YEOMAN, Thomas.

The Report of Thomas Yeoman, Engineer, concerning the Drainage of the North Level of the Fens, and the Outfal of the Wisbeach River.

One large folding engraved plate. 12 pp. 4to, cont. blue wrappers (two small wormholes). N.p. [London]: [Report dated 15 November 1769]. First edition and very scarce. The first systematic attempt to drain the Fens, a silted-up bay of the North Sea north of Cambridge, was made by the Romans but they went no further then constructing a large ditch to keep the sea at bay. During the next 1500 years there were numerous other attempts at drainage and all were largely unsuccessful. In the 1760s there was a renewed interest and Yeoman was engaged to make a report. He has provided here a very detailed proposal and an estimate of its cost (7280 pounds). John Golborne (ca. 1724-83), engineer to the River Dee Company, also prepared a report which appeared later in the year. The large attractive folding plate is a most informative graph and map entitled "A Chain and Scale of Levels along Wisbeach River and Channel from Peterborough Bridge down to the Eye at Sea." Fine copy, preserved in a box. Upper cover inscribed by a contemporary hand "Mr. Yeoman." Ex Bibliotheca Mechanica. Rare, with no copy in N.U.C.

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• libraire: Jonathan A. Hill, Bookseller, Inc. (USA)