Reclamation of Land from the Sea. 665 



made, and were merely effective while the bank was being made ; 

 iifterwards they were sources of perpetual trouble and cost. He 

 himself had some time since, to repair works of this kind that in the 

 first instance cost but little, while the repair alone cost 700Z., simply 

 because of a want of attention and foresight in the original builders. 



Having gone carefully into the question of outlay, he was of opinion 

 that, except in the case of extraordinarily good lands, an agriculturist 

 should not go beyond a cost of 20?. per acre in making a bank. This 

 might be considered a rather high figure, but he had kno^Ti it pay in 

 r. case of large reclamation. The land must be pretty good land to allow 

 of such a result, and be brought quickly into cultivation, all the work 

 should also be well done, so as to incur as little outlay for annual 

 maintenance as possible. Some lands were done at a much cheajier 

 rate, but it was doubtful whether the cheaper scheme was not actually 

 the dearer method. He called the attention of every agricultm-ist 

 interested in these matters to the recent Act of Parliament, by which 

 a combined system could be established for the purpose of bringing 

 about extensive reclamations. An individual enclosing land would 

 do so at his own cost and risk, but there was no reason why he should 

 become thus involved. The Commissioners of Sewers appointed 

 under the 23rd of Henry VIII. had been continued, and the powers of 

 the Act had been increased by the Land Drainage Act of 1861, 

 enabling landowners who were interested in a piece of reclaimable 

 land to combine to execute the work of enclosm-e, being equally taxed 

 to defi'ay the expenses. Hie experience of inland rivers had taught 

 him that there was [great advantage to be gained by such a imion of 

 landowners. He recommended all who felt a concern in the question 

 to look into the Act, and become acquainted with its provisions. The 

 advantage was that in combining in a work of this kind every con- 

 tributor took his part, not only in the cost, but in the management and 

 benefits to be derived from the prosecution of the work in a systematic 

 way. The Inclosure Commissioners had the sanctioning of this Act, 

 and therefore everything was done in a public manner. The opera- 

 tions of the Act could be carried out without difliculty, and the result 

 would be the improvement of inland rivers, and the reclamation of 

 land from the sea, the latter being, of course, the original intention of 

 the Legislature in the time of Henry VIII. No doubt there were 

 a great many persons having coast lands, and large areas of border, 

 who would be glad to combine to borrow or expend money for their 

 reclamation. The Act to which he had referred would show how this 

 could be done, and the general interests of agriculture would be pro- 

 moted thereby. 



The Peeseden't : You did not say what slope you would recommend 

 against the full force of the open sea. In the Himiber, which is little 

 more than a tidal river, the same slope of com'se is not required as in 

 the spot where you have a heavy sea. What slope do you recommend 

 in the case of open water ? 



Mr. Geaxthaji : It is difficult to speak with precision, but I should 

 say that somewhere about two to one, if well stoned, with some 

 foreshore. 



