremony, which went off with great _éclat_, and the whole, as usual, terminated with a grand dinner to about two hundred persons at the townhall. Unfortunately my friend Mr. Stephenson was abroad and could not attend. The excavation of the great cut proceeded rapidly for some time, until Mr. Stephenson and myself, judging that enough had been done, and that the current would do the rest more effectually, ordered the dams to be removed at both ends and the water admitted, which was accordingly done. As soon as the fen proprietors heard of this, they were greatly alarmed; they said that the Company had violated their agreement with them, and had gone contrary to the Act of Parliament, in not excavating the cut to the full depth required before letting the water in. We endeavoured in vain to persuade them to the contrary. They immediately applied for a mandamus to stop the works and restore the dams until the cut had been excavated to the full dimensions required by the Act, and obtained an injunction, so that we were compelled to restore the dams and stop out the water. We determined, however, not to give up the point, and argued the question before Vice-Chancellor Turner, and were beaten. We then applied to the Admiralty, who would not assist. We appealed from the Vice-Chancellor’s decision to the Lords Justices of Appeal, and were again beaten; still we would not give up, and at last we found that there was no alternative but to get a new Act of Parliament allowing us to make the cut in any manner we pleased, provided that we made it of the dimensions originally agreed upon. The Eau Brink Commissioners opposed us by every means in their power, but our evidence, which was given by the first engineers of the day, so completely satisfied Parliament that we carried our new Bill as we wished it.

Thus, after a severe struggle for two years, we carried our point; but this was so much valuable time lost, besides a great deal of money spent in litigation. Having obtained our new Act, we set to work immediately to remove the dams of the cut, and to let the water in, and at the same time to commence the dam for stopping up the old channel of the Ouse at the lower end of the town of Lynn, near the upper end of the new cut. As the dams and bottom of the river near them were composed of strong clay, it took some time to remove them so as to admit the waters freely into the cut; but as soon as this was done, the scour began to have a sensible effect; this was increased by the closing of the dam across the old channel, so that within a few months afterwards not only had the new cut been scoured out to the full depth required by the old Act, but considerably beyond it. Thus Stephenson and myself were proved in the right, and the opposition entirely in the wrong.

The effect on the port of Lynn was very remarkable. The depth of water at spring tides was 18 to 20 feet, and neaps 14 to 16 feet; and there was a regular depth at low water of spring tides of 9 to 12 feet in the cut, so that the largest vessels could always come up and depart with their full cargoes either at spring or neap tides, and the channel was so direct and easy of navigation, that pilots, of whom there was a large establishment, became in a great measure unnecessary, and their numbers were considerably reduced as well as their charges, and the increase of trade soon enabled the town of Lynn to pay off the 60,000_l._ contribution to the estuary works.

The drainage interests also derived a similar benefit by the lowering of the low-water mark 6 feet, which, together with that obtained by the Eau Brink Cut, was altogether 11 feet. The Middle Level Drainage, upon which a large sum had been expended, obtained an increased fall of between 3 and 4 feet, which enabled the Commissioners to drain the greatest portion of their lands naturally instead of artificially. In fact, the Port of Lynn by means of these works has become one of the best on the east coast of England, at the least expense, and with the most moderate dues; indeed, if the Drainage and Navigation had paid double the money which they did to this great work, and which in justice they ought to have done for the benefits it has conferred upon them, they would have been more than amply indemnified.

The Estuary Company having now completed the cut, turned their attention to the best means of reclaiming from the Wash the 35,000 acres which had been allotted to them by the Crown, or at least as much of it as they could; but unfortunately there were so many different opinions among them and their advisers, that they lost a great deal of time and money in pursuing improper measures. I, who originally designed the undertaking, and had acquired great experience in this department from having carried on successfully similar works in the Great Wash and elsewhere, always adhered to one system, namely, to work with nature, and never to go against her; if we did, I invariably found that we were beaten.

