INLAND NAVIGATION.

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C I-I A P. VIII.

Particulars of Two Flans for a Communication by Canals betweenLiverpool, Briftol, and Hull.—Course of the intended Canals to jointhe River JVeaver in Chef ire to the Trent in Stafordfire .—Ky.pence of cutting, and Length of these Canals.—•Number of, and Ex-pense of constructing, the Locks necessary to complete them.—Advantagesof them to the Counties through which they wouldpass, and to the Nationat large. ' '

I N the year 1765 two plans were offered to the public, for a navi-gable cut or canal to form a communication between those great sea-ports, Bristol, Liverpool, and Hull, by a junction of the rivers Severn,Trent, and Weaver or Mersey; and as a great many gentlemen in thecounties through which these rivers pass were divided‘in their opinions,some giving the preference to one plan, and some to the other, I begleave to describe both at large. As the extent of country throughwhich they were to pass was great, so also would be the many advan-tages as well to agriculture as to trade, which I shall shew at large, andhope not to be thought prolix on a subject in which the interest of somany persons, and so large a portion of commerce was concerned ; andas one of these schemes is executed, the public will be enabled tojudge which seemed calculated to be most beneficial to the 1 country.And first, I shall describe the plan and route of the canal, which waslaid down by the author of the Advantages of Inland Navigation, andwhich is marked in the map with dotted lines. This writer was agentleman of such property and local knowledge of the counties, andthe trade and manufactures carried on in them (himself living in thecentre of them), that I am greatly surprised his plan was not approved,

P excepting