Page:Rivers, Canals, Railways of Great Britain.djvu/522

 and by Elloe Bank to Clows Cross, where the navigation is to terminate; but a drainage-cut is to he made from the last-mentioned place in a straight course to the Old Eau Drain at Black Horse Sluice, about two miles south of the town of Crowland. The Navigation Cut is eight miles and three furlongs in length, six miles and a half of which is perfectly straight. The bottom of the canal is to be 2 feet 4 inches above low water in Crab Hole, in the Wash; the sill of the sluice to be 3 feet 4 inches above low water where the neap tides rise 16 feet and springs 23 feet. The bottom of the navigation at the upper end at Clows Cross to be 5 feet above low water at Crab Hole; having therefore, a drainage fall in eight miles and three furlongs, of 2 feet 8 inches. The drain to Black Horse Sluice is seven miles in length and in one straight course, with a fall of 1 foot 10 inches.

The estimate for these works was made by Messrs. Pear and Swanborough, civil engineers, and amounted to £92,517, of which the navigable part was estimated at £54,458.

For the providing of the necessary funds for the executing and maintaining this navigation and drainage, an annual tax of sixpence per acre, for two years is to be levied on all lands comprised in the five districts of the North Level and Great Portsand, with some exceptions not interesting to the general reader; also a further tax of three shillings per acre after the first two years.

Of the before exempted lands, Sutton Common is chargeable with an annual tax of one shilling and sixpence per acre.

The navigation and drainage to be under direction of the North Level Commissioners, who have power to take such tolls on the navigation as they may from time to time, at their meetings, think proper to direct. They are also entitled to bank tolls; but as this does not enter into or form any part of the immediate object of our work, it is purposely omitted.

The act, under authority of which these works are to be executed, was passed on the 29th May, 1830, and entitled, 'An Act for improving the Drainage of the Land lying in the North Level, part of the Great Level of the Fens called Bedford Level, and in Great Portsand, in the manor of Crowland, and for providing a Navigation between Clows Cross, and the Nene Outfall Cut;' for which purpose the commissioners may borrow the