Warwick: The great objects of this canal are, the export of the manufactures of Birmingham towards London or Hull, and of coals; the fupply of grain and other articles to Birmingham and its populous and bufy neighbourhood. The width is about 30 feet, and its depth 4 feet. The locks are 70 feet long and 7 wide in the clear, carrying boats with about 22 tons of lading. The fums of money to be raised for this canal, were not diftinguished in the acts from what was intended for the extenfion and improvement of the old Brimingham canal, the amount of each fhare was 170l. but the act 24th Geo. III, limiting the number of fhares to 500, they are now variable. 26. Bishopflortford and Cambridge. A project for a canal in this direction has been recommended, and its completion proposed for little more than 20,000l. bút it is not proceeded in. 27. Bishopftortford to Wilton. In 1789, Mr. John Rennie was employed by feveral gentlemen of Ellex to furvey and report on a line of canal from Hifs, near Wilton, on the Brandon or Little Oufe river, at the edge of the fens in Suffolk, to the Stort river at Bishopstortford; the estimate was 175,000 l. and a bill was brought into parliament, in 1790, but it met a fatal oppofition. 28. BLACKWATER NAVIGATION (Ireland). This river falls into Loch Neagh, and for extending a navigation to the Dungannon and Tyrone collieries,, the Irish parliament, between 1753 and 1770, granted various fums of the public money, amounting to 11,000 /. a canal with 8 locks, terminating in a bafon, was conftructed before Mr. Davis Dukart the engineer was employed thereon; who, finding the three miles with 200 feet rife, which remained to do to reach the Tyrone collieries, to be too great for a canal with locks, he conftructed, about 1776, four water-levels, with three inclined-planes, of 70, 60, and 50 feet rife, to connect them, on which fmall boats were made to fcend and defcend, thefe being the first inclined-planes for boats brought into ufe in the United Kingdom; it appears, however, that thefe were foon laid afide in this place, and a railway was fubftituted. This navigation was intended to connect with the Newry canal. 29. BLYTH RIVER. This river, between Northumberland and a detached part of the county of Durham, appears to be navigable but a fmall diftance above Blyth harbour; but it has feveral confiderable rail-ways connecting with it, for bringing down the produce of the collieries to the shipping. 30. BOYNE RIVER (Ireland). This is one of the rivers on the east coast of Ireland, for which the parliament, between 1768 and 1771, granted 9,507 for improving its naviga tion. At Edenderry it was proposed to be joined by a cut from the Grand Canal. 31. BRADFORD CANAL. Acts 11 and 42 Geo. III. The general direction of this fhort navigation is fouth nearly, and 3 miles in length, in the Weft Riding of Yorkshire; its objects are the export of coals, iron, and ftone, the produce of the neighbourhood of Bradford, and the supply of Bradford town. At Bradford, rail-ways of confiderable extent connect with it, one of them goes to the collieries and iron-works on Wibfey Slack; and the descent is fo fteep that the waggons run down without horses, having their velocity regulated by a man who rides be hind, and ufes the convoy or brake upon the wheels, as occafion requires. The company were empowered to raife 6000l. in 100/. fhares. 32. BRECKNOCK AND ABERGAVENNY CANAL. Acts 33 and 44 of Geo. III. General direction about N. W. 33 miles in length, in the counties of Monmouth and Brecknock in South Wales. Its objects are the exportation of coals, iron, and other mineral products of the country round Abergavenny, by means of the Monmouthshire canal, and the fupply of Pontypool, Abergavenny, Crickhowel, and Brecon towns, that are near its courfe. It has feveral rail-way branches: viz. to Abergavenny 1 mile; to Wain-Dew collieries and iron-works 4 miles (near 2 miles of this last being double on each fide of the brook); and, to Llangroiney 1 mile. The company were at firft authorised to raife 150,000l. and a further fum by their fecond act, shares 100/. each. In May 1805 it was propofed to extend a rail-way branch from this canal to connect with the river Wye. 33. Bredon Rail-way. About the year 1793 it was in contemplation to make a rail-way and canal from the famous lime-works at Bredon to the Trent river, oppofite to Weston Cliff; and to effect it, a claufe is inferted in the Derby