We knew, from a variety of experiments that had been made, that the alluvial matter held in suspension by the waters in the Great Wash was an ascertainable quantity; that this alluvial matter was transferred from one place to another, according to the prevailing winds and currents; and that it was only deposited where circumstances were favourable, such as eddies and sheltered stagnant places. Now my great object (after having confined the fresh and tidal waters of the river Ouse to one adequate channel, so as to preserve the drainage and navigation in an efficient state) was to cause to be deposited the alluvial matter that was held in suspension in the waters spreading over the other parts of the estuary. This could only be done effectually by arresting the progress of the flowing and ebbing waters in such a manner, that as much of the alluvial matter as possible might be deposited in the places most convenient, that is, in those places where it was desired to raise the soil above the level of high water of neap tides. When this level is reached grass may be expected to grow, and in a very short time the whole is converted into a green marsh. The process simply this: when the deposit has reached a certain number of feet above low water of spring tides, a species of light green vegetation first covers the surface in patches, then by degrees extends over the whole; the reclaimed land still continues rising, and at a higher level above low water samphire makes its appearance; the accumulation of soil still goes on increasing, when the samphire disappears, and grass succeeds it, and in a short time afterwards the place assumes the appearance of a level green marsh well adapted for grazing cattle. After it has arrived at this stage, which it does at about the level of high water of neap tides, the accumulation is very slow; on our coasts it seldom attains a much higher elevation, except where the sand is blown up by strong winds from the sea, which forms dunes or banks, that, as in the case of Holland and other places, sometimes attain an elevation of 30 feet and upwards above the level of the highest tides. This, however, is not the case around the shores of the Great Wash; there the marshes are simply produced by the gradual deposit of alluvial matter in the manner above stated.

The great object, therefore, as I have said, is to facilitate this deposit or accretion as much as possible by artificial means. Nature, if left to herself, though sure, is very slow. We must therefore assist nature, by following and working in unison with her laws. We must go to work gradually, and not by great and expensive operations check the currents violently and at once, which would only produce an equally strong current elsewhere, so that while we gained in one place we should lose in another. By a series of light works composed of bushy fagots or other similar materials, raised about 12 or 15 inches above the level of the sands, and disposed in a series of lines at certain distances from each other, not continuous, but in lengths, so that the ends may overlap each other, the currents will be gently checked without being wholly obstructed, the water between them will be rendered stagnant, and the alluvial matter with which it is charged will be deposited. When the deposit has reached to the top of these works, the works themselves should be raised higher in the same place, or in an intermediate position, as circumstances shall render advisable. Where a certain space is intended to be raised or warped up, it is generally better to commence at the upper end and work downwards; the works themselves are less expensive, the height to be raised is less, and the water impelled by the mass of the tide behind brings up a greater quantity of alluvial matter, and in proportion as the space above is warped up it accumulates in a greater degree below. In carrying on works of this kind, wherever we find that there is a tendency to make a channel, and with it a strong current, it must be checked gradually from the upper end, so that the quantity of water passing through it may be decreased, and this channel will soon fill up. When a certain space has been naturally or artificially raised to the level of a fine green marsh, provided that there be a sufficient quantity to pay the expense, it should be embanked entirely from the sea. As to the expense incurred in embanking it, and the value of the land when embanked, generally speaking, we shall seldom err if we take as a rule that the land should be worth double the cost of embanking. When we have an estuary to deal with from which we may expect to reclaim several thousand acres of land, it resolves itself into a serious question both of time and money as to the best mode of accomplishing it. One object should be as far as practicable to reduce the extent of main or barrier banks, and if the situation be well adapted for the purpose, a barrier bank may be commenced at the lower end, and gradually pushed forward in proportion as the space above it exhibits a tendency to silt up; in combination with this the minor operations should be carried on, so that the one may assist the other. When a sufficient quantity of marsh above the barrier bank has been formed, it may be embanked from the sea, and by keeping the barrier bank always sufficiently in advance the interior banks will become less costly, as they will not be exposed to the main force of the waves during storms; otherwise each separate bank must be made a barrier bank, and the whole cost will be materially increased. The propriety of adopting either the one system or the other will greatly depend upon the peculiar local circumstances.

