The Sun.
London, England, 1862-10-11 00:00:00

717 E MARSHLAND FLOOD.

LYNN, THURSDAY, 11 P.M.
It is gratifying to be able to report that the crisis
is over, the arrangements which have been made
yesterday and to-day having ended in the most com-
plete success. The Marshland flood, of which so
much has been said and written during the last few
days, and so many exaggerated reports circulated,
is now virtually at an end. For the first time since
Saturday last, when the sluice " blew," the tide has
to-night been up and gone down again and not one
drop of water has gone over. The tide to-night was
as high as it has been yet, and, for all that, the banks
were high en6uoi and strong enough to keep the
tidal waters within a circle,

The flood is now virtually at an end. The ar-
rangements made during the last two days to afford
a barrier strong enough to enclose the water, and
prevent it from flowing into the land, have been
gr,>rAtcot yozsciblo <moray find
carried out with *h..
perseverance. Yesterday a most substantial earth
dam was constructed by about 740 men and 150
tumbrils, and to-day about 50 carts and nearly the
same number of men as on the previous day have
made two large banks, each from 250 to 300 feet
long and about 30 feet wide at the base. They
were made of extraordinary strength, and are pro-
bably able to stand against almost any tide.
There are about 2,700 acres of fen land inundated ;
in short, Broad and Marshland Fen. In addition to
this there are about 1,200 acres of high land which
has been inundated, but there is not more than half
this quantity flooded at the present time. The whole
extent of inundated land is something less than
4,000 acres, and of that 500 or 600 acres are already
drained by means of the Marshland drain. The
whole of the water will soon be carried away. The
sight at the earth dam to-night by moonlight was
a most imposing one. Above a hundred men were
kept at work till after the tide had fallen some feet-

The Marshland sluice, which is under the care of
Mr. A. Saunders, C:E., is being regularly watched,
and this is necessary in consequence of the heavy
strain there will be on it for some time to come.

The greatest praise ought to be bestowed upon all
parties concerned in the work during the last two
days. The work, which has been successfully
accomplished, was truly great, but the men worked
with extraordinary energy.
FRIDAY.

The latest endeavours to exclude the sea water
from the Marshland Fen drain by raising the
banks from the ruined sluice to the earth dam,
400 yards above, have been so successful that yes-
terday evening's and this morning's tides made no
impression upon the obstacle. As the tides are
now decidedly, lessening, the country is relieved
from its anxiety for the present moment, and has
breathing time to consider what is best to be
done for preventing a renewal of the calamity by
works of a permanent character. The inundated
district, however, especially in Marshland Fen,
still presents a most desolate appearance, and in
passing along the Wisbeach Railway one sees the
water extending on both sides as far as the eye
can reach. This will, of course, continue to be
the case until time and means are at command to
run off the water from the surface of about 4,000
acres of flooded land. Mr. Harding, C.E., who in
the crisis just past has been the engineer acting
for the Marshland, Smeeth, and Fen Commis-
sioners, and to whom their success is greatly due,
has a confident expectation of devising an outlet
for the drainage which shall have all the efficiency
of sluices, in cases where navigation is not con-
cerned, with none of the danger and expense that
constantly attend those structures.