The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1867.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 287, 4 December 1867, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1867.

A personal inspection of the large re eervoir in connection with the waterworks now in process of construction, has satisfied us that the representations made to us by competent authority as to the highly creditable manner in which this Important work has been carried out by the contractor were in no wise exaggerated. We need hardly inform our readers that the reservoir is situated /on a terrace about a mile and a half from the Dun Mountain Company's stables, at the head of the Brook-street Valley. An excellent road has been made up to the reservoir, 50 feet wide, with a formed part of 20 feet in width, well metalled, and with very easy gradients, which now constitutes a pleasant drive from the city, of which we are told that many of our fellow townsmen have already availed themselves, the picturesque character of the scenery in the immediate vicinity of the reservoir forming, doubtless, an additional inducement to visitors desirous of inspecting the work. The dam, where the strejm meets with its first obstruction, lies at a distance of about a quarter of a mile from the terrace on which the reservoir is situated, 30 feet higher up, in a very romantic gorge, clothed with an infinite variety of our native shrubs. The road up to this dam will be completed iv a lew days. The reservoir, which is situated about 290 feet above the level of high tide at Saltwater Bridge, giving an amount of extraordinary pressure of about 325 feet, is 180 feet long, by 70 feet wide, of an oval shape, covering about a quarter of an acre in superficial feet. Its depth is from 12 to 13 feet, and it will contain 756,000 gallons. It is lined all round with a stone wall, eighteen inches wide at the top, and two fpet six inches wide at the bottom, with a very substantial footing projecting inwaidß,-and finished and coped at the top, the whole > being built of stone procured from Mr Jenkins's quarry in tbe immediate vicinity of the reservoir, as was also the clay, or puddle r which bas been laid between the back, of the wall and the face of the excavatioo, to a considerable thickness. In May last, when the breaking of the grouud for the commencement of the works took place, we furnished our readers with a full description of the reservoir, we shall

, i therefore merely content ourselves with Saying that it may be questioned whether any public work of the same kind aud magnitude has ever yet beeu achieved at so moderate a cost, for Mr Scott's contract, accepted by the Government, was only £1449. We believe however that owing to some alteration in, the original plan, the total cost of the reservoir, of course, independently of the piping, will be £1700. The work was commenced ou the 3rd of June, and the cno tractor was bound to complete his work withiu eight months from the acceptance of the tender, or pay £10 for every week in excess of that term. Mr Scott however has completed J the reservoir in six months' time, and in the most satisfactory manner. A large number of workmen are now busily employed in laying down the piping throughout the city, and we are informed that there is every probability that the water will be laid down iv the city at low pressure in about a month's time. We recommend our readers to avail themselves of the first opportunity at their disposal to visit the reservoir in its present state, that they may obtain an adequate idea of its real proportions, before it is filled with water. We understand that a very general wish has been expressed that the public opening of the waterworks should take place during the expected visit of H.R.ET. the Duke of Edinburgh, and we think the suggestion is decidedly worthy of consideration. As however the" Prince's visit is not. likely to take place before the end of January or the beginning of February, should the works be completed before that time, viewing the expediency, in case of fire, of making them available at the earliest possible date, it might be advisable not to delay the private opening of the works, but to postpone the public ceremouial until such time as the Prince can take part in the proceedings. The duty, at ali events, is a more savoury one than that lately performed by his royal brother, the Prince of Wales, when he assisted at the inauguration of the great London Sewerage Works at Erith, to which allusion was made in Bishop Suter's lecture last night, and we question whether it has ever fallen to the lot of any royal personage to take part in a ceremony which will confer such benefit on the community as the Nelson Waterworks are likely to do. We must not conclude our notice without bearing testimony to the zeal aad activity with which the Government are pushing on this great public undertaking to its completion, or to the ability which Mr S.-ott has displayed in the execution of that portion of the work which devolved upon him.