canal act, of 33 Geo. III. 34. BRIDGEWATER'S CANAL. Acts 32 and 33 Geo. II. 2d, 6th, (Trent and Mersey act,) and 35th Geo. III. The general direction of the principal line of this canal is nearly N. E. (and not a great way from its eastern end, a main branch goes off in a N. W. direction nearly); the length is 40 miles, in the counties of Chester and Lancaster. The great objects which induced the late excellent and patriotic duke of Bridgewater to undertake and to expend a princely fortune on the completion of this canal were, the fupply of the town of Manchester with coals from his eftates near Worfley; the cheaper and more expeditious conveyance of goods, between Manchester and Liverpool, than the Merfey and Irwell river navigation then furnish ed; and between both of these places and the interior and most remote parts of the country, by means of the Trent and Mersey (which it joins at Preston Brook), and its connecting canals. Other and more direct communications have fince been made between it and the interior and eastern parts of the kingdom, by means of the Rochdale canal and thofe connecting therewith. Under the town of Manchester are arched branches of the canal of confiderable length, from one of which coals are hoisted up by a coal-gin, through a fhaft out of the boats below, into a large coal-yard or ftore-house in the main street, at which place the duke and his fucceffors are by the first act bound to fupply the inhabitants of Manchester at all times with coals at only 4d. per cwt. of 140 lb.; a circumstance which must have had a great effect on the growing population of this immense town within the last 40 years. At Worley is a fhort cut to Worsley mills, and another to the entrance bafon of the famous underground works or tunnels, of 18 miles or more in length in different branches and levels, for the navigation of coal-boats; fome of which are as much as 60 yards below the canal, and others 35 yards above the canal; thefe laft, to which the boats afcend by means of an inclined-plane, extend to the veins of coal that are working at a great depth under Walkden Moor. Moft of thefe tunnels are hewn out of the folid rock; from the lower one, the coals in boxes are hoisted up out of the boats, as they are in Manchester town, and the lower works are prevented from filling with water, by large pumps worked by an hydraulic machine, and the water is thereby always kept at the proper height for navigation on the lower canal. Near Worsley, a branch of about 1 mile in length, proceeds on to Chat-Mofs and there ends. The width of the canal at top is 52 feet on the average, and depth 5 feet. Beides the tunnels under Manchefter and at Worley mines, there is a fhort one at Groppenhall. On this canal are three principal aqueduct bridges over the Irwell at Barton, where it is navigable, and over the Mersey and Bollin rivers, befides feveral fmaller ones, and many roadaqueducts. There are also feveral large embankments. The illuftrious duke of Bridgewater, juftly ftyled the father of British Inland Navigation, died greatly lamented in March 1803, and left this immenfe concern, (which coft at first 220,000/. it was faid, and probably in the whole twice that fum, as the tunnelling at Worley alone has been eftimated at 168,960.) to earl Gower, the prefent proprietor, whofe fecond fon is to inherit it; the net profits are faid now to be from 50 to 80,000l. annually. Irrigation, or watering of meadows, is practifed in a very judicious and profitable manner, by water let out of this canal at Worfley and other places. The price of land-carriage for goods goods between Manchester and Liverpool was, on the paffing of the Duke's third act, 40s. per ton, and by the navigation on the Mersey and Irwell 125. per ton, but his Grace limited his price to 65. per ton: yet, fuch has been the increafing trade of thefe two places, that it was in 1794 ferioufly maintained, and made the ground of another propofed navigable communication, by a junction of the Manchester Bolton and Bury, and the Leeds and Liverpool canals, that both the Duke's canal and the river navigation were inadequate to carry the trade between Manchester and Liverpool, and that the most frequent and ruinous delays were experienced by the merchants. In 1802, the project was again revived of a cut from the Leeds and Liverpool canal to the Leigh branch of this canal. About 1772, the Liverpool and Runcorn was propofed as an extenfion of this canal from Runcorn; in 1799, the Manchester Bolton and Bury,, was propofed to be joined directly with this canal, by means of aqueducts over the Irwell and Medlock at Manchester. 