9 
narrow watercourses, and in the upper portions of the river, 
impeding both navigation and drainage. Perhaps its won- 
derful and rapid increase this year may be owing to the 
excess of wet, and the long continuance of hot weather 
raising the temperature of the water to an unusual degree ; 
but if it should continue to increase in anything like the 
same ratio as it has done, the upper parts of our rivers will 
no longer be able to pass their waters to sea, and the Navi- 
- gation Interest may surrender to the Railways what little 
remains to them of the carrying trade. 
That it is already a source of annoyance to our Watermen 
is evident by the universal complaints which have been made 
of the obstructed state of the River Cam. I am told that the 
river at the backs of the Colleges has been so blocked, that 
extra horses had to be yoked on, before barges could be got 
up to Fosters’ Mills. 
Sluiceheepers also complain that masses of it get into the 
pen, and when the slackers are drawn, the openings are 
choked, and the operation of letting boats through is greatly 
impeded. 
The Railway Dock at Ely, became so choked with the 
weed that boats could not enter until several tons of it had 
been lifted out. At Roswell Hill Pits, below Ely, the 
entrance docking was blocked, so that the gault boats could 
not get in till it was removed. (It was here where I found 
it in flower). 
Rowers, too, find it interferes with their amusements; and 
Swimmers remark, that it clings to them like “ scratchweed,” 
and that if they are overtaken by a lump of it, they are 
likely to be entangled and dragged by it into deep water.* 
Even the Fishermen complain that they can no longer ply 
their nets so freely as they were wont; and 1 am informed, 
correspondent of the Cambridge Chronicle remarks, that the weed will 
upset a “ funny” first, and then prevent the rower from swimming to land, 
