Remarhs on the Report of tlie Water Commission. 73 



As illustrative also of tlie possibility of extention in future 

 years, I may add that altogether apart from the possibility of 

 dredging the shallower parts of the river and so increasing the 

 capacity of the reservoir for storage, the George's Eiver scheme 

 has this further advantage, that Port Hacking might also be 

 dammed in a similar way, leaving its embouchure, as at present, 

 available as a harbour of refuge for coasting vessels. This would 

 store the water of a pretty considerable area, all the country 

 being sandstone. The water thus stored could be easily conveyed 

 to supplement the resources of Greorge's Eiver, though I appre- 

 hend that it would be a distant generation that would require 

 such a work. 



Supposing the dam or dams to be constructed as described, and 

 to be efficient, it would of course depend upon the character of 

 the ensuing seasons how soon the water became fresh. But I 

 have ascertained that during the late rainy season the water was 

 quite drinkable at the ebb tide between Doll's Point andTovvrah. 

 and that it was tested at Sans Souci, at a depth of twelve feet, 

 and found to be perfectly fresh. In such a season as this it 

 would not talte long to sweeten the water. The quantity of fresh 

 water passing through the reservoir in an average every year 

 would be over 90,000 millions gallons. 



I shall not detain you by discussing how the water might be 

 best conveyed from Greorge's Eiver to Sydney, as that is a matter 

 of detail, which may be left till the general question of the 

 feasibility of the dam is decided. Whether it shoukl be conveyed 

 to the present Waterworks and thence pumped into Sydney — 

 whether it should be conveyed in an open canal to Marrickville 

 via the line of fresh-water swamps that lie parallel with the 

 western beach of Botany bay, or whether it should be pumped 

 to a reservoir at Petersham, which would be ten feet higher than 

 the present reservoir at Crown-street — are questions which may 

 be allowed to stand over. There are several other matters of 

 detail to be attended to when the scheme comes to be closely 

 studied. But I have not wished to encumber this paper by 

 referring to them. The main queetion to be first considered is — 

 can the river be dammed — can it be done at a moderate cost — 

 would the supply be ample, and would the scheme, if admitted to 

 be feasible, be preferable to that suggested by the Commissioners ? 

 It will be time enough to discuss minor matters when these 

 questions are answered in the affirmative. 



I hope I have shown some grounds for believing that this affir- 

 mative answer is possible — that the mouth of the G-eorge's Eiver 

 may be effectually dammed at a moderate cost, and by simple 

 constructions ; that the amount of water it would store would be 

 in excess of what could be usefully stored at Prospect — that into 