With regard to the quantity of land, when fit for the purpose, to be embanked or enclosed at one time, this also will, like the other, depend upon the local circumstances. Generally speaking it is safer to confine the operation to about 400 or 500 acres; and the proper time for closing the embankment is during neap tides, when the work will be much facilitated.

It is true that much greater quantities may be taken in at one time, according to the Dutch system, but then several closing spaces must be left open, and these must all be specially prepared for the purpose by lining the bottom and sides with wicker-work and fascines to prevent the scour, and then filling them up with clay, stone, fascines, and earth, as the case may require; and if by chance a breach should take place, which occasionally occurs under the best of management, the internal space to be filled with water is so great that the violence and strength of the inpouring current is increased in the same proportion, so that it carries all before it, scoops out great channels in the interior space, and damages the land by the great quantity of sand brought in, and it becomes difficult to clear the internal space of water. And although by this plan a less quantity of embankment is required, nevertheless the expense per lineal foot becomes greater; but where the length of the embankment is small compared to the depth of the land to be enclosed, this system, if properly managed, may be adopted with advantage. The most advisable plan must be left a good deal to the judgment and skill of the engineer-in-chief taking advantage of the local circumstances.

The above principles for warping and enclosing land I recommended in several reports to the Norfolk Estuary Company, but they were not adopted to the extent I recommended; the consequence has been that several years’ time and a good deal of money have been unnecessarily expended. But I believe that they have been finally convinced that my system was the proper one, and it has since been adopted to some extent, with considerable success, and about 1000 acres (in 1867) have been enclosed, the property of the Company, at the cost of about 15_l._ per acre, the land being worth 40_l._ They have, moreover, enclosed 600 acres more for the Prince of Wales, upon which they will be paid one-third of its improved value. As several thousand acres in the estuary belonging to the Company are rapidly approaching that state when they may be profitably embanked, I confidently believe, by proper management, that the shareholders will ultimately recover a good deal if not the whole of their capital, and perhaps a good portion of their interest also; but I shall always contend that if my recommendations had been followed from the beginning, a great deal of money would have been saved. The Company ought not to have submitted to the restrictions imposed by the Acts. The contribution from the drainage and navigation interests ought to have been double, for which they would have been amply repaid, and the land gained would have been far greater, so that even by this time it might have been a very profitable concern.

Whilst the Nene Outfall was in progress, I was employed by the Corporation of Boston to improve the outfall of the river between the Grand Sluice at the upper end of the town, and Hobhole near the mouth of the river, a distance of nearly four miles. This had previously been proposed by my father, in the year 1845, to the Corporation of Boston, previous to commencing the great drainage of the East, West, and Wildmere fens bordering upon the Witham between Lincoln and Boston, amounting to about 125,000 acres of lowland, which for the most part was little better than a marsh. It was here he proposed his grand system for the drainage of lowlands by means of catchwater drains for the waters from the highlands, and main and minor drains for the waters from the lowlands, both systems of drains being distinct and separate from each other, and which he afterwards most successfully carried into effect. In order to obtain the requisite fall, it was necessary that the outfalls of the two main drains should be carried into the Witham below the town of Boston; but in order that this might be effectual, it was also necessary that the Witham should be greatly improved between Boston and the mouth at Hobhole; and as the navigation between these two points was very defective, he thought that the Corporation should bear the expense, as they would derive the greatest benefit. For this purpose my father proposed two plans: one was to improve the old channel, partly by cutting off the bends and confining and straightening its course, and from Hobhole making a new cut to Clayhole, where there was ample depth of water at all times of tide; and the other plan was to make a direct cut within land from the lower end of Boston to Clayhole. He proposed also, for the drainage, to make an outfall for the highland water at Maudfoster, just below the town of Boston, as he said that by bringing the highland water there, it would effectually serve to keep the river open between that point and its mouth at Hobhole, and to make an outfall for the lowland waters at the latter place; and he recommended the drainage interests to contribute a certain portion of the expense towards the improvement. The Corporation of Boston declined doing anything, and the drainage was left to take care of itself. Mr. Rennie, however, foresaw that if the Witham was not improved by either one or the other of the plans that he recommended, the highland water would not be effectively discharged by the sluice at Maudfoster, and therefore he made a communication between the Maudfoster drain and the Hobhole drain at a place called Cowbridge, a few miles above Boston, where there was a gauge, so that whenever the water in Maudfoster drain exceeded the gauge it passed into the lowland main drain, and from thence into the Witham at Hobhole. What Mr. Rennie foresaw came true; the Witham, not having been improved, became worse, and the river in front of the Maudfoster Sluice was silted up, so that it could not discharge its water, and therefore the whole of the water, highland and lowland, was obliged to go by Hobhole, which drain and sluice, foreseeing what would take place, he had enlarged for the purpose.

