Joseph Priestley

“ THE River Arun has its source on the eastern side of the High Downs, called Hind Head, a range of mountains, having an elevation of 923 feet above the sea, at low water, and at a short distance north of the town of Haslemere, in the county of Surrey; when, after taking an easterly course for some miles, it enters Sussex at Aldfold: whence it takes a southerly direction to New Bridge, near Billinghurst, where this navigation commences. In its course from Aldfold, to the last mentioned place, it is crossed several times by the Wey and Arun Canal. ”

“ In the preamble of the first act relating to this river, we learn that, for a considerable time previous, it had been navigated, from Stratford, to its junction with the Severn; but that in consequence of frequent disputes between the proprietors of the navigation, and those using the navigation, it became necessary to apply to parliament for an act which should determine the amount of rates and duties to be paid. ”

“ In the Leeds petition it is stated "that Leeds and Wakefeild are the principal trading towns in the north for cloth; that they are situated on the Rivers Ayre and Calder, which have been viewed, and are found capable to be made navigable, which, if effected, will very much redound to the preservation of the highways, and a great improvement of trade; the petitioners having no conveniency of water carriage within sixteen miles of them, which not only occasions a great expense, but many times great damage to their goods, and sometimes the roads are unpassable, &c. ”

“ Gurney, Stephenson, Errickson, Braithwaite, and other celebrated engineers, on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, have proved with what speed the distance between different places may be traversed, and the numerous applications to parliament, for acts to legalize the construction of railways in many parts of the country, sufficiently prove the interest with which the subject is taken up ”

“ In addition to these Rates, the Company are empowered to collect the Sum of One Penny per Ton for all Coal and Coke, which shall pass through the First Lock, from Farmer's Bridge, to be erected on this Canal, in consideration of repaying a Sum of Money, not exceeding £3,600, to the Subscribers to a Canal, which had been proposed to be made between the Wednesbury Coal Fields and the town of Birmingham, and from thence to Fazeley, as a reimbursement of Expenses they had been put to in an Application to Parliament, and this Toll is to exist until the Sum and Interest is paid off. ”

“ Not so, however, the results to which it has given rise—as the great Newtonian Sytstem of Gravitation owed its existence to a trifling accident of almost daily occurrence, so the numerous canals, which intersect nearly every country of the civilized world, though they might possibly be traced to circumstances of the same trivial import, are no less remarkable for the astonishing effects they produce and the advantages they hold out, as well to the industrious artisan as to the enterprising trader. ”

“ The primary object of "The Father of British Inland Navigation," as the Duke of Bridgewater has been justly styled, was to open his valuable collieries at Worsley, and to supply the town of Manchester with coal, at a much cheaper rate than could be done by the imperfect navigation of the Mersey and Irwell. The works were commenced immediately on the royal assent being given to the act, under the powers of which, a considerable portion of that part of the canal, between Worsley Mill and Manchester, was executed ”

“ Cheered, however, by the gratifying list of our subscribers, amongst whom we are proud to number many of exalted rank and distinguished talent in every branch of science, we have surmounted great difficulties and feel confident of having brought our design to a successful termination. ”

“ The undertakers of the Aire and Calder Navigation avail themselves of the promulgation of the above notice, in the London Gazette, to apprize the public, that the port of Goole is thereby placed on a footing of equality with those of London, Dublin, and Liverpool, and of superiority to all others in the United Kingdom, warehouses of special security being to be found in none other: the advantages derivable from bonding merchandize in warehouses of special security, will be best understood by reference to the 6th of George IV. cap. ”

“ That the ancient inhabitants of every part of the globe, wherewith history has made us acquainted, were alive in a greater or less degree to the benefits resulting from the adoption of inland navigation, is a fact that may without difficulty be substantiated. ”

“ The act under which this canal was executed, is entitled, 'An Act for making a navigable Cut or Canal from Bradford, to join the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, at Windhill, in the township of Idle, in the county of York.' The subscribers to this canal, at the time the act was obtained, consisted of twenty-eight persons, who were incorporated by the name of "The Company of Proprietors of the Bradford Navigation." They were empowered to raise among themselves £6,000, in sixty shares of £100 each, but the works were not to commence until the whole sum was raised ”

“ The chief advantages arising from the execution of this canal is a shorter navigation between the ports of Chester, Liverpool, and the district of North Wales, and the important towns of Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton, Birmingham, the mineral districts of Staffordshire and Shropshire, and the Metropolis. The agricultural districts in the south of Cheshire, the western parts of Staffordshire, and the north-eastern parts of Salop, through which this canal is now being constructed, will also be greatly benefited. ”

“ The length of the Duke's Canal from Castle Field, in Manchester, to near Longford Bridge, where the main line leaves the Worsley Branch, is three miles and a quarter; and from the last-mentioned place to Preston Brook, where it joins the Trent and Mersey, is eighteen miles and a half; and from thence to Runcorn, is five miles and a quarter, all on the same level, at which place it has a fall into the tideway of the Mersey, at low water, of 821⁄2 feet, by ten locks. The branch to Worsley is five miles, and from thence to Leigh is six miles, and are both upon the same level with the main line. ”

“ Their rivals and, in most cases, successful imitators, the Romans, were equally alive to the advantages of inland navigation. No less than three of the Roman Emperors renewed the attempt of cutting a canal across the Isthmus, but were obliged to abandon the project. ”

“ By this act it is provided, that whenever the surface water, either of the Birmingham or the Worcester and Birmingham Canal, is more than 6 inches above the level of the other canal, the proprietors of such lowest canal shall pay to the other the sum of three shillings per every 4,000 cubic feet of water, expended in passing a vessel through the communication. ”

“ It is sufficient to state, that two years have now elapsed since the opening of Goole, and five months since it was declared a port for foreign trade, and during that time no accident has happened to any of the numerous ships or vessels which have been there: every shipowner has manifested the most perfect readiness to repeat his engagement with Goole, and the trade there is daily increasing. ”

“ Abundance of coal and ironstone are worked in the immediate neighbourhood of this railroad, by which, by the Monkland Canal, and the Garnkirk and Glasgow Railroad, ready communications are opened with the populous city of Glasgow, which is at the distance of only fifteen miles. ”

“ The master of the "Britannia" is at all times ready to take charge of any vessel bound to Goole."
In consequence of an application to parliament, by the projectors of another line of communication from Wakefield to Ferrybridge, the undertakers of the Aire and Calder called in Mr. Telford, who surveyed the country and made an estimate for shortening and improving the navigation between those two places, and also between Leeds and Castleford ”

“ They are also restricted from cutting any portion of the canal between the parish of Clevdon and the Parrett, until it is finished between the first-mentioned place and the Avon; and if the former portion be not done in four years after the passing of this act, the power to cease. The affairs of the company are under the direction of a committee of fifteen persons, to be called "The Committee of Management." ”