A PLAN OR METHOD OF SUPPLYING CANALS, OR ANY OTHER CUTS, PONDS, OR SLUICES WANTING THE SAME, WITH WATER, CT.
Year: 1792

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
LONGBOTHOM, of Chorley, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did, by His
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-eighth day of July, in the thirty-second year of His
reign, give and grant unto me, the said John Longbothom, His especial
licence that I, the said John Longbothom, during the term of years. therein
mentioned, should and lawfully might use, excercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "A PLAN OR
METHOD OF SUPPLYING CANALS, OR ANY OTHER CUTS, PONDS, OR SLUICES WANTING
THE SAME, WITH WATER, CT. ;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained
a proviso, obliging me, the said John Longbothom, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, to cause a particular description of the nature
of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within one calendar month
after the date of the said recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, relation
being thereunto had, may more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in pursuance of, and in compliance with the said
proviso, I, the said John Longbothom, do hereby declare that the nature of
my said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is as
Lerein-after described and set forth, that is to say :-

page_text: The said Invention is calculated to supply canals, ponds, sluices, towns, or
any other place wanting the same, with water, by making reservoirs of any
dimensions upon high and moorish grounds, or any other places suitable for the
purpose, which reservoirs are to be supplied with water in the following manner,
that is to say: From calculations and experiments I found that in the course
of twelve months there fall upons the surface of a superficial foot of land 3 f.
33 parts cubical feet of rain, exclusive of the exhalation; so that upon the surface
of one statute acre there falls to the amount of 145;084-80 cubic feet of water,
or thereabouts; and I can convey water falling upon the surface of 3,500
statute acres, more or less, into reservoirs in the following manner, that is to
say I make a reservoir of 100 statute acres, more or less, in the most eligible
situation, from which reservoirs, open drains or sluices are made in the most
proper places for receiving water running from the surface of the grounds in
rainy weather, including the space of 3,500 statute acres, more or less, and
by or through which drains or sluices all the water that falls in rainy weather
from the said surface may be conveyed into such reservoirs, which, according
to the calculations, will be nearly equal to 507,691,800 cubic feet per annum
brought into the reservoir, except in loss of water in soakage, which cannot be
ascertained in the compass of the said surface; this may be done without
prejudice to any river or water mills. The area of a reservoir of 100 statute
acres is 4,356,000 superficial feet, and the average depth 9 f: 75 p., but
allowing 9 inches for exhalation per annum, the 75 parts of a foot are not
included, so that 4,356,000 superficial feet, the area, multiplied by 9 feet, the
depth, gives 39,204,000, the quantity of cubic feet of water contained in the
reservoir of reserve water. In the course of twelve months, as before stated,
there comes a supply of water, except as before, into the reservoir 507,691,800
cubic feet, which, divided by 365 days, gives 1,390,936.260 the number of
cubical feet that runs into the reservoir daily upon an average, which quantity
may be let out regularly every twenty-four hours to supply canals, cuts, sluices,
ponds, towns, mills, or any other places; and by which means the 39,204,000
cubic feet, the reserve water in the reservoir, will not be effected, but there will
still remain the same quantity of water in the reservoir, except for the space
of 92 days in the year, which I calculate for dry seasons when there is no rain,
and during such time 426,134-40 cubic feet or thereabouts of water may be
let out daily for the supply of such canals, into ponds, sluices, mills, towns, or
other places wanting the same, or in greater or lesser quantities, as occasion
may require. It may be found necessary to make some other reservoirs to
communicate with the before-mentioned one, to contain nearly the same
quantity of water, to be occasionally let into it in dry seasons; also, àll