In the year 1827, the outfall of the Witham between Boston and Hobhole had become so much silted up that at high water of neap tides there was scarcely water enough for fishing boats to come up to the town during the summer months and dry seasons, and at spring tides only sloops of very small draught could get up to the town; in fact, it might be said that at that time Boston as a seaport was lost, and the trade and navigation of the port ruined. At this the Corporation became greatly alarmed, and sent for me. I directed the late Mr. Francis Giles to make a complete survey of the river, which he did in his usual able and correct manner, and no person could do it better. Being provided with this survey, I made my report, and saw clearly that there was no remedy but to carry into effect either the one or the other of my father’s plans of 1805. As the Corporation funds were very limited, I recommended the plan for improving the old channel, partly by cutting off the bends and confining the river as far as Hobhole, and from thence making a new cut to Clayhole, as recommended by my father. There were three parties who were to contribute towards the improvement of the outfall of the Witham, namely, the Corporation of Boston, and the Witham and the Black Sluice Commissioners. The Black Sluice Commissioners demurred to the plan proposed by me, which was my father’s, on the ground that the cut ought to be made from the Black Sluice inland direct to Hobhole, otherwise they would not derive the advantages they had a right to expect from their contributions; so the whole matter was referred to Mr. Telford, who said that no improvement in the river below Boston would be of any use, unless the Grand Sluice above Boston was removed, so as to admit the tide to flow farther up the river. Now, although Telford was to a certain extent right, but by no means wholly so, because by carrying into effect either of my father’s plans there could be no doubt that considerable improvement would be made on the outfall of the Witham below Boston, as the sequel will show, nevertheless, if the Grand Sluice had been removed the tide would have flowed farther up the river and the increased quantity of tidal water passing upwards and downwards would have improved the outfall still further; but there were insuperable objections to the removal of the Grand Sluice, which neither of those parties above mentioned who were to make the improvement in the outfall could control, for the river above the Grand Sluice was under a different body. The banks must have been raised to admit the tide; compensation must have been made for the loss of fresh water, and various other interests must have been consulted that were hostile. The Black Sluice Commissioners stuck to Telford’s report, and withdrew from the contribution, so that the whole matter fell to the ground.

The outfall of the Witham became worse, and the Corporation of Boston, being left single-handed, and having determined to do what they could to improve the river, again requested my advice. I said that the best thing they could do under the circumstances would be to carry into effect by degrees, as far as their means would allow, the plan of my father already referred to for improving the old channel of the river, and to begin by cutting off the bend between Hobhole and the upper end of Burton’s Marsh (this cut would be about half a mile long), and blocking up the old channel immediately above it, which was about half a mile wide. These two works would shorten the navigation quite half a mile, and admit and discharge the tidal and fresh waters more readily, and thus produce a corresponding scour and lowering of the low-water line and bed of the river all the way up to the Grand Sluice above Boston.

