wish, we prefer leaving the subject incomplete, in this respect, rather than hazard estimates, which might not be either satisfactory to ourselves, or conclusive to the public. We shall, therefore, as far as regards canals, generally, confine ourselves to such of these items as we can satisfactorily establish, and shall give the charges on some of the canals sufficiently minute, we trust, to place them in contrast with other modes of convey

ance.

We find the resistance of heavy boats on canals 2.73 lbs. per ton gross, at two miles and a half an hour; we have taken the power of a horse at 125 lbs., and, therefore, a horse would drag a boat, weighing forty-five tons, twenty miles a day; or 900 tons, one mile per day, would represent his performance. Mr. Bevan states, that, on the Grand Junction canal, the horses usually travel twenty-six miles a day, and drag a boat, containing about twenty-four tons, at the rate of 2.45 miles an hour; the empty boat weighing nine tons, the gross load being thirty-three tons, this gives the performance = 858 tons, one mile per day. Taking, therefore, seventy-five per cent. as the useful load in the former case, and twenty-four tons in the latter; we have the useful load equal to 675, and 624 tons respectively; the average being 650 tons, conveyed one mile in a day, as the useful performance of a horse, dragging heavy boats on a canal, at the rate of two miles and a half an hour. In calculating the cost of conveyance on railways we estimated the expense of a horse and driver at seven shillings per day, and the performance 280 tons, conveyed one mile, or 3 of a penny per ton, per mile; adopting the same estimate for the canal, we have 858 tons conveyed one mile, for seven shillings, or nearly one tenth of a penny per ton, per mile; or, making the same allowance as in the case of railways, we have the cost of

haulage on canals as equal to 123 of a penny per ton, per mile.

Mr. Grahame states, that the contract price paid by the carrying companies, for the trackage of a heavy goods boat along the Forth and Clyde, and the Union canals between Edinburgh and Glasgow, a distance of fifty-six miles, is twenty-one shillings.

These boats carry from thirty to forty tons, and the contract time is eighteen hours, the speed being a little diminished in the Union canal. The former canal is sixty feet wide, and nine feet deep; and the latter forty feet wide, and five feet deep. The price paid is different on the two canals; that on the Forth and Clyde, twentyfour miles, is seven shillings; and on the Union, thirtytwo miles, fourteen shillings. Supposing the boat to carry thirty tons, we have the cost of haulage, on the Forth and Clyde canal, equal to 12 of the penny per ton, per mile; and on the Union canal 18 of a penny per ton per mile, useful load. This, however, is supposing the boat fully loaded, in both directions.

The entire cost of conveyance by canals varies on almost all the different canals in the country, dependent, of course, upon the first cost of formation; and the quantity of traffic upon each of them. The general cost may be taken at about two-pence per ton, per mile, for goods; coals, and other heavy minerals, being conveyed at a less rate, or about 1d. per ton, per mile. On the Merthyr Tidvil and Cardiff canal, iron is conveyed for 14d., coal, 14d., and iron ore, 14d. per ton, per mile. The cost of haulage and boat here is, generally, about nine-pence to eleven-pence per mile, with a boat carrying twenty tons of goods, and returning empty, which is about d. per ton, per mile. If this is generally correct, and we take 18 of a penny for haulage, we have for boat hire, steersman, &c, 32 of a penny per ton, per mile; and, for the general expenses, about a

penny per ton, per mile. Mr. Grahame cites one case, of the canal companies charging two shillings and threepence canal dues, for thirty-one miles and a half, upon the Union canal to Edinburgh; which, we may presume, is a minimum charge, being for coals, and being in competition with coals brought along a public railway to the same place. This would give, for canal dues, 86d., haulage, 18d., and boat-hire, &c., 32d., altogether 1.36d. per ton, per mile; which is equal to the charge for conveying iron ore on the Merthyr Tidvil canal.

