40 
Trunk Drainage. 
and tenants' damages tlirougli derangement of business during 
the alterations, were disposed of without much outlay ; and the 
pecuniary advantages of the work are apparent from the fact 
that a single flood, such as frequently overflowed the land, has 
been known to do more damage, if fairly valued in money, than 
the whole sum expended under the act. 
In Hampshire we have ari example of a different character, 
thougii consisting as yet only of a proposal, not of a really exe- 
cuted work. The Test and Anton valleys comprise rather more 
than 12,000 acres subject to inundations ; and various plans 
have been suggested from time to time to effect their perfect 
drainage. Thus, in 1847, a Report was made to the owners of 
the estates in the Test valley by Messrs. Freebody and Gold- 
smid, civil engineers, comprising that portion from the conflu- 
ence of the rivers Test and Anton to the outfall into the estuary 
of the Southampton Water at Redbridge — a tract of 8400 acres. 
Of this area 3800 acres were said to be beyond tlie reach of 
aid, unless at an expense too great to be remunerative : whilst 
the remaining 4(300 acres were capable of being greatly im- 
proved. Mills do much serious damage here ; and the improve- 
ment of these, as well as the erection of a sluice, formed part of 
the expenses of the undertaking. The outlay occasioned by the 
river was estimated at 8400Z. ; mills, 4000/. ; and a new sluice, 
2700/., which, with the contingencies at 10 per cent., and the 
preliminary expenses, would make the total sum 18,000/. To 
raise this amount it was thought that the 3800 acres of loio 
lands, without an appreciable outfall, should make an annual 
payment of 35. 9r/. per acre, amounting to 712Z. 10s. ; the dete- 
riorated lands, 2900 acres, at 2s. ^d. per acre, equalling 362/. 10s. ; 
and the lands relatively higher, about 1700 acres, at Is. 'od. per 
acre, giving 127/. 10s. : forming altogether an anrmal income of 
1202/. 10s. This would probably receive some addition from 
the application and distribution of the sewage drainage of the 
towns of liomsey and Stockbridge. However, it appears that 
the scheme was laid aside. Up to the present time, 1 believe, 
a large proportion of the proprietors have not assented to any 
comprehensive plan for the whole of the valleys ; but, as some 
individuals were determined to impi'ove their lands by uniting 
together, whether the remainder would or no : — Messrs. J. Bailey 
Denton and H. Drake, engineers to the General Land-Drainage 
and Improvement Company, reported last year upon the state 
of the district. Their design contemplates the lowering tlie 
water table, now constantly resting either upon or within the 
land of the assenting proprietors, to a -minimum depth of 4 feet 
below the present surface of the land. The undertaking being 
Wmited to certain estates within a district all equally needing it; 