The Corporation adopted my recommendation, and entered into a contract with Jolliffe and Banks for that purpose. Although a small work, it was attended with considerable difficulty, particularly in closing the old channel, on account of its great width and the great body of tidal water which passed through it. The effect of this work exceeded my most sanguine expectations; in a short time it improved the channel upwards to Boston to such an extent that spring tides rose at Boston Bridge 14 feet, and neaps 10 feet, and the bed of the river was deepened from 3 to 4 feet below low water of springs, so that vessels drawing 15 feet and 16 feet could come up to the town at springs, and vessels drawing 12 to 13 feet could come up at neaps; moreover, all the silt was scoured away from the front of the Maudfoster Sluice, so that it discharged the highland water from the fens, which it had not done for years before, and improved also the discharge of the waters from the Grand and Black sluices. I must confess that I was not a little elated at this successful result, as it most completely established the correctness of my father’s opinion as well as my own, and demonstrated the fallacy of my friend Telford’s judgment. The cost of the above works was 33,000_l._, which was very small compared to the advantage obtained. The Corporation of Boston were so much pleased with the success that they determined to carry into effect the remainder of the improvement in the old channel to Boston, which was afterwards done by confining the channel by degrees to a proper width by means of fascines and loose stone and clay properly combined together up to the level of half tide, so that the flood and ebb always acted to the greatest advantage in one and the same channel without materially diminishing the quantity of tidal water.

The effect of these additional works was to still further deepen the bed of the river and increase the flow of the tide by lowering the low-water mark, which improved the navigation and drainage still further, so that the trade of Boston revived and increased in prosperity, and all this was effected by the resources of Boston alone; and it is only to be regretted that the drainage interests, who derived so much benefit, were not compelled to contribute their just proportion.

In 1852 a Bill was obtained to carry into effect my plan for improving the mouths of the Witham below Hobhole, and the Welland below Fosdike Bridge, and reclaiming 35,000 acres of land from the Great Wash, as formerly described, but the Bill was clogged with so many restrictions, and neither the drainage or navigation interests would contribute anything towards it, although they would have been greatly benefited, that it was found impossible to carry it into effect so as to remunerate the shareholders, and therefore it was abandoned.

I about this time finished some minor works which had been designed and partly executed for the improvement of the Witham near Lincoln. This was part of a great plan of my father for improving the river Witham, so as to make it navigable for the Yorkshire coasting vessels, drawing 6 feet and carrying about 70 tons. From Lincoln they proceeded to the Trent by the Old Foss navigation, which entered the Trent at Torksey, and from thence to the Humber and the adjacent coasts. This improved navigation of the Witham answered very well as a commercial speculation, and in the year 1847 was sold to the Great Northern Railway Company, who established a railway on its banks, which now forms part of their loop line between Peterborough and Lincoln, which has in a great measure superseded the navigation.

During this period I was requested by the Commissioners of the Ancholme Level, consisting of about 50,000 acres of low fen lands, bordering upon the Ancholme in North Lincolnshire, to give them my advice as to the best means of improving their drainage, and at the same time the navigation of that river.

The Ancholme takes its rise near Market Rasen, in the highlands of the north of Lincolnshire, and after a course of some miles it enters the lowland district of the valley, and proceeds through it in a northerly direction for a distance of about 18 miles, when it joins the Humber at right angles to its course. The valley varies from one mile in width at the upper end to three miles at the lower end, where it joins the Humber. It is bounded on the south by a ridge of chalk hills of considerable elevation, and on the north by a similar ridge of sandstone hills.

