1 92 A TREATISE ON THE CONNECTION OF 



any particular place or borough, ^vith a view to make 

 such place, or borough, the mouth or outlet, and conse- 

 quently the shipping port to the fens so drained. To 

 such objedls, the general interest of the many, and the 

 jiation in general, are too frequently sacrificed. It is 

 not tliose who propose the best plan of a general drain- 

 age, liite, and direction of a canal, or rendering a river 

 or rivers navigable, who carry their point ; but it is those 

 who can procure most friends in the two Houses of Par- 

 liament. Many judicious plans of canals, and of render- 

 ing rivers navigable, have been rejected, and the inte- 

 rest of proprietors of an established ditch of a canal, 

 has been allowed, to prevent the cutting of canals of 

 jiiuch more general utility and importance. 



The late accidents which have happened to the fens, 

 by the breaking of the banks, should lead to an impartial 

 survey, and consideration of the most judicious method 

 of draining this valuable country at the lowest possible 

 level, so as to avoid the raising of the water, as has hi- 

 therto been the case, to a much higher level than is said 

 to be necessary. 



On 



