INLAND NAVIGATION.

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being a navigable course of five miles and five furlongs, and a fall ofsifty-six feet six inches. The particulars of the trade, manufactures,and produce I have before given at large, when treating of the courseof the intended navigations since executed for joining the rivers Severn,Trent, and Mersey, and opening a communication between the ports ofLiverpool, Bristol, and Hull. ^

A sliort digression, and brief description of the river Severn, I hopewill be acceptable to my readers ; some of whom may not have an ideaof the great trade carried on upon it, which has been an inducementfor canals to be cut at every part possible to carry the manufacturesand produce of the interior counties by water to Bristol, where theyare sure of a market for the most valuable cargoes.

This river has its source from a large bog on the top of Plinlimmon,a mountain in Montgomeryshire in North Wales ; from whence, rush-ing down with a swift current, and being joined by many lesser tor-rents, it presently appears considerable ; and pasting by Llanydlos andNewtown becomes navigable near Welchpool, where the river Vernewjoins it, with a stream very little inferior to its own ; from thence pro-ceeding gently forward to Shrewsbury, which it surrounds nearly inthe form of a horfe-stioe, it flows on through a rich 1 vale, with manyextensive windings, till it comes to Benthall Edge, by the way receiv-ing into it the river Tern, which waters all the north of Shropshire.Here the Severn begins to be rapid, being pent up between two op-posite hills, both very lofty and steep ; and from thence to Bridgenorthand Bewdley the channel is confined by high woody banks and rockycliffs, which afford variety of beautiful prospects. Afterwards it againglides pleasantly on through the fruitful plains of Worcestershire, visit-ing in its way the city itself, and a little below is considerably aug-mented by the influx of the river Teme. This addition, however, ismuch inferior to that which it receives from its junction with the riverAvon at Tewklbury, which is navigable up to Pershore, Eve sham, andStratford. These two rivers thus united pursue their course to GIou-

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