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

TILE FLOODS IN THE FENS.

A history of the proceedings of the last few dvs
may not be uninteresting. On the whole, it may
be said things are very much as they were at the
latter end of last week, when the piling at St.
Mary's-bridge gave way, and the formation of a
dam was abandoned as hopeless until the neap tides.
The situation is still very much the same. No barrier
has yet been erected to breast the tidal waters. The
"gull" in the bank increases in size, every tide, of
course, wearing away some portions of the bank.
Attempts have been made to prevent the opening
becoming wider by the sinking of numerous sacks
of clay, which will prevent the further wearing
away of the bank. But the alarm of the country
has not been allayed. Indeed, it has much in-
creased on the south-east side of the middle level
river by reason of the bank on that side having
given unmistakeable signs of weakness. This weak
place is precisely opposite the breach in the north-
west bank. At low tide the water has flowed with
some force off the drowned district by the same open-
ing by which it entered, and has had the effect of
making a hole of several feet in the opposite bank.
Steps have been taken to strengthen this bank, and
it is hoped it has been effectually secured; but the
danger cannot really pass away from it until the
dam at the lower end of the middle level river is
completed. The return of the spring tides is looked
forward t o with much fear, as it is generally believed
that the bank, unless most carefully and perse•
vexingly strengthened, cannot resist their force.
Should this bank give way, the disaster will be
quite equal, at least, to that which has befallen the
country on the other side. The district on the south-
east side is equal, if not superior in fertility to that
now submerged; while it is more thickly studded
with comfortable and thriving farmsteads. Within
a mile and a half, too, there is the populous village
of Magdalen, which must inevitably be swamped by
the flood should it burst over that side. On Satur-
day, Sunday, and Monday, nothing was done at
the sluice-end of the river towards making a bar-
rier to the sea. The failure of the previous efforts
seems to have paralysed all engaged, and much con-
sultation and discussion ensued as to what was the
best to be done next. Meanwhile the water spread
over the district further and further, and on Sunday
hundreds of strangers from all parts visited the
spot. Several skiffs have plied about the lake.
On Monday it was known that the assistance of
Mr. Muller had been gained—a gentleman who took
a prominent part in the works of the Norfolk
Estuary a few years back. It seems singular that
in times of difficulty this district has sought the aid_rtr
e filled Cradles
uwseerid ftchnirsaoadffeeks
i
of the skill of Dutch engineers, from the time of
trying a system well known in Holland,to
Inuyden to the present. M. Muller at oneeonsd
caabloleudt
be able to
" craddling," hoping by this means
osiers,
tancea tnod
of
timberof clay or gravel.
The cradles themselves let through the water, and
ae rnedc tt
ha e ds
ea eno
which to lower the
contentsieh t together
andsecure
y deposited. But
barge s unfortunately secured by an anchor.
ilin the first ms
impelled by a strong
ebb;
s sunk, the anchor
thisotinwlymesffelirel vrttehwteoasshpodoletdei mnthewedir
the anchor caught the cradle,
in Lynn harbour. The same
on
gave Way, and the
barge swung down the river,
and part of it
failure.
was soon floating
,clo,rhnaede
lcoorfa
wasdtll
ere w a
sys-
tem is, however, to be tried again Friday morn-
ing. But each day lost
unfortunately brings the
tides nearer, and, on the
time, we are justified in saying
that a dam will b that confidence
limited indeed. e constructed before then is very