hogard devised a scheme to cut a new channel from the junction of the welland and the glen to wyberton, on the estuary of the river witham below boston. at the end of the cut, there would be a huge sluice and a navigation lock. the adventurers asked thomas tofield for a second opinion, who suggested a shorter cut from spalding to fosdyke. they requested help from grundy, who proposed a cut to fosdyke, and that the outfall of vernatt's drain should be moved downstream. improvements to the drain were carried out under an act of parliament obtained in 1774, and an act was obtained in 1794 to sanction the wyberton cut, although the work was not carried out, and grundy's cut was built under a new act of 1801.