CUM-. II. TIIK GREAT LKVKL <>F TIIK FF.XS. 17 



CHAPTEK II. 



THE GREAT LEVEL OF THE FENS. 



SITUATED as Britain is in a vapoury climate, and sur- 

 rounded by the sea, water was, from the first, the chief 

 element which English skill and industry had to fi^lit 

 against ; and in effectively resisting it, or in subjugating 

 and controlling it, the engineer's talent was first dis- 

 played. We have seen that to reclaim and hold the land 

 against the violence of the ocean, embankments and sea- 

 walls were built around the low-lying grounds on the 

 coast. A subsequent stage of operations was to conduct 

 the surplus rain and river waters descending from the 

 interior across long stretches of level land, sometimes 

 through fens and marshes, into the sea ; for which pur- 

 pose wide drains had to be dug, and powerful sluices 

 erected at the point of junction of the fresh water with 

 the salt. Then, still contending with the powers of 

 water, the engineer raised lighthouses on solitary rocks, 

 far out at sea, capable of resisting the most violent force 

 of the waves ; whilst around the coast he built piers 

 and formed harbours for the accommodation of the ships 

 thus safely lighted to port. To connect county with 

 county, the opposite banks of rivers were bound together 

 by means of bridges, the engineer still fighting against 

 water in securing the foundations for his piers. Then 

 he skilfully contrived to subdue the same element, and 

 convert it into his most docile servant ; leading it 

 through new channels to drive mills and machinery, or 

 along aqueducts for the supply of towns, or in canals 

 upon which boats and ships laden with merchandise 



be safely floated. 

 VOL. i. c 



