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HISTORY OF

nothing but turf; and who at Dublin would burn that, while White-liaven coals are at the present price ?

Most of the inland navigations in England are carried on, or havebeen executed, with private funds, and the interest paid by the tolls.One strong reason for this mode, is the prevention of unnecessary andidle schemes. The manufactures must be wrought, or the productsraised, and feel the clog of an expensive carriage, before private personswill subscribe their money towards a cheaper conveyance; in whichcase the very application to parliament is generally proof sufficient thata canal ought to be cut. Have something to carry, before you seekthe means of carriage. I will venture to fay, that if the grand canal wasentirely completed, the navigation of it, including whatever the countrytowns took from Dublin, would prove of such a beggarly account, thatit would then remain a greater monument of folly, if possible, than atpresent. Some gentlemen I have talked with on this subject have re-plied, “ It is a job : it was meant as a job; you are not to consider it asa canal of trade, but as a canal for public money.” But even this,though advanced in Ireland, is not upon principle. I answer, that some-thing has been done. Fourteen miles, with numbers of locks, quays,bridges, &c. &c. are absolutely finished, though only for the benefit ofeels and fkaiting. Why throw this money away ? Half what thesefourteen miles have cost, would have finished the Newry canal, and per-fected the Dungannon collieries. Admit your argument of the job. Ifeel its weight; I fee its force: but that does not account for the sumsactually expended. Might not the fame persons have plundered thepublic to the fame amount in executing some works of real utility,from which something else might have resulted than disgrace and igno-miny to the nation ?

As to the other navigations, there is in general this objection to bemade to them all: however necessary they might be, they are useless forwant of being completed: three-fourths are only begun. The gentle-men