LAND IMPEOVEMENT ACT. 155 



fisheries, navigation, rights of neighbouring proprietors, 

 all of which could be reconciled only by an impar- 

 tial central authority ; while the immense magnitude of 

 the works, involving great engineering skill and appli- 

 ances, and uniformity of operation, would have set at 

 defiance all chance of benefit from individual energy. 

 For these reasons, a similar scheme might with great 

 propriety and advantage be applied on the British side 

 of the Channel. 



Land impeovement is the next branch in which 

 most important benefits are being produced under the 

 management of the Board of Works. For this purpose 

 they grant loans to proprietors, repayable in twenty- two 

 instalments of 62 per cent, for thorough drainage, 

 fences, sub-soiling, clearing land of stones, making farm- 

 roads, and irrigation, for which purposes loans have 

 been sanctioned to the amount of £1,420,600. The 

 progress of the works has been very satisfactory. 



" At the commencement, even in our most advanced 

 districts, the works were not conducted in the regular 

 and systematic manner necessary to insure ultimate 

 success and a beneficial return in proportion to the 

 expenditure contemplated by the Act. The superin- 

 tendents employed by many of the proprietors had 

 never previously executed, or seen works of thorough 

 draining completed, according to the modern system, 

 and many did not think it necessary to adhere strictly 

 to the plans laid down, or the dimensions of the drains 

 given in the specification for their guidance ; but 

 through the means of frequent inspections, and the 



