Drainage of the Upper Thames Valley. 
309 
one which they had then found to be so useful, carried out on a 
much larger scale. Mr. Harcourt's agents were applied to in the 
first instance, and they, being practical agriculturalists living in 
the neighbourhood, and perceiving how greatly the land would be 
improved by such an undertaking, represented the matter to the 
proprietor. Mr. Harcourt and his eldest son, Colonel Harcourt, 
foreseeing as well the benefit their property would acquire by 
such an undertaking, if successfully carried out, as also that the 
sanitary condition of the district would be much improved 
thereby, at once consented to the scheme, and, in fact, became 
its principal promoters. 
Steps were immediately taken to cany out the design, and Mr. 
Ripley, of Bracknall, Berks, an engineer of much practical 
experience in all matters connected with land-drainage, was con- 
sulted, and commissioned to survey the district and report on the 
feasibility of the proposed scheme and its probable cost. In the 
early part of the year 1866 this gentleman sent in a most 
favourable report. The necessary legal steps were nest taken. 
A petition, accompanied by a map, was presented by Mr. 
Harcourt and the other principal landowners ( comprising, 
amongst others, St. John's, Christ Church, and Magdalene 
Colleges, at Oxford, and the University of Oxford itself) in the 
proposed district, under the Land Drainage Act, 1861,* to the 
Inclosure Commissioners, praying them to constitute the pro- 
posed district a separate drainage district, and to appoint a 
Drainage Board. The Inclosure Commissioners, in pursuance of 
the provisions of the Act,t sent an Inspector to report as to the 
propriety of constituting the proposed district, and as to the assent 
of two-thirds of the proprietors thereto, and the Inspector's report 
having satisfied them on these points, they made a provisional 
order on the petition on the 2nd June, 1866, which order was 
confirmed, in further pursuance of the before-mentioned Aci,% by 
an Act of Parliament which received the Royal Assent on the 
6th August, 1866. § By this confirmed provisional order, which 
is deemed to be a public general Act of Parliament, the proposed 
district was constituted a separate drainage district under the 
Act of 1861, and a Drainage Board was appointed, which is 
commonly known by the name of " The Northmoor and Stanton 
Harcourt Drainage Board." It was also ordered that the qualifi- 
cation of any subsequent member of the Board should be, that 
he should be the proprietor or heir apparent, or agent of the pro- 
prietor, of not less than ten acres of land within the area of the 
* 24 and 25 Vic. c. 133. f Part II. sec. 64, pars. 2 et fcq. 
X 24 and 25 Vic. c. 133 sec. 64, par. 6. § 29 and 30 Vic. c. SO. 
