The Express.
London, England, 1862-05-23 00:00:00

THE FLOODS IN THE FEN COUNTRY.

Mr. BENTINCK mid a good deed et anxiety having been
felt on the =Wed of the inundations in Oembridgahire,
and a good deal of misappnhension sabering cc the subject,
be begged to ask the hon. member for HorMiedasebbie, the
chairman of the Middle Level Commnioners, whet ors the
present extent of the inundation, and what farther danger
mitt =heeded.
WES mid he was much obliged to hie boa.
friend for having put this question. A very considerable
excitemeat prevailed in the country in reference to this as-
fortunate occurrence. Previously to Monday, the sth of
May, the Middle Level Commissioners had no intimation of
there being the slightest danger likely to arise hum their
greet sea sluice bat only on the morningel that dig he
received information from the mark, who wee this in
London, that during the pervious. night the rinks had been
destroyed by the Wen Be moan/fad" weld to Mr.
Walker, the engineer who constrnoted the works !flew
years ago. He consulted with him and Mr. Borgenk=
they then sent for Mr. Hawkahaw for his advice, and after
several interviews daring that day, the resident eagnieer,
who was then in London, was sent into the acaustry to carry
out the work that had hems soggerted by those moginsere,
which was to erect ea earth dem as spesitly as peerible.
The business was pot into the heads el Mr Ha. winhaw, Mr.
Walker being he a state of hada which rendered him un-
able to undertake ; and IMMO= were given to Mr.
Hawinhaw to use the utmost exertions to save the oometry
from foundation wholly essentials dexpsw Mr. Hawk-
thaw, being engaged ea memdaed
in London • few days ; Crtlitarbilienir the end at the week
he (Mr. Fellows) accompanied Mr. Harebabaw rd same
ether members of the commis sae to the seamed the Meader,
and when they mind there they fraud seven/ bombed
Men assoloyed with carts and hones, oadeavouriag to erect
en earth dam to stop the spring tides, which were shortly
expected. However they failed in compleliag it before the
spring tides came. The spring tides rose been extraordinary
height on the Monday following, and • breach wen made in
one of the cuts of the middle level, which were constructed
only for the purpose of receiving the uplamd waters, sad
were not of sufficient strength to resist the tidal waters. A
breach had consequently ensued, and he regretted to state
that 6,000 acres of land were under water, of an avenge
depth of from two to three feet. Shortly after the inunda-
tion took place come parties, inolading the Mayor of Lynn,
wrote to the Secretary at State for the Home Department
complaining of the inactivity of the Middle Level Commis-
sion, sod requesting the interference of the government.
These letters were forwarded to the Middle Level Commis-
sioners, end by them transmitted to Mr. Hawks/law, who
thereupon made • report. He would read the dearest
with the permission of the hones—
The SPEAKER did not know what might be the Wei el
the house as to the extent to which the hon. minion
reply should proceed ; but it was his duty to infuse the
hon. gentleman that questions put is this we ow eine
fined by the direction of the house to queries add, sd to
ministers of the crown on public affairs, or to other assia-
hers on matters connected with the business of the Douse
with which such members might be concerned. The subject
to which the hoe. gentleman was now referring might be of
great public importance, bat it did not fall within the
standing order. (Hem, hear.)
Sir G. GREY said the noble lord the member for King's
Lynn had put a question to him on the subject ; and per-
haps it would be the more regular course if be (the right
bon. baronet) produced the report to-morrow evening.
Mr. FELLOWES was entirely in the hands of the bourns.
(Cries of "Read, read.") Well, then, the report was to
the following effect
"33, Great George-street, Westminster, May 20.
" Gentlemen,—l have read Mr. Waddiogton's letter of
the 19th inst., and also the two letters accompanying n—
one from the Mayor of Lynn. and the other from the Vicar
of Enneth. In reply I beg to report that no effort has been
spared since the failure of the sluice to construct sufficient
homers against the sea to prevent it flowing up the new cut
into the interior of the country. Between the 4th inst.,
when the sluice gave way, and the next high tides there was
an interval of only seven days, much too short • space of
time to permit of any effectual stoppage of the tidal waters.
The construction of an earthwork dam was commenced im-
mediately, and continued incessantly, for the purpose of
shutting out as much as possible of the tidal waters, and
the dam manned in that time about ten feet high. It was
wholly impossible in those few days, a portion of which had
to be devoted to collecting a proper staff and suitable mate-
riels, to do more than this. The earth dam is not aban-
doned, as ono of the writers seems to imagine, bat is now
being pushed forward as fast as possible, having regard
to its security. Fearing to depend on this alone, lam also
oonWmg a
_cofferdam above the earth dam, so as to
afford sdclirionel safety. I ow only add that everything
that human agency ma do in the matter is being dome It Is
difficult to explain to gentlemen unacquainted with such
subjects the step and stages neceesary to bring • work pre-
senting unusual difficulties to a successful conclusion. The
suggestions made by all sorts of people from day to day
how instantly to stop • tidal river of great magnitude, while
they show a laudable anxiety to avert further mischief, dis-
play how little such persons understand the difficulties of
the task they would undertake. I have, however' every
reason to hope that the measures I am now taking will be
successful. It is true, as mentioned by the Mayor of Lynn,
• that oo Sunday last, the 18th inn., the men were sot at
work. The payment of their wages was not uncluded
until near midnight on Saturday, and mm sad super-
intendents were all NO WWII out that it was thought do,
enable by the aerate of Mr. Leather, the contractor, to
allow them to rest on the Sunday.—l am, gentlemen, your
obedient servant, " JOHN HAWILBRAW.
" The Commissioners of the Middle Leval Drainage."
He (Mr. Fellowes) had only to add that Mr. Hawkshaw bad
full authority to carry on the works with as much speed as
posible, in the hope of preventing
_the farther destruction
of property before the next spring fides. (Heir, hear.)