622 PROCEEDINGS OP SECTION J. 



1867, to appoint a Commission consisting of the following gentle- 

 men : — Messrs. John Smith, M.D., C.M.G., Professor of Physics, 

 University of Sydney; Edward Orpen Moriarty, M. Inst., C.E., 

 Engineer-in-Chief for Harbours and River Navigation ; Philip 

 Francis Adams, Surveyor-General ; Francis Henry Grundy, Civil 

 Engineer ; Thomas Woore, and William Christopher Bennett, M. 

 Inst., C.E., Commissioner and Engineer-in-Chief for Roads and 

 Bridges, to make a diligent and full inquiry into the present pro- 

 vision for a supply of pure water to Sydney and suburbs, and to 

 institute all necessary inquiries to ascertain by what measures a 

 plentiful supply might be best obtained. The Commissioners made 

 four progress reports, and submitted their final report in Februaiy, 

 1869. The labours of the commission were devoted to the. fol- 

 lowing considerations : — 1. The population to be supplied with 

 water. 2. The condition and prospects of the supply from 

 Botany. 3. The new sources of supply. The commissioners 

 reported that the Botany supply was inadequate and uncer- 

 tain, and not to be relied upon in all seasons. They fully 

 inquired into the following jaroposals for the supply of Sydney 

 with water:-—!. The Grose River, drainage two hundred and 

 sixty-eight square miles of the Blue Mountain range. The Warra- 

 gamba, draining three thousand two hundred and forty-seven 

 square miles. 3. The George's River, draining three hundred and 

 seventy-five square miles. 4. The Upper Nepean and Cataract, 

 draining three hundred and fifty -four square miles. The latter 

 gave rise to a high-level and a low-level scheme ; the high-level 

 scheme from Pheasant's Nest, with a storage reservoir at Bull's 

 Hill, proposed by Mr. Grundy ; the low-level scheme from Phea- 

 sant's Nest, with a storage reservoir at Prospect, proposed by Mr. 

 Moriarty. The Commission adopted Mr. Moriarty's scheme. 



Since the date of the report of the Commission other proposals 

 were brought forward, including — 5. The Loddon River and 

 Madden's Plains, with extensions to the Wingecarribee Swamps. 

 6. The Erskine Valley, a tributary of the Nepean Rivei\ 7. A 

 system of wells on the Botany reserve. The engineering advisers 

 of the Government as members of the Commission having recom- 

 mended the Upper Nepean scheme, it appeared to have been con- 

 sidered necessary by the proniotors of the others which had not 

 been adopted that an impartial opinion was not to be expected 

 from them on any scheme that might be considered as a rival to 

 their own, and an independent opinion was desirable. Accord- 

 ingly Mr. W. Clark, M. Inst. C.E., was appointed by the Govern- 

 ment to report on the various schemes, and also to advise them 

 on the drainage of Sydney. Mr. Clark arrived in Sydney on 

 November 29th, 1877, and in May of the same year reported in 

 favour of Mr. Moriarty's scheme, which has since been proceeded 

 with, and although the present water supply is derived from this 

 scheme the works are not quite completed. 



