THE BIVER MERSEY. » 



the sea, and the fresh water that conies down from the interior ; the greater 

 the quantity of water, the greater will be the depth from the effect which 

 the increased body of water will have in scouring the bottom at the time of 

 the ebb tide in carrying out the suUage. 



He observes, that if all the mud lands above and below Ince, and above 

 and below Runcorn, were embanked, leaving a channel only for the waters 

 that come from the country to discharge themselves, the total ruin of Liver- 

 pool would be the consequence. The backwater would be so much dimi- 

 nished that the scouring effect would be destroyed, and the sand driven in 

 towards tlie entrance of the Mersey by the violence of the north-west and 

 western gales, would in time accumulate beyond the possibility of removal. 



He alludes to an Act passed in the 46 Geo. III. cap. 153, for protecting 

 harbours and navigable rivers, but considers it does not go far enough, and 

 thinks the Corporation should lose no time in obtaining an Act giving them 

 the necessary powers for the preservation of the harbour of Liverpool, re- 

 serving to the Mersey and Irwell Company all powers granted to them 

 under their Acts. 



He further observes, that it is a prevailing opinion, that if water-courses 

 be narrowed, the channels through which the water has to run will become 

 deeper ; which would be the case if the water always ran one way, being pro- 

 duced from springs in the country ; it must be discharged into the sea some- 

 where, therefore the more it is confined the deeper will be the channel 

 through which it runs, but the contrary will be the case where the tide runs 

 in and out every twelve hours. 



Report dated ^Bth May, 1822 (No. 2).— Messrs. Whidbey, Chapman and 

 John Rennie state, that on a careful examination between Runcorn and 

 Fidler's Ferry at high and low water they found large tracts of marsh land 

 without the present line of banks, and serving as important receptacles for 

 backwater. On the banks and shores they observed numerous jetties, erected 

 for the protection of the land against the violence of the current, extending 

 in many instances much further than necessary, and for the most part ope- 

 rating as injurious impediments to the tideway, which, by obstructing its 

 course, diminish its velocity, and allow time for the alluvial matter with 

 which it is impregnated to be deposited and form banks and shoals highly 

 injurious to the navigation, particularly mentioning one at Halton, and 

 another near the old Quay Canal entrance. The Ince Ferry Quay has also 

 an injurious effect, but they do not recommend its removal, on account of its 

 absolute necessity for the purposes of commerce, but that openings should 

 be made through it in various places, and arching them over. Several other 

 jetties are detrimental, and should be removed. 



They also recommend that no time should be lost in obtaining sufficient 

 powers to enable the Corporation to have the complete conservatorship or 

 control of the river Mersey and all its branches, to the end that when any 

 encroachments are making by jetties, embankments or otherwise, they may 

 have full power to cause them to be removed. 



In obtaining the powers here recommended, they'conceive there can be 

 little or no difficulty, for all the leading interests of the country are combined 

 in the necessity of maintaining and improving the navigation of the port of 

 Liverpool, and none more so than the adjacent landholders, the value of 

 whose estates must necessarily rise and fall with the population of this great 

 commercial emporium, which is certainly of far greater importance to them 

 than any advantage that can be derived from the acquisition of any land 

 over which the tide flows. 



