144 J. HOPKINSON — THE FLOODS 



for each river-basin (the more correct method) owing to the largest 

 basin, that of the Lea, having the smallest rainfall ; but if we take 

 the corrected mean of 2-94 inches, the result is precisely the same 

 as that given above, the exact number of tons of water given by 

 this method being 119,718,799. When we consider that this 

 gives a daily fall for four successive days of about 30 million tons 

 of water on a soil already saturated by previous heavy rain, against 

 an average daily fall in this usually wet month of about 3^ million 

 tons, it is not surprising that the floods to which it gave rise were 

 of exceptional, if not of unprecedented, severity. 



The following account of these floods is compiled from reports 

 which appeared at the time in three of our County newspapers — 

 the 'Watford Observer,' the 'Herts Advertiser,' and the 'Hertford- 

 shire Mercury,' except a short account of an experience of my own. 

 The river-valleys will be taken in the usual order. 



In the valley of the Gade the flood appears to have been the 

 worst between Apsley End and Boxmoor. The village of Apsley 

 End was flooded by mid-day on Monday the 12th of November, 

 the water rising over the kerbing of the footpaths and flowing into 

 the shops. On Wednesday it had risen so high that the residents 

 had to remove their furniture upstairs, and the roadway was 

 impassable except by wading deep in water. At several points 

 the water in the Grand Junction Canal overflowed the banks and 

 swamped the adjacent meadows, the football-ground in the Salmon 

 Meadow presenting the appearance of a group of ponds. At 

 Apsley Mills operations had to be temporarily suspended owing 

 to a portion of the works being flooded. At Boxmoor the cellars 

 of the houses were flooded, and much damage was done to the 

 extensive water-cress beds in the locality. 



In the higher part of the valley of the Colne the brook at 

 Water End, which during the greater part of the year is simply 

 a dry water-course, overflowed its banks, and carried down a large 

 volume of water to Colney Heath near to where it joins the Colne. 

 At AVelham Green, on Wednesday the 14th, the roads were under 

 water and almost impassable, the water being more than a foot 

 deep in places. On the afternoon of the following day, wishing 

 to see something of the effects of the heavy rain in this district, 

 I walked to North Mimms past Smallford and Colney Heath. A 

 short distance beyond the ford I found the road submerged to the 

 depth of nearly two feet, but was able to avoid wading through 

 the deeper part of the water by going through a cottager's garden 

 and crossing the water on a plank which he had kindly provided 

 and supported on chairs. My dog woidd not follow me, but 

 waited, yelping, for a passing cart, in which he was taken across 

 the water. Not wishing to return this way in the dark, I found 

 that it was necessary to go round by Water End and Mimms 

 Hall into the London Road at South Mimms, passing places near 

 Wan-en Gate where the road was then just under water, but, as 

 I was infonned, had been impassable earlier in the day. 



In the valley of the Colne where the river permanently flows, 



