<!DOCTYPE ETS PUBLIC "-//UMDLPS//DTD EEBOPROOF 2.0//EN">
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<REVDESCR>
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<DATE>2014-04-30</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>TCP Staff (Michigan)</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch B140220.pdcc.</ITEM>
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<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="B18659">
<STC T="W">C1053a</STC>
<STC T="G">1888.c.11[1*]</STC>
<STC T="C">R226565</STC>
<BIBNO T="umi">99886761</BIBNO>
<VID>189424</VID>
</IDG><!-- alt.stc G1888.c.11[1*] --><!-- alt.stc Cr226565 -->
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="appeal">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<HEAD>THE CASE OF THE <HI>Corporation of the Great Level of the Fenns;</HI> RELATING TO A BILL Depending in Parliament, For the better Pre&s;ervation of the Navigation of the Port of <HI>Kings-Lynn;</HI> which Bill is for taking away the Sluce at <HI>Denver-Dam,</HI> upon the River of <HI>Great Owze,</HI> in the County of <HI>Norfolk.</HI></HEAD>
<P>FOR Draining the Great Level of the Fenns, called <HI>Bedford-Level,</HI> the &s;aid Sluce was in the Year 1652. begun and &s;et down at <HI>Denver-Dam</HI> (which is Fifteen Miles above the Town of <HI>Kings-Lynn</HI>) whereby the Tides were then &s;topp'd, as now they are.</P>
<P>At the &s;ame time a New River was cut One Hundred Foot wide, and Twenty One Miles long (the Mouth of it ad|joining to the &s;aid Sluce) which does mo&s;t effectually receive the Tide as many Miles up into the Country, and in as great Quantity, as the River of <HI>Great Owze</HI> did before: And the Tides at <HI>Lynn</HI> flow as high as ever they did, which &s;hews that the Flow and Reflow of the Sea, are the &s;ame as formerly; but with this Advantage' to the Harbour of <HI>Lynn,</HI> that more fre&s;h Wa|ter now comes thither Compre&s;s'd between Banks, than ever they had before the Draining.</P>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Navigation is not prejudiced by the &s;aid Works, but made better: For,</HEAD>
<P N="1">I. The Navigation in the New Cut River to St. <HI>Ives, Huntingdon,</HI> and St. <HI>Neots,</HI> is much quicker than before; by which means, the Counties of <HI>Huntingdon, Bedford, Buckingham,</HI> and part of <HI>Northampton&s;hire,</HI> are far better accommodated than formerly.</P>
<P N="2">II. As to the Navigation of the River of <HI>Great Owze,</HI> above the &s;aid Sluce, there are fre&s;h Doors at the Sluce, by which all the Waters upwards, are (when low) held up, whereby the Navigation is maintained at all times in the Year; which before, was by the Lowne&s;s of the Water, perfectly ob&s;tructed for &s;ome Mouths in dry Sea&s;ons, &s;o that by means of tho&s;e fre&s;h Doors, the Navigation to <HI>Cambridge, Norfolk,</HI> and <HI>Suffolk,</HI> through the Level, is much more certain than formerly, which does more than Compen&s;ate the not flowing of the Tides in tho&s;e Rivers: And if Boats, or Ve&s;&s;els, be at any time &s;topp'd by the Sluce, 'tis for want of ob&s;erving the times of the Tides, which being ob&s;erv'd, the Navigation is free and open.</P>
<P N="3">III. As to the Navigation from the &s;aid Sluce at <HI>Denver-Dam,</HI> to <HI>Germains-Bridge</HI> (being about Ten Miles downwards, where the Banks of the River of <HI>Great Owze</HI> &s;tand near) it is at Low Water in &s;ome places Ten Foot, and in others Twelve and Fourteen Foot deep, and the Navigation very good.</P>
<P N="4">IV. As to the Navigation between <HI>Germains-Bridge</HI> and the South-end of <HI>Kings-Lynn,</HI> and below <HI>Lynn</HI> to the Sea, it was always uncertain and dangerous, by rea&s;on of the &s;hifting of the Sands, Pilots being ever u&s;ed in &s;teering all Ve&s;&s;els navi|gating there: And if it be now wor&s;e than formerly, it is occa&s;ioned by the removing the Banks on <HI>Mar&s;hland</HI> &s;ide, both above and below <HI>Lynn,</HI> to that great di&s;tance (they being about a Mile a&s;under) that the Reflux of the Sea cannot &s;ufficiently operate to grind out the Silt and Sand in the Channel, although the Reflux is followed by more fre&s;h Waters than formerly, which run through the Level with a &s;tronger Current than ever before the Draining; for no Channel can be pre&s;erved deep, where the Banks are &s;o far a&s;under.</P>
<P N="5">V. The Inhabitants of <HI>Kings-Lynn,</HI> by laying much Rubbi&s;h on their &s;ide of the Channel, all along their Town, for about a Mile in length, where the River was narrow, have forced the Channel on the oppo&s;ite &s;ide upon <HI>Old Lynn,</HI> which has de&s;troyed &s;everal Hou&s;es, and made the Channel there much wider than it was before the Sluce was &s;et down at <HI>Denver-Dam;</HI> by means whereof, a far greater quantity of Silt or Sand is brought in by the Tide, which choaks up the Channel between <HI>Lynn</HI> and <HI>Germains-Bridge,</HI> where the Banks are &s;o wide a&s;under: All which Banks, from the &s;aid Sluce to the Sea, are out of the Level, and are to be maintained by the adjacent Inhabitants.</P>
<P N="6">VI. The&s;e Fenns were Drained, by means of the &s;aid Sluce, and other Works, at the Charge of above 200000 Pounds, laid out before any Po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion or Perception of Profits. In Con&s;ideration of which, the <HI>Act</HI> of 15 <HI>Car.</HI> II. Pa&s;&s;ed, for making the Duke of <HI>Bedford,</HI> and others, a Corporation for the Government and Pre&s;ervation of the Works of the Level; and thereby ve&s;ting 83000 Acres of the &s;aid Level, and the &s;aid Works, Banks and Drains in the Corporation, and 12000 Acres in the Crown. Since which, great Numbers of Per&s;ons depending upon the Security of the &s;aid <HI>Act</HI> of 15 <HI>Car.</HI> II. have pur|cha&s;ed of the Corporation, and others, great quantities of Drained Lands, and have enjoyed them quietly, and made Settle|ments thereof, which are the &s;ole Maintenance of divers Families, Widows and Orphans, who&s;e utter Ruine will en&s;ue, in ca&s;e the &s;aid Sluce be pulled up; which inevitably will occa&s;ion the Drowning above 100000 Acres of Ground, and in con&s;equence the De&s;truction and Lo&s;s of the whole Level, containing above 300000 Acres; All which is now well Cul|tivated and Peopled, to the va&s;t Advantage of the Kingdom: And that the taking up of the &s;aid Sluce will not remedy the Silt|ing and Sanding up of that part of the River <HI>Owze</HI> between <HI>Germains-Bridge</HI> and the Town of <HI>Lynn.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="docket title">
<PB REF="2">
<P>THE CASE OF The Corporation of the <HI>Great Level of the Fenns,</HI> AGAINST The Bill relating to the Port of <HI>Kings-Lynn.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
</BACK>
</TEXT>
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