Long Eaton, and the Trent canal near Sawley; there is an iron rail-way branch to Brinfley coal-works.

100. ESKE RIVER, (Whitby.) The navigable part of this river is but fhort, in a S.W. direction in the Eaft Riding of Yorkshire: it commences at the German Ocean, and extends to Whitby bridge.

101. EXE RIVER. The courfe of this river is nearly N.W. for about 10 miles in the county of Devon; its principal object feems the fupply of Exeter and Topfham; near Topfham it is to be joined by the Grand Western canal.

102. Exeter and Crediton. In the year 1800 it was proposed to make the rivers Exe and Credy navigable, from Exeter city to the town of Crediton, about seven miles.

103. Exeter and Uphill. In 1769 Mr. John Brindley furveyed the country for a canal from the river Exe at Exeter, by Tiverton, Wellington, Taunton, and Glaftonbury, to the British Channel near Uphill; the objects of which have been fince embraced in the Grand Western canal.

104. FERGUS CANAL. This is an Irish inland navigation, in aid of which, public money was from time to time granted, though it is faid to have amounted to no more than 857.

105. FORTH RIVER, (or Firth.) This principal river of North Britain has its course nearly weft for about 70 miles between the counties of Fife, Haddington, Edinburgh, Linlithgow, Stirling, Perth, and Clackmannan. An immenfe general trade is carried on upon this river, and for the fupply of the metropolis of Scotland, affifted by the Edinburgh and Glasgow canal, that joins it at Leith, the Burrowftowneís at that town, the Forth and Clyde, or great canal at Grangemouth, the Caron river near Rothkennar, and the Devon river near Cambus Quay. Leith harbour has undergone great improvements of late years under the acts of the 28, 38, 39, and 45 of Geo. III., by the last 25,000l. were granted for the wet-docks and other works which have been carrying on there. Methel harbour on the north fide of the Forth is alfo under improvement, and by the 45 of Geo. III., 2,000l. were granted towards the building of the pier there. In 1767, it was propofed to extend a navigation from Sterling bridge to the flate and lime quarries in Aberfoil.

106. FORTH AND CLYDE CANAL. Acts 8, 13, and 24 of Geo. III. General direction nearly weft for 35 miles in the counties of Stirling, Dumbarton, and Lanerk, in Scotland; it croffes a low part of the grand ridge between the tide-ways of the east and west feas; its principal object is a communication between thofe important rivers, the Forth and the Clyde, and between

between the northern metropolis, and the great manufacturing towns of Glasgow, Paifley, &c.; near to Grangemouth the Burrowftownefs canal joins it. The width of the canal is 56 feet at top, and 27 at bottom, and the depth of water 8 feet. This canal is croffed in 33 places by draw-bridges, has 33 culverts or arches under it, and 10 large aqueduct bridges; that over the Kelvin is 400 feet in length, and 70 feet high above the furface of the river, and there is a large aqueduct which croffes the turnpike road from Glafgow to Stirling at Kirkintulloch, This canal was opened with great folemnity, the 28th of July 1790. The proprietors were authorised in their first act to raife 200,000 /. in 100 l. fhares; after which, 50,000 7. of the public money was granted to aid the work; in 1783, 212,000l. had been expended, and no dividend or interest had been paid on the shares.

107. Foss-DYKE CANAL. The general direction of this navigation is nearly S.E. for 11 miles in the counties of Lincoln and Nottingham; its object is a communication between the rivers Trent and Witham, for fupplying coals and exporting farm produce.

108. Foss NAVIGATION. Acts 33 and 41 Geo. III. Direction nearly N. by a crooked courfe of about 13 miles through the North Riding of Yorkshire; its objects are the fupply of the city of York, the import of coals for the ufe of the adjacent country, and to effect a better drainage of the fame. This company were authorised to raise 45,4007. by fhares of 100%. each. Some years ago a pleafure-boat, made wholly of sheet iron, was tried on this navigation, 12 feet long, and capable of carrying 15 perfons, and yet fo light that two men could carry it.

