The Sun.
London, England, 1850-11-11 00:00:00

THE NORFOLK ESTUARY•
TURNING THE FIRST SOD.

LYNN. SATURDAY, Nov. 9.—The ceremony of turn-
ing the first sod of this great national under taking took
place ht.ro on Friday. After a long period of expectancy,
from the year 1839 to the present, after many alterna-
tions of hope and fear, many ";lair-breadth t seep( s,"
many Bills and improved Bills one after another defeated
by the forms of Parliament or by the opposition of in-
terested patties, a commencement of the works has at
length been made. The Norfolk Estuary, or Metaris
Estuarum, is that broad open space of sands and chan-
nels, entirely covered at high tide, lying between the
counties of Norfolk and Lincoln, and into which are dis-
charged the waters of the Ousts, the Nene, the Witham,
and the Welland. There can be no doubt but that many
centuries ago efforts were made by the Romans resident
in Briton to reclaim portions of this waste, and in se-
veral instances the sea has been successfully repelled,
and many hundreds of fertile acres of land' per-
manently added to the island. This has been erected
by straightening and embanking the course of
the rivers outward to the estuary, and by the or ection
of barrier banks, which have barred off the swell of the
turbulent waters, and have also served to retain the soil
held in suspension, and brought to deposit behind them
at every high tide. Within the memory of persons still
living much of the district now arable was bog, and the
passenger had to be conducted by guides across the
swampy marsh, fordable only, at low water.
From the time of the Earl of Bedford, the many pro-
prietors of the levels have, by the powers of several Acts
cf Parliament, carried out measures of improvement of '
drainage, and many elaborate repo] is have been published
from time to time by eminent engineers upon the drain-
age and navigation of these districts. In possession of
all this knowledge, and aware of the vast improvements
yet to be gained, Lord William Bentinek, subsequently
appointed Governor-General of British India, having
large properties in the neighbourhood, turned his atten-
tion to a further inclosure of the estuary. The demise
of his Lordship, however, stopped the development of his
ideas, until, in 1837, the matter was again taken up by
the late Lord George Bentinek, who, being. Member for
the borough of Lynn, placed himself at the head of the
adventure. The project of that date comprehended the
joint training of the several rivers to a contracted and
common outfall, and the reclamation on either side of
the channel on the coasts of Norfolk and Lincoln of
tracts of land, amounting in all to about 150,000 acres.
This plan was reported on by several engineers, Sir J.
Rennie, Mr. Rendall, Professor Gordon, and others, and
having been defeated in Parliament upon a point of
form as to the standing orders of the House, aas finally
abandoned as being too comprehensive and difficult. We
are informed that the late Sir J. Rennie had recom-
mended the magnificent plan of entirely deviating the
course of the Ouse from above Lynn, turning it on the
opposite side of the town and by a straight ship canal
discharging its waters at once into the North Sea near
to Hunstanton. After much labour, much opposition,
and much disquietude, Lord G. Bentinck and his co-
directors having formed a joint-stock company for the
reclamation of 32,000 acres by the straightening and
improving the outtall of the Ouse, obtained the powers
of an Act of Parliament to authorise the p:oject in the
year 1846. The estimated cost of the works was 250,000/.,
which was raised in shares of 501. each, and we aro in-
formed, that a large proportion of the shares are held
by the family and immediate friends of the late noble
Chairman. After the Bill was obtained, L.trd G. Bentinek
applied himself to the pecuniary prospective remunera-
ttion of the company, and resolved, chiefly because of the
hen untoward state of the money market, and also because
he thought that other interests might be induced to assist
the company, to pause before commencing the works.
The result fully justified his Lordship's forethought;
and the town of Lynn and the Eau Brink Commissioners,
representing above 200,000 acres of land, have agreed to
contribute each to the company the sum of 60,000/.,
making a clear bonus to the shareholder» of 120,0001. be-
side their first estimated profits.• In 1849, the company,
under the guidance of their present chairman, Sir W.
Ffolkes, obtained a Bill to empower them to receive the
contributions of Lynn and the Levels. Sir W. Floikes,
adhering to the policy of the Noble Lord, and in concert
with the directors, resolved not to proceed with the
works until every obstacle was removed, every possible
scrutiny submitted to, and until the whole scheme, as
regarded the several interests, was submitted to the se-
verest test. Under such circumstances the Norfolk Es-
tuary Company commenced their labours on Friday.
The day appointed for the ceremony was kept as a
holiday in the town, the shops and offices having been
closed at eleven o'clock. A procession, formed by the
members of the corporation, the chairman and directors
of the Estuary Company, the gentlemen cf the Bedford
Level, and several of the most influential inhabitants of
the borough and county, left the Tuesday market-place
at noon, and proceeded by the New-cut Bridge to North
Lynn. Triumphal arches were erected along the line
,of procession, and the large concourse of persons, accom-
,panied by musical instruments, and marching beneath
waving banners, imparted a more than usual animation
to the scene.

The spot from which the sod was cut was in the
centre of the channel. The ground around was staked
out in a circle, and kept by a strong body of police.
The chairman, on entering the enclosure, was received
by Sir John Rennie and Mr. Peto, amidst great cheer
ing. At this moment there could not have been less
than 10,000 persons present. Sir William Flolkes then
took the spade and in a very workmanlike manner broke
up the ground, and commenced filling the harrow, in
which process he was assisted by the Earl of llardwicke,
the Earl of Leicester, Mr. R. G. Townley, M.P., the
, ' Rev. G. Townley, Mr. A. Hammond, Mr. R. 13a,gge, Mr.
J. Fryer, and Miss Wodehouse, who severally deposited
a spade of earth upon it. It was then wheeled by the
Mayor of Lynn some distance, amidst hearty rounds of
applause.
After the ceremony had been conclude d,

Sir W. FrOLKES addressed the spectators, and ex-
pressed his hope that the great undertaking which the
company had at last commenced might be brought to a
successful issue. The procession then reformed and re-
turned to the town.