35. Bristol and Gloucefter. In 1797, furveys were making of the line for a propofed canal from the Bath Avon at Bristol to the Severn at Gloucester, with a continuation to the Severn at Worcester. 36. Briftol and Taunton. Several years ago, a canal was propofed from the Avon river at Bristol to the town of Taunton, with various cuts. 37. Bude and Hatherleigh Canal. In 1793, the earl of Stanhope propofed a line of water-levels and rail-ways, between the fea in Bude Haven, on the Briftol-Channel part of the Cornish coaft, and the neighbourhood of Hatherleigh in Devonshire. In April 1805, a fcheme was on foot, for improving the harbour of Bude and building a pier. 38. Bude and Launcefton, or the Tamar Canal. This is one of the few inftances, in which an act (14th Geo. III.) was cbtained, without any part of the scheme having been carried into effect. The principal objects of this propofed canal were the carrying of falt and thelly fand from the coaft into the interior of the country as manure (an object fince in part accomplished by the Tamar manure, and the Stover canals.) The coft on a reduced fcale was eftimated at 53,100%. 39. BURROWSTOWNESS CANAL. The act 8th Geo. III. (for the Forth and Clyde canal) established a set of proprietors for this canal; its direction being nearly weft for about seven miles in the counties of Linlithgow and Stirling, in Scotland. Its objects are stated to be, the avoiding part of a dangerous and difficult navigation on the Forth, and improving the lands of Kinniel and Beercrofts. The company are authorised to raise 8,000. the fhares 50%. each. 40. BURRY 40. BURRY RIVER. This river, or eftuary, connecting with the Bristol Channel, is between the counties of Caermarthen and Glamorgan, in South Wales, at the flats in Llanelly it is joined by the Caermarthenshire rail-way, and another rail-way has lately been laid from this river to the Penclawdd copperworks: in 1801, the Llandorry and Llanelly canal was propofed to join at the Spitty in Llanelly; and, in October 1805, a wet dock was propofed to be made on the eaft fide of the Llanelly pier to communicate with the Caermarthenshire rail way. 41. CAERMARTHENSHIRE RAIL-WAY. Act 42 Geo. III. General direction nearly north for 14 or 15 miles in Caermarthenfhire. In November 1804, the embankment near this place, confifting of more than 40,000 cubic yards of earth, was completed, with the rail-way upon it. In October 1805, it was propofed to make a wet-dock for fhips at the commencement of this line, on the eaft fide of Llanelly pier; in 1801, the Llandovery and Llanelly canal was propofed to pass through nearly this line of country. 42. CAISTOR CANAL. Act 33 Geo. III. Direction eaft 9 miles in the county of Lincoln. Its objects feem the importation of fuel and other articles, for the fupply of Caiftor town, and the export of farming produce. The company were emipowered to raise 25,000 /. fhares 100l. In 1801, there was a propofal for extending this canal from Caiftor, to Hambleton Hill, the expenfe of which was eftimated at 6,5col. 43. CALDER AND HEBBLE NAVIGATION. Act Geo. III.— General direction nearly weft, about 23 miles in length, in the weft riding of Yorkshire. The general objects are the communication between Liverpool, Manchefter, and Hull, by means of the Rochdale and Huddersfield canals, and Ayre and Calder rivers, the import and export of goods from Halifax, and the export of paving-ftone (now fo much ufed in London, called Yorkshire paving) from the famous quarries at Ealand-Edge and Cromwell-Bottom, and lime from Houghton, Brotherton, and Fairburn at Cooper's Bridge it is joined by Sir John Ramfden's canal (leading to the Huddersfield canal), and at Dewsbury by the Dewsbury and Birftal rail-way. There is a rail-way branch of about half a mile to Bradley collieries; it has a cut of about half a mile in length by the fide of the Hebble river, to Salter-Hebble; and provifion is made (in 33 Gco. III. for Barnsley) for a cut to Bargh-mill, on a branch of Barnfley canal. From the quarries of Thomas Thornhill, Efq. at Lillon's Wood, near Ealand, a long and wide inclined plane, of about 45° of elevation, was, about the year 1774, made from the Calder river, and paved with large flat ftones, on which a fledge defcend |