Mye and Derwent Drainage. 



141 



from an opposite direction a distance of above forty miles. In 

 whichever river the water from the hills comes down the earliest, 

 it had the effect, at the confluence of the two, to drive back the 

 water in the other even against the stream for several miles. A 

 whimsical instance occurred a few years ago. A gentleman, who 

 had lost, among other buoyant articles, his brewing utensils in a 

 flood, naturally, when the water subsided, commenced his search 

 for them down the stream, but eventually they were found in 

 the very reverse direction ; the volume of back water had floated 

 them a long way up the river, and where (as it may be said) at 

 *' the turn of the tide," they were left high and dry in the middle 

 of a field. 



The Act of Parliament having limited the amount of assess- 

 ment to a sum not to exceed 30,000/., has prevented the Com- 

 missioners carrying out their views to the extent originally 

 contemplated, and from giving all the facilities to the proper 

 under-drainage of the district, which the removal of the mill- 

 dams would have enabled them to have done, if they had had 

 a margin of a few thousand pounds to fall back upon, for the 

 purpose of scouring, straightening, and improving the rivers and 

 streams. I must not omit to mention that the Act provides for 

 the appointment of a water-bailiff, with a salary of not more 

 than 50/. per annum, arising from a sum invested in the funds ; 

 whose duty it is to inspect the rivers, streams and watercourses, 

 &c., which are enumerated and included in an award made by 

 the valuers, and enforce the due attention to the maintenance of 

 the banks, and the uninterrupted discharge of the waters at all 

 times. 



Notwithstanding the limitation which was put upon these 

 operations, yet the benefit which had been received by what 

 has been done is immense, and where the advantages have been 

 taken and the proper means used, a good and efficient drainage 

 has been obtained ; and with a little additional outlay, which 

 sooner or later I doubt not will be made, facilities may be afforded 

 for the most perfect and successful mode of pipe and tile drainage 

 to every acre of the district. The proprietors of the several 

 districts abutting on the streams, have already by private con- 

 tributions done a great deal towards scouring the beds, and 

 removing trees and other obstructions with great benefit, at a 

 very small cost ; and in the Old Derwent they have even formed 

 a new river above three miles long, which has shortened the 

 length of the stream about one-third, and has done incalculable 

 benefit, and proposals are made to extend this new cut as far as 

 Yeddingham Bridge. 



Not only has the whole of the district embraced within 



