70 
Trunk Drainage. 
calrulate wliat interests they will have to satisfy, I deem it my 
duty to notice the grounds upon which some parties withstood 
even this measure so generally assented to (but which had been 
delayed for so many years because of the number of different 
parties that had to be pleased), and the various ways in which 
the rights and demands of different interests were met. The 
Nene Valley Bill had to encounter 24 petitions in the House of 
Commons, and 9 petitions in the House of Lords. 
The Town and Corporation of Wisbech objected to pay the 
50,000/. asked of them ; would not consent to have their har- 
bour meddled with unless there was a demonstrated certainty of 
the funds from other districts being forthcoming to finish the 
work ; and they also opposcl an opening bridge as an incon- 
venience to traffic. Ttie Admiralty Inspectors had reported in 
1848, that the " Port and Harbour Fund"— a revenue of 2000/. 
a-year — was uselessly applied to the preservation of the river; 
that the channel was allowed to be choked up with masses of 
rubble-stone, thrown in to protect the bridge and the ruinous 
quays and adjacent buildings. This being an illegal proceeding, 
if it were to be indicted as a nuisance to navigation, &c. (as it 
might be), the inhabitants would be obliged to remove the 
stones ; and as the warehouses, &c., would then be unsafe and 
require underpinning, the expense would be more than the Nene 
Valley pnimoters asked of them. Engineers were of opinion 
that VVisbecli must efft'ct the cleansing of their port some day 
out of self-defence, both to preserve their buildings and retain 
their shipping trade ; so that their interest in the present im- 
provement of their harbour is greater than that of the landed 
proprietors in making it a better outfall. Upwards of 70,0007. 
will be expended upon this portion of the new works ; and the 
final arrangement is, that Wisbech shall contribute 40,000/., 
with \d. tonnage in perpetuity, equal to 8000/. more. 
The Bedford Level Corporation objected to the interference of 
the Nene Valley Commissioners with their conservancy, and 
refused the requested contribution. However, in consideration 
that their barrier-bank alongside Moreton's Leam Wash will be 
relieved from the pressiu'e of floods, which, when overspreading 
the Wash lands and impelled into waves by the wind, do great 
mischief to it, they pay 1500/. 
Tlie Duke of Bedford and the North Level Commissioners ob- 
jected to the contribution asked of them and to the control of 
their barrier-bank being taken out of their hands, and wanted 
some nevv^ clauses in the Bill respecting the supply of fresh 
water, and respecting a sluice and navigation now running to 
Tliorney, The latter were settled, and from the additional safety 
of the respective portions of bank — which at present suffers from 