In the evening, the Estuary Company and their friends
assembled at a magnificent banquet in the Town Hall.
Covers'were laid for 150 guests. The chair was taken by
Mr. Walter Moyse, the Mayor of Lynn. Amongst the
guests we noticed the Earl of Leicester, the Earl of
Hardwicke, Viscount Jocelyn, M.P., Sir W. J. H. B.
Ffolkes, Bart., Sir J. Rennie, Bart., Mr. H. G. Townley,
M.P., Mr. S. M. Peto, M.P., the Rev. Canon Wode-
house, the Revs. H. Ffolkes, J. Bowen, 0. Carrie, W.
Gale Townley; Major Swatman, Captain Curtis,
Lieutenant Garland, Lieutenant Curtis, Messrs.
A. • Hamond, B. Barge, E. Everard, F. Cresswell,
W. Everard, J. Fryer, W. Ffolkes, H. Bruce,
G. iogge, J. Green, E. Eyre, F. R. Wilson, Simpson,
G. G. Day (St. Ives), C. Goodwin, P. Wilson, L. Self.
E. B. Manning, C. Burcbam, E. L. Swatman, R. Pit-
cher, F. H. Partridge, &c.
After the cloth had been removed, and the usual toasts
disposed of,
Viscount JOCELYN rose to propose " The health of the
Chairman and Directors of the Norfolk &glary Com-
pany." His Lordship said, I regret that the honour of
proposing the toast, which I believe may be regarded
as the toast of the evening, has not fallen into other
hands, by which justice might be done to it in a more
satisfactory manner than I can pretend to. I could have
wished that it had fallen into the hands Of some person
better acquainted with the subject, and more thoroughly
conversant with its details; but though I am not quali-
fied, I think it may be fairly permitted to me, my Lords
and Gentlemen, to congratulate you upon the auspicious
opening of that undertaking which has been this day
commenced, an undertaking in which many of you are
so deeply interested. That undertaking is not, indeed,
upon the same scale of magnitude as was originally
proposed, when it was contemplated that we should add
another county to the empire, by inclosing some
100,000 suare acres of land. I think the calculation
was originally 200,000 acres within the bounds of
our estuary, but I believe that the present pro-
ject has a similar undertaking in view, though more
limited in its details, and I cannot but think that we
are justified in looking forward to' the day when the
enterprise, even as originally coaternplet,d, may be
eventually carried out. It is my conviction that the
undertaking in which we aro now engaged is one
of the utmost importance to the interest of the neigh-
bouchood. I believe that it must be of great practical
utility, having, as it has, for its object the more effectual
drainage of land. It will bring into cultivation large
tracts of land now waste and desolate; give an opening
for capital to be employed in the vicinity, and create
fresh fields for the market of labour. These considera-
tions would be in themselves sufficient to justify me in
giving to this enterprise my warmest approval and ms
molt cordial co-operation, bat I confess I cannot wholly
view it in that liberal light, I must look on it in a more
selfish aspect, as an undertakitig which is vitally connected
with the welfare of this great and enterprising town, as
being calculated to enlarge its commerce and increase its
wealth. If lam informed rightly, the cut now proposed
to he made will give you a deep, straight, and safe chan-
nel, where now there is a shallow, circuitous, and some-
times a dangerous one.—(Hear, hear.) If lam rightly
informed, it will give to your shipping two hours more
in each tide for the purpose of navigation. These are
great objects in the economy of 'time and expense, -•ind
sufficiently attest the vast utility and extraordinary im-
portance of the undertaking.—(Hear.) Some weeks
since it was my fortune to be sejourningin the town of
Glasgow, and there I saw the effect of ente phew and well-,
applied capital in creating a great and ing city.
Ships are now brought into the very heart of the town
which formerly lay many mass below it.. The effect of
these improvements is that the imports and exports have
doubled, and now Glasgow is the third seaport in the
kingdom.—(Hear, hear.) Now, lookiiag around at the
competition which is carried on between the borough in
which we are now assembled and the neighbouring sea-
port towns, and considering the greater facilities for im-
provement which we possess over Wisbee.ch and Boston,
I cannot but think that theta is no exertion, however ar-
duous, no sacrifice of toil and money, however great,
which we ought not willingly to make in order to main-
tain that prominent position which it appears designed
that we should occupy.—(Hear, bear.) I could wish
that my honourable friend and colleague were hero this
evening, that he might give you the expression of his
feelings upon this interesting subject with that eloquence
and Ility which you know him to possess—an elo-
quence and ability which have already gained for him a
high position in the House of Commons, slid which lead
many to hope he may yet emulate the great abilities
and the great qualities ef bis illmtrious father.—
(Loud cheers.) lam persuaded that ho is as sincerely
anxious for the welfare, of this town as I am myself, and
lam confident that nothing would have pr uv: nted him
from being here this evening had it berm possible fur him
to attend. But you are aware that he is absent in a fo-
reign country, where he is studying to acquire that in-
formation and that knowledge which are so necessary
to a public man. I can only say on his ' p,rt, and my
own, that there is no attention which we sill not deem it
a happy privilege to bestow on any measure which our