page_text: situations perhaps will not admit of taking in so large a surface, neither of
making a reservoir of 100 statute acres conveniently; when this is the case I
proceed upon a smaller scale of surface, and by making three or four smaller
reservoirs, communicating one with another with drains, as the nature of the
lands and situations will allow of, for the supplying of canals, cuts, ponds,
sluices, mills, towns, ct.,. containing nearly the same quantity of water as
before stated.
I now proceed to the description how the water may be conducted from
such reservoir or reservoirs into the canals, cuts, ponds, sluices, mills, towns,
or other works which are to be supplyed (which are as follows):-In the first
place, I make two aqueducts, of stone or brick with morter, for conveying the
water out of the reservoir or reservoirs from the bottom, where the water falls
perpendicular from its surface, into the space of a larger circle of stone work;
with which the openings of the aqueducts communicate,, to receive the water
falling perpendicular from the surface of them; in each of these aqueducts I
fix a paddle or clough at a proper place, equal to an opening of fifteen by
twelve inches, which paddle or clough is raised by a screw fixed to it, and
moves upright in a piece of iron, fixed across at the upper part of it; upon it
is a square box, including a female screw, in which the other moves; which is
turned round by four small hand levers fixed to the square box, which rest
upon a small rest on the cross iron bar, which raises the screw and paddle;
or by any other mechanical powers, to the following height : With an opening
of three by twelve inches may be delivered 317,952 cubic feet of water in 24
hours; with an opening of six by twelve inches may be delivered 630,730
cubic feet in 24 hours; with an opening of 9 by 12 inches may be delivered
927,986 cubic feet of water in 24 hours; with an opening of twelve inchés
square may be delivered 1,222,560 cubic feet in 24 hours; with an opening
of 12 by 15 inches may be delivered 1,512,000 cubic feet in 24 hours;
or a lesser or greater quantity, in proportion to the opening, and velocity,
as occasion may require, for the supplying canals, ponds, sluices, towns, mills;
or any other works wanting the same. The quantities of water required to be
let out of the reservoirs may, be regularly ascertaired in the following manner;
by fixing at the head of the screw a pointer, and an index above it, of inches
and decimal parts, and as the paddle is raised by the screw fixed to it tho
pointer at the head of it, sliding upon the index, will shew the quantity of
water discharged upon, every division of it, as set forth. As at three inches
high there will run out of the reservoir 317,952 cubic feet in 24 hours; and
at six inches high the pointer will shew at that division there will run of the
reservoir 630,720 cubic feet of water in, 24. hours, and so on, in' a greater or
.

page_text: lesser quantity, as occasion may require, till the paddle or clough is raised to
its greatest height.
Having shewed the manner of supplying large canals with water, and
delivering such supplys of the reservoirs in such proportion and quantities as
may be wanted, I now come to taking in lesser surface, and making
reservoirs and conduct drains, as before mentioned, upon a smaller scale, for
the supplying of lesser works, and the quantity of water of supply delivered
out of the reservoirs, either in the same manner as before specified, or in a
different manner, as hereafter will be explained: that is, supposing the falls of
rain upon 1,200 statute acres, or a greater or lesser quantity of surface; upon
every superficial foot, before stated, the falls of rain are equal to 3 f. 33 p.
cubic feet; then in 1,200 statute acres there will be 174,065,760 cubic feet
falls of rain in one year, and a reservoir of 50 statute acres of the depth of
9 f. 75 p., it will contain 19,602,000 cubic feet, casting away the 75 decimal
parts of 9 inches allowed for exhalation; and by dividing the falls of rain upon
1,200 statute acres, which is equal to 174,045,760 cubic feet, or thereabouts,
which, divided by 365 days, there will be 476,892 cubic feet nearly for every day
in the year without affecting the water in the reservoir; and the quantity of
water contained in the reservoir is equal to 19,602,000 cubic feet, which,
divided by 92 days, gives 213,166.28 cubic feet per day in dry seasons for
supplying canals, ponds, sluices, mills, towns, or any other places wanting the
same, which is gradually let out as wanted, in the same manner as before
prescribed, or differently, by iron pipes or cylinders fixed at the bottom of
the reservoir to receive the fall of the water from the surface out of the large
circle of stone work, as before mentioned, for the said purpose, which water
also may be discharged out of the pipes or cylinders by fixing a large brass
or copper stop-cock, the head of which to be moved round by a lever, or
by a wheel and pinion, or by any other mechanical powers, to turn the
same; at which place I propose to have a circular or half circular plate,
with an index of inches and decimal parts marked upon it, with divisions speci-
fying the neat quantity discharged at such places per hour or day, as occasion
may require, for supplying canals, cuts ponds, sluices, mills, towns, ct.
I now come to the method of conveying the water after the same is
discharged out of the reservoirs, as before mentioned, for the supplying canals,
ponds, sluices, mills, towns, or any other places which may be in want of
the same.
This may be done either by open drains, or by aqueducts, made
of stone or brick and morter, underground, from one mile to fifteen miles,
from the running of the waters out of the reservoirs, for the supplying canals,
sluices, ponds, mills, towns, and other places. I have further to add, when

page_text: work of this kind is carried into execution as aforesaid, and set forth, that
there may be a house built at the most convenient place to secure and
preserve the principal works, and for letting off the water, for a person or
persons to live in to take care of them; also of discharging the water
properly, as prescribed and set forth, as before mentioned; also, small towns,
villages, and gentlemen's seats and houses may be supplyed with water by
making small reservoirs, in proportion to the quantities wanted, in proper
situations, and convey the same by drains, aqueducts, iron pipes, lead, copper,
or wood; to the places wanting the same, from one to fifteen miles, and secure
the water by making water houses for the purpose.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Longbothom, have hereunto have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and ninety-two.