The Ancholme having very little fall where it enters the lowlands, and being prevented from discharging its waters with facility into the Humber on account of the great mass of water and high tides in the latter river, was forced back upon the lowlands, and frequently inundated them, so that they became little better than marshes, and the river itself was necessarily extremely circuitous. In 1806 the Commissioners applied to my father for advice, and he recommended, in the first place, that the river should be straightened as far as practicable, in order to utilize the fall of the current to the fullest extent; also that a sluice should be constructed to exclude the tides at Terreby; and a catchwater drain made on the south side, with separate sluice to discharge the highland waters into the Humber. This advice was only partly followed: the river was straightened; the catchwater drain only extended as far as Brigg; a lock was made for the navigation at Hortestow Green, where the river entered the lowlands; and a sluice with a lock was made at Terreby. In principle, these works were correctly designed and well adapted for the purpose as far as they went; but I am not exactly aware whether they were carried out according to his plan, or under his immediate direction; and twenty years had elapsed before I was invited to give my opinion.

When I visited them the level was very badly drained; the river was full of shoals; the navigation, which was intended for the Yorkshire coasting vessels up to Bishop’s Bridge, was only practicable a few miles beyond Brigg, and that in a very imperfect manner; and the works generally were in a very bad state.

After having inspected the works, I recommended, first, that the main river should be deepened, widened, and enlarged throughout the entire length of the level, so as to accommodate the full-sized Yorkshire coasting vessels drawing 6 ft. 6 in.; and that the river should be of ample capacity to contain the floods fully 2 to 3 feet below the level of the lowlands, so that they could not be overflowed, and might always be able to drain into it.

Secondly, that a lock should be made with a lift of 6 feet, so that coasting vessels might be enabled to get up to Bishop’s Bridge; and that as a great deal of sand was brought down by the upper part of the river, which continually produced shoals and filled it up, I recommended that at the upper end of the lock an overfall should be made, together with a capacious reservoir, into which the sand might be discharged, in order to prevent it from getting into the river; then it could be removed whenever necessary.

Thirdly, that a new sluice and lock should be made at Terreby, where the Ancholme joined the Humber; that all the new sluices should be laid 6 feet below the old one; and that new bridges should be made across the main river to replace the old ones, which were not of sufficient capacity.

Fourthly, that the south catchwater drain should be drained out and enlarged, and extended to the upper end of the level.

Fifthly, that a catchwater drain of the requisite dimensions should be made on the north side of the level, from the new sluice to the farther extremity of the level, and that the water should be discharged through a separate opening in the new sluice.

Sixthly, that wherever a brook entered the catchwater drain on either side, there should be corresponding weirs and reservoirs for receiving the sand and other deposits, so as to prevent them from getting into the drains.

These several works were executed, under my directions, by Messrs. Jolliffe and Banks, as contractors; and Mr. Adam Smith, as resident engineer, to whom the real credit is due for the very able, honest, and zealous manner in which he discharged his duties, particularly for the execution of the new sluice at Terreby, which was done without a contractor, and is one of the cheapest and best works of the kind.

These works have answered their object completely; and the Ancholme district is as well drained as any level in the kingdom, and the navigation is complete of the kind.

Whilst carrying on these works I was the frequent guest of the Earl of Yarborough, the Commodore of the Yacht Club, and received the greatest kindness and attention from his lordship; without his support, ability, and firmness, these works would never have been attempted, nor carried to a successful conclusion.

[2] I have always heard this story in Cornwall; and a pamphlet
on the subject, now very scarce, was published at the time. Mr.
Fox, I have been told, was taken before a magistrate, and made
an affidavit concerning it the morning after the occurrence,
and before the mail came down.--C. G. C. R.

[3] I may mention here that before Telford built the suspension
bridge near Bangor, Mr. Rennie proposed a cast-iron bridge of
several arches, on the site of the present Britannia Bridge,
which would ultimately have carried the railway, but the scheme
was considered too bold at the time. The possibility of the
construction of the present magnificent bridge, which marks an
era in engineering, is of course due to the great improvements
in the manufacture of iron since Mr. Rennie’s time. Thus every
age has its specialty, and what cannot be done at one time
becomes practicable at another.