Trunk Drainage. 
63 
they should be cut down to such a gauge as should give iVoe 
passage to the water over the tops of them, and that each weir or 
lowshot sliould be made of a certain width, according to the 
height of the above gauge. Nevertheless the millers have not 
restrained the water to tlie level thus fixed for their observance. 
The mills in the lower part of the valley, finding the water raised 
by impediments still lowqr down the stream, so that the fall at 
their mills — generally not more than 3 ft. 6 in. to 3 ft. 9 in. — 
was materially diminished, and their mill-wheels, which had 
formerly stood out of the stream, were now standing in it to a 
considerable depth, having consequently to lift a great weight of 
water when revolving, — souglit a remedy by augmenting the height 
•of the head. This was effected in a variety of ways : by height- 
ening the banks, by raising or stopping up ancient weirs and 
back brooks, elevating the mill-wheel — sometimes by this means 
actually increasing the original power of the mill — and by the 
readiest plan of all, putting temporary " flash-boards," or planks 
of 12 or more inches broad before the wheel, or upon the ledge 
of the overshot, so as to raise the gauge or height of the head-pond 
to that extent. Such a board is now frequently found to throw 
back the water from the head of one mill to the tail of the next 
above, often placing the whole of a hay crop under water. Of 
course, the owners of the higlier mills having their tail-water 
dammed back by the lower mills, had no alternative but to adopt 
the same remedy. And from a survey made in the year 1826, 
and another partially made at a much later period, it appears that 
only 5 mills out of 21 inspected had their wheels and lowshots 
according to the prescribed levels. To say nothing of the dimi- 
nished width of waterway, and decreased number of flood-gates, 
the excess of water generally amounted from 8 inches to 2 feet at 
each mill, and in some cases to as much as 3 feet, more than was 
ordained by the Commissioners of Sewers. But could not the 
landowners enforce the application of even the arbitrary ordinances 
of the Court of Sewers ? No. It was found that nothing could 
be. done to restrict the millers but by plunging into endless law- 
suits. 
Unfortunately the area of flooded lands in this valley is not 
great enough to have warranted the promoters of the present 
undertaking in seeking the complete removal of a large number 
out of the extraordinarily long succession of mills, together with an 
abandonment of the navigation and the formation of a new river ; 
which sweeping measure would seem to be necessary in order to 
secure a clear and deep drainage both winter and summer, and 
provide for the converting of the grass into arable. The costs of 
such a work are considered to be beyond the means* at the present 
or future disposal of the district ; so that, desirable as it would be 
