211 



" September 25th — Pumping out wreck and stopping leaks and port-holes. 

 (This was done by putting a sheep-skin and a board over the hole, and sci-ewing 

 it tight up to a cross bar placed inside.) 



" September 26th — Pumping out and repairing cracked plate. (This was 

 temporarily done by the diver with wooden wedges, and afterwards, when the 

 water was got under inside, by the engineers putting a plate and a sheep-skin 

 over it.) 



"September 27th — Removed the lifting rods, screws, etc., and put them 

 on board the ' Ladybird,' repaired cracked plate, and fitting up donkey 

 engine. 



" September 28th — Got the donkey engine to work, cleaning out 

 vessel, etc. 



"September 29th — Moved the 'Taranaki' alongside of the 'Ladybird.' 



" September 30th — Taking coals out of the 'Taranaki' into the 'Ladybird,' 

 and mooring pontoons. Covering the worm-eaten decks with planks to walk 

 upon. 



"October 1st — The steamer ' Wanganui ' arrived from Wellington with 

 tow-ropes. Left Tory Channel in tow of the ' Ladybird ' and the ' Wanganui,' 

 at 10 a.m., and reached Wellington safely in the afternoon at 4.30, after a fine 

 passage across Cook's Straits. The vessel very tight, and not making any 

 water." 



The total lift was 92 feet ; the weight of wreck about 400 tons. 



Art. L. — On Thorough Drainage. By J. C. Crawford, F.G.S. 



[Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, September 18, 1869.] 



As the subject of thorough drainage is evidently but little understood in this 

 part of the world, and as I have had some experience in the matter in Scotland, 

 I propose to make a few remarks, and to lay down a few elementary rules on 

 the subject, which T hope may prove of use. 



It is often supposed that in drainage it is sufficient to remove water from 

 the actual surface, whereas the beneficial results to be obtained are gained by 

 lowering the water table, or that level at which the underground water rests, 

 to a sufficient depth to allow the roots of plants to get well down, and also to 

 allow rain water to percolate freely through the soil, instead of lying stagnant 

 on it, carrying with it ammonia and portions of atmospheric air, which 

 assist in the decomposition of matter jjreviously inert. 



It has been found practically, that a depth for drains of about four feet is 

 that which is economically the best. It becomes very expensive to sink below 

 this depth. If the siibsoil is rocky, and presents great obstacles to sinking, a 

 depth of three feet six inches may be considered sufficient. 



The main drains ought always to have an additional six inches in depth 

 below that of the small drains. 



If a field has an irregular surface half mains are frequently used, so as 

 with more convenience to run the water into the main drain, than if all the 

 small drains were led into it direct. 



The distance between each drain generally varies from twelve to thirty-six 

 feet, according to the stiffness of the soil. In heavy clay the short interval of 

 twelve feet is required, in gravelly soil thirty-six feet would be sufficient. The 

 drains should follow the steepest slope. 



The main drain is generally taken parallel to the fence along the lowest 



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