124 ^-^^ Drainage of Fens and Low Lands, 



and the weir at starting was 8 feet 9 inches ; with the scoop-wheel 

 the depth of water over the weir was 12 inches, with a Hft of 9 feet 

 6 inches; with the pump, the Hft being 10 feet, the depth of water 

 over the weir was 13J inches. The lift being increased about 

 3 feet, the depth of water over the weir was 4 inches less with the 

 scoop wheel than with the pump. At the trials that were made, the 

 new engine, indicating 106 horse-power, 75*93 tons of water were 

 lifted by the pump 10 • 84 feet, equal to 56 horse-power of water lifted, 

 or an efficiency of 52*79 per cent. The old engine, indicating 

 103 "33 horse-power, the wheel lifted 71*45 tons to a height of 

 9*78 feet, equal to 47 '43 horse-power of water lifted; or an efficiency 

 of 46 per cent. ; the coal consumed by the new engine was at the 

 rate of 2\ cwt an hour, or 5*50 lb. per horse-power of water lifted 

 per hour. In ordinary working at the present time the consumption 

 is at the rate of 5 tons in 30 hours for a lift of from 11 feet to 12 feet 

 Taking the horse-power as before at 56, this gives (^^66 lb. per 

 hour; or, if the work be taken at 74 tons lifted 11 feet 6 inches high, 

 a horse-power of 58-45, and coal consumption of 6*39 lb. The old 

 engine and wheel consumes 6 tons of coal in 24 hours ; if the horse- 

 power be taken at 48-12 as before, this gives 1 1 * 64 lb. an hour. 

 The cost of this pumping station, including both machines, on an 

 average of the three years, 1881-83, for coal, oil, attendance, &c., 

 was 625/., of which 483/. was paid for coal, which represents about 

 644 tons. This is equal to a cost per acre for land drained of about 

 6^., or, taking coal only, 4-62//., and taking the average height the 

 water has to be lifted at 9 feet 6 inches, this is equal to o • 8^. for all 

 expenses, and 0-62^. for coals only per acre per foot of lift 



The Upwell, Outwell, Denver, and Welney south district is 

 situated in the Middle Level in Norfolk, being part of the Great 

 Bedford Level. This district was originally drained by scoop wheels 

 driven by windmills. The quantity of land which is drained by the 

 two wheels is about 9000 acres. The pumping station is at 

 Nordelph, about three miles from Downham. It was anticipated 

 that the construction of the new Middle Level drain in 1846 would 

 do away with the necessity of pumping the water off the district, 

 but experience showed that this was not the case. The height to 

 which the water had to be raised was however reduced from about 

 9 feet to 4 feet In order, therefore, to thoroughly drain this 

 district, the commissioners determined to provide better appliances 

 for raising the water than those hitherto in use. Tenders for pump- 



