200 DE KANCE : UNDERGROUND WATER-SUPPLY AND RIVER FLOODS. 
Applying these facts to the British Isles, and especially to that 
portion of them that have come under the jurisdiction of the Local 
Government Act of 1888, calling into existence the County Councils 
of England and Wales, it appears to be necessary that there should 
be one authority for each river basin, with absolute control over its 
waters from their source to their tidal outfall, that such authority 
should be selected from, or nominated by the County Council of the 
county or counties forming the river basin, the number of representa- 
tives on. the Board, being regulated by the rateable value of the 
portion of the river basin in the county in question, and not by its area. 
Looking to the fact that the water used in this country for 
manufacturing and other trade purposes is so largely in excess of 
that required for drinking purposes, and that the value of a large 
area of land is in direct proportion to its facility of giving the water 
required by industry, it is inexpedient that there should be any 
interference with the riparian rights of ownership, now exercised by 
Lords of the Manor, so long as such rights do not interfere with the 
public good, but the control of these rights might be safely left in 
the hands of a body acquainted with local requirements, appointed 
by the County Councils as suggested. Such a representative Board 
would be able to benefit land-owners far more than they could benefit 
themselves, having control of the whole of the river gradient from its 
source to its outfall, they would be able to maintain our rivers at 
sufficient average minimum height to insure free arterial drainage, 
and the regulation of floods at a sufficient maximum height to 
originate hydraulic energy when required, and for the purposes of 
navigation, and of sufficient purity to satisfy the requirements of 
water supply, manufacturing processes, and the preservation of fish. 
Provision for concerted action of county authorities in the same 
river basin has already been provided for by the Act of 1888 as 
regards Rivers Pollution, if Parliament should give them similar 
powers as regards Rivers Conservation, the first step towards the 
amelioration of the evils caused by flooods will have been taken. 
In March, 1883, a Bill was proposed and brought into Parliament 
by Mr. Dodson, Sir Charles Dilke, and Mr. Hibbert, for what was 
called " Rivers Conservancy and Floods Prevention Bill," which did 
