The Sun.
London, England, 1868-08-14 00:00:00

FISH PASSES ON THE SEVERN.

The following report has been handed to the
Committee of Works and Finance by Mr. E.
Leader Williams, the engineer to the Severn Com-
mission :

" A copy of Mr. Buckland's report upon the fish
passes in the Severn weirs has been forwarded to
me by Mr. Southall, ant I have now to lay before
you my reply to the recommendations contained
therein, and to inform you how far any of these
recommendations may injuriously affect the into•
rests of the navigation of the river.

" With reference to Diglis weir, it is satisfactory
to find that the pass recently constructed at It 3
east end meets with Mr. Buckland's approval, 85
I believe that it will give increased facilities to tb°
fish at that state of the water in which there
has heretofore been some impediment to their ascent
when heavy with spawn. The pass in the centre
of the weir was constructed in accordance with a
plan furnished me by the late Inspectors of Fisheries,
Messrs. Ffennell and Eden, who approved of its coo'
struction ; Mr. Buckland has nevertheless Bug;
gested various alterations in the pass, some
which have been already carried out, being ell"
dent improvements. There is one, however, that
;
would so seriously interfere with the safe passage °f
vessels over the weir in periods of heavy fresh as t°
be entirely inadmissible. I allude to that which Mc'
Buckland calls a flood-guard,' which he propol
should be fixed nine inches above the upper sill °
the weir, in order to lessen the quantity of wata
flowing into the pass during a fresh. Any ereott°llo
standing above the upper sills of either of
Severn weirs cannot, in the interest of the navlg3d
tion, be allowed. No such erection is required, 8:
whenever there is so much water coming down tbti
river as to overcharge the pass, there is sufficient to
enable the fish to ascend any part of the weir aPr°o

without difficulty.
"In addition to the two passes already alluJea
to Mr. Buckland suggests a removal of five or 0
feet of the cap-sill of the weir at its western angle'
stating that in the event of this being effected
natural conformation of this corner is such as won'',
enable the fish to run up without further assistance'
In order to meet his wishes I have cut down the
cap-sill, at the angle in question, for a length of 0
feet. I therefore submit to you that nothing addi;
tional, whether in the shape of diagonal boards
otherwise, should be asked for, especially when it /i
considered that you have been at the expense c't
erecting, at various times, five different passes 5r3
this weir, involving in their erection and the reP5lO
consequent thereon, an outlay of £5OO of the ftle
of the commission. tea
" lu the report under consideration I find it s 3
that the length of Diglis weir is about 200 fee"'
This is an error, it is 485 feet.
"Mr. Buckland omits all notice of Bevere wels
the next above Diglis, and in which there is a next
that has met with universal approval, but °cis
directs his attention to Holt weir, and describes3o
its western angle a splendid run of water about 4,
feet in length, with a gradient of about one ie 5,11,0
up which the fish can easily get, a portion of
c.tp-sill of the weir having been removed -to facidij
tate their doing so.' In addition to this sPle/%0
run,' Mr. Buckland, however, wishes to have 3 I)
constructed at the eastern end of the weir by 1'1°1,3,1
of that which he describes as a ' diagonal board,,
which practically means a timber structure slg
lar to that recently completed at Diglis, contai°lo,
about 100 cube feet of timber, and which is tber3.
fore something widely different from a b°'`l, at
There is in this weir, besides the splendid rtitisoci
the western angle, one of Messrs. Ffenuell
Eden's ladders, which Mr. Buckland reports Wll
b,!en ' acting beautifully' when he was at
therefore submit to you that all that is needful

has already been accomplished. with
" The weir at Lincomb is also furnished 0
ladder similar to that above alluded to, fixed 3t :to
inclination of one in seven, a gradient so Os/ t;-the
afford every requisite facility for the paisage °'
fish. This weir has long required tepair, ci
stances having prevented the work being 1-I°t
taken. It will, however, claim my attention at
earliest fitting opportunity, notwithstandiDg.n!v
Buckland's wish that its repair may be indefitill'4l
postponed. When the work is undertaken I
tea
take all possible care that the fish are not preve°er.,,
from ascending the river at all states of the %vat
—Worcestershire Chronicle.

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