109. GLAMORGANSHIRE CANAL. Acts 30 and 36 Gea. III. General direction nearly N.W. for 25 miles in the county of Glamorgan in South Wales. Its objects are the export of the produce of the immenfe iron, coal, and lime works in the neighbourhood of Merthyr Tidvil, &c. and the fupply of the rapidly increafing population thereof; at Eglwyfila the Aberdare canal joins, and the Cardiff and Merthyr rail way runs by its fide, and joins it at thofe two places. There is a large aqueduct bridge over the Tav near Gallygare. This company were authorifed to raife 100,000l. and to the powers for raising the last 10,000 %. this fingular condition was annexed, viz. that the whole concern fhould be completed within two years, after which no further money fhould be applied except for repairs. At Merthyr there is a famous water-wheel, made of caft-iron, 50 feet diameter, at Mr. Crawlhaw's works; the water being conveyed thereto for a great diflance in an iron aqueduct.

5

110. Ginf

110. Glasgow and Saltcoats. Surveys have been taken for a canal between the Clyde river at Ardroffan, near Saltcoats, and the fame river at Glafgow. This canal would connect with the Forth and Clyde, the Monkland, and the Edinburgh and Glafgow: the line is through a country rich in coals and limeftone.

Direction

111. GLENKENNS CANAL. At 42 Geo. III. firft N.E. and then N.W. for about 27 miles in Glenkenns, in the county of Kirkcudbright in Scotland; the object of it is the export of the coals, iron-ftone, lime, and other minerals. with which the country abounds. The company is authorised to raise 45,000l. by fhares of 100/. each, but the works are not to commence until 20,000l. are fubfcribed, and that must be within five years, or the powers of the act are to cease. Acts 33, 37,

112. GLOUCESTER AND BERKLEY CANAL. and 45 Geo. III. General direction nearly N.E. for 18 miles in the county of Gloucefter; its object is to fhorten the navigation for fhips by a ferpentine courfe of 28 miles on the Severn river, between Berkley and Gloucefter; near Wheatenhurst it croffes and unites with the Stroudwater canal. This canal is 70 feet wide, and 15 or 18 feet deep in water, and the locks, &c. thereon, are capacious enough to admit fhips of 300 tons burthen to pafs. The company are authorised to raise

200,000, in rool. fhares.

113. Gloucestershire Railway. In the year 1801 it was propofed to conftruct a rail-way from the Avon river at Bitton below Bath to Sodbury coal-works in Gloucefterfhire, with branches to Pucklechurch, Haul-lane, Coal-pit-heath in Wefterleigh, Smith's. tynings, and other collieries, in order to bring their produce to Bath and Bristol, and for the confumption of the interior of the country, by means of the Kennet and Avon canal.

114. GRAND CANAL, (Ireland.) This canal was commenced foon after the year 1753; its general direction is nearly weft, for 61 miles through Dublin, Kildare, and King's Counties, in Ireland; it paffes a low part of the grand ridge of Ireland, on the Bog of Allen. Its objects are the fupply of Dublin with coal, &c., the varied produce of the banks of the Shannon, and opening an inland communication through the country. This canal is faid to be 5 feet deep, the locks 80 feet long and 16 wide, in the clear, and built of hewn ftone. In 1770 this canal had proceeded from Dublin into the Bog of Allen, when, owing to mismanagement, it ftood ftill for several years, and it was not until the beginning of 1804 that the whole line was finished and opened. The public money granted by parliament to aid this work between 1753 and 1771 amounted to

78,2314

78,231. It has been propofed to reduce the tolls or tonnage fince the opening of this canal. In 1805 it was propofed to continue a branch from this canal, near Athy, for 9 miles, to the foot of the Doonane Hills, in Queen's county, and thence to tunnel two miles into the hill, to drain its rich veins of coal, and bring out their produce.

