Note 976 — PART IV. From the Reformation to the present time. (continued 6)

Should the work ever commence and go on, the commissioners will have to borrow money to a vast amount, which they will probably, not find a very easy matter, as other fen projects, such as those of the river Nene and Feltwell District especially, have turned out so miserably unpropitious to the respective creditors; that the interest of their money is now many years in arrears, with but little prospect of its being ever again liquidated. The Nene commissioners are so much above their business, and so regardless of the rights of their creditors, that they sometimes will not deign to meet, so much as once a year, to examine the state of their finances and see if any thing can be spared towards the payment of their debts.—As to the gentlemen, or commissioners of the “Feltwell new fen district,” they, some years ago, thought proper to represent themselves in a state of insolvency, and proposed that their creditors should advance at the rate of ten per centum of the money in their hands towards obtaining a new act of parliament to increase the drainage taxes, and so enable them thenceforth to pay interest regularly. The money was advanced, and the new act obtained, but not a shilling of interest has been yet advanced, under pretence that all the money is wanted for repairs and drainage improvements, &c. How far all this is honest or honourable we need not say; but that it will not fail to make some people in future more cautious in adventuring their money on such occasions, may be reasonably supposed and expected.