Internal Improvements, 307 



port of London would be the mod perfect in the world. The 

 city would be accommodated with wharfs and warehoufes in 

 its centre, and the bridge would be a feature to diftinguifh it 

 from other cities. The completing the work of peace, the 

 intended diffolution of pailiatnent, together with the necef- 

 fary abfence of Mr. Telford in making furveys in Scotland, 

 prevented the bufinefs of the bridge from being brought for- 

 ward during the laft fefiion ; but it will probably in the 

 courfe of the next, or at lcatt as foon as the fcheme can be 

 fullv matured. 



The Scotch furveys relate to improving and extending the 

 fimeries; eftablifbing or improving harbours on the e ait and 

 ■Nkett coalis for commercial and naval purpofes ; opening an 

 inland navigation from the Murray -frith to the bottom of the 

 Sound of Mull, with a depth of water fufficient to carry the 

 Iargeft Baltic men, Weft- India men, and frigates; improv- 

 ing the land communications in the north by means af roads 

 and bridges ; inquiries into the caufe of emigrations, and 

 modes to prevent them ; and improving the communications 

 between Ireland and the weft of Scotland and the north of 

 England. The furveys are ftill going on. 



Thefe are certainly objects of national importance, and 

 niinifters deferve credit for bellowing attention upon them. 

 They embrace a great portion of our internal improvements, 

 on a fcale which promifes to promote the proiperity of the 

 britifh empire. 



The opening the Caledonian canal would admit of the 

 whole of the trade from the weft of England and Scotland, 

 and the whole of Ireland, patting in a direct and eafy man- 

 ner to and from the Baltic, inftead of being expoftd to the 

 ftormy and dangerous navigation of the Pentland frith, the 

 Orkneys, and northern parts of Scotland, which are parti- 

 cularly expofed in the time of war: and a naval ft a (ion at 

 Cromarty, Peterhead, or Aberdeen, would afford ready con- 

 voy?, and guard the entrance of the Baltic; while the bay 

 of Oban, on the coaft of Argyle, would afford a fafe melter 

 on the weft coaft. Nature has pointed out this line of 

 country as particularly fuitable for a canal