We may, therefore, take the minimum cost of conveying heavy goods, on canals, at 1.36d. per ton, per mile; and minerals, generally, at 1.5d. per ton, per mile; which will be, for the gross load, assuming the useful load to be seventy-five per cent., about 1·02d. per mile.

ton per

With the fly boats, the resistance at four miles an hour, we have seen, is 7.07 lbs. per ton. A horse travelling at this rate of speed, will only exert a power equal to 78 lbs.; consequently, his performance, on a canal, will be 220 tons gross conveyed one mile; or, taking sixty-five per cent. as the useful load, the performance will be 143 tons, conveyed one mile in a day, as the useful performance of a horse, dragging fly boats on canals at the rate of four miles an hour. The cost of haulage of this kind of boat is, likewise given, by the canal proprietors on the Forth and Clyde, and Union canals, between Edinburgh and Glasgow; viz., fifteen shillings for twenty-five miles on former canal, and sixteen shillings for thirty-two miles on the latter, for finding horses and drivers; the distance of fifty-seven miles being performed in eleven hours. These boats weigh from seven to seven tons and a half, and are said to be fitted to stow ten tons of measurable goods, and afford accommodation to forty passengers. Taking the latter at fifteen to a ton, or

equal to three tons, the cost of haulage, per ton, per mile, of goods, on these canals, is 33 of a penny per ton, per mile, gross, or 5 of a penny per ton, per mile, useful load, at an average rate of five miles an hour. The entire cost of conveyance, by fly boats, is about 3d. per ton, per mile. Mr. Grahame states, that the outlay of money, expended by the boat owners, in carrying goods by these boats, is about five shillings and sixpence per ton for fifty-seven miles, or about 1·16d. per ton, per mile. Taking the cost of haulage at 5d. per ton, per mile, we have, therefore, the cost of boats, &c., about 66 of a penny per ton, per mile; and the general expenses charged, 2.34d. per ton, per mile. The aggregate cost being, for goods, 34d. per ton, per mile, will be, for the gross load, including boat, 2-275d. per ton, per mile.

The resistance of the swift boats, at the rate of ten miles an hour, is 54.12 lbs. per ton. We have before noticed the extraordinary performance of horses dragging these boats, which was, that two horses drag along the canal, at the rate of nine miles an hour, on the average, a boat carrying three tons of useful load, and weighing, altogether, above five tons, the distance they travel being eleven miles. This will give a gross performance of fifty-five tons conveyed one mile, and of useful load thirty-three tons conveyed one mile, in a day, at the rate of from nine to ten miles an hour. Upon the Carlisle canal, the haulage of a swift boat is contracted for, the contractor finding horses and drivers; the price paid, for hauling the boat twenty-four miles, is twenty-one shillings, which is equal to 10d. per mile. Mr. Grahame states the cost at eleven-pence per mile. This will give the haulage for the useful load about 3d. per ton, per mile, or 24d. per ton, per mile, gross load; or, if forty passengers are taken in the boat, at a time,

which we presume will be the utmost, on the average, the cost of haulage, per passenger, per mile, will be ⚫275 of a penny for each passenger per mile. The charges, for passengers, from Edinburgh to Glasgow, is six shillings, best cabin, and four shillings stowage passengers; or 1.3d. and 86d. per passenger, per mile, conveyed at the rate of nine to ten miles an hour; and upon the Lancaster and Preston canal 1·26d. and 34 of a penny per passenger, per mile; the average being about 1.08d. per passenger, per mile. Reckoning fifteen passengers to the ton, and each passenger twenty-eight pounds of luggage, the charge, per ton, per mile, will be 18.2d. useful load, or about ten-pence per ton, per mile, gross, which includes haulage, boat-hire, and general expenses ; and as the cost of haulage is 3d., the general expenses and boat-hire will be 9.7d. per ton, per mile.

The following Table will, therefore, shew the result of these inquiries, on the cost of conveying goods and passengers on canals.

TABLE XVII.

Table of the cost of conveying goods, and passengers, on canals at different rates of speed.