115. GRAND JUNCTION CANAL. Acts 33, 34, three of the 35, 36, 38, 41, 43, and two of the 45 Geo. III.-The general direction of this canal is nearly north-west for 904 miles, in the counties of Middlefex, Hertford, Buckingham, Bedford (a very fmall distance), and Northampton. Its principal objects, are, a communication between the metropolis and the various canals of the midland counties, the fupply of coals, deals, flate, &c. to the feveral towns on the line and branches, and the export of the agricultural products, lime, flints, &c. of the country through which it paties; at Northampton it joins the Nen river by a rail-way branch, and the fame is intended there alfo to join the Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Union canal. The commencement of this canal is in the river Thames, near the extremity of the tide-way at Brentford creek, and its termination in the Oxford canal at Braunfton. From Bull bridge a branch, 13 miles in length, goes to Paddington, near London, to the town of Rickmanfworth; there is a cut of about of a mile, with a lock at its entrance; from Bulbourn head a branch extends for 6 miles to Wendover; from Cofgrove a branch of 1 mile extends to Stoney or Old Stratford, and thence 9 miles further to Buckingham; and from Gayton a rail-way branch of 5 miles extends to the river Nen, and the intended termination of the Leicesterfhire and Northamptonfhire Union canal at Northampton. To Watford a branch of 2 miles, and thence about 8 miles farther to St. Albans, has been furveyed and provided for in the acts; another to Aylefbury of about 6 miles, and another to Daventry of 1 mile in length, but these laft are not executed. The width of the main line is 36 feet at top, about 24 feet at bottom, and 4 feet deep in water: the other branches vary. The Northampton rail-way is of iron, and double, that is, has two roads for the carriages going different ways. On the line there are 101 locks, befides the 9 fpare ones in Wolverton-valley; on the Buckingham branch there are two locks. At White-friars, juft above Black-friars-bridge, on the Thames, this company built extenfive warehoutes, over a dock, in which barges lay afloat from one tide to the next; thefe are now let to Mr. Pickford, the great waggon and boat-mafter. At Paddington fpacious bafon or ftraight cut, 400 yards long and 30 wide, has been formed with wharfs at its head, and others are daily

extending

extending weftward along its fides; behind this, on the north fide, is a fpacious yard for a vegetable and a hay and ftraw market, with large fheds, under which loads of thofe articles can stand in the dry when it rains; and on the fouth fide pens are erected and provifion made for a large cattle market. The number of wharfs erected on this extenfive line, and its branches by individuals is too great for them to be particularized. The number of culverts or fmall water-courfes under the canal and its branches is very great; and on the towing path are many large and high wooden bridges for crofling the entrances to branches, docks, or over ftreams of water. The tunnel between Stoke-Bruern and Blifworth is 3080 yards in length, 15 feet wide, and 19 feet high, at 60 feet below the top of Blisworth hill, through which it penetrates. Braunfton tunnel, between that place and Daventry, is 2045 yards in length: another tunnel was at firft intended near King's-Langley for avoiding Cafhiobury, and other parks in the Colne valley; but an agree ment was afterwards arranged with their owners for a paffage through them, instead of tunnelling. Several river and road aqueduct-arches, and aqueduct bridges occur on the line and branches; thofe over the Brent river, and over Bays-water on the Paddington branch are confiderable. The works on this canal commenced at both of its extremities, foon after the paffing of the first act; and the tunnel at Braunfton being completed, the navigation was opened, in July 1796, as far fouthward from the Oxford canal, as the great embankment at Weedon Beck; in June 1797, the fame was extended to the next great embankment at Bugbrook; and about November, in the fame year, to the north end of the intended tunnel at Blisworth. Beginning at the fouthern end in the Thames, the navigation to Two-waters was completed in June 1798, and in June 1801 the branch therefrom to Paddington was opened; in the year 1799, the canal was completed to Bulbourne, and the branch therefrom to Wendover; in June 1800, it was extended to Fenny-Stratford; and about October 1800 to the fouth end of the intended tunnel at Blifworth; at the fame time a double iron rail-way of near 3 miles in length (fince removed) was laid across Blifworth Hill, to connect the two parts of the canal, and form the much withed for grand junction; in May 1801, the branch to Buckingham was opened; it was not until March 1805 that the Blifworth tunnel was completed, and the navigation of the whole line opened; and, laftly, in Auguft 1805, the immenfe Wolverton embankment was opened for improving the fame, and avoiding 8 locks, but which loeks ftill remain by its fide, as a referve, in cafe of accident, to this immenfe mound of earth, or the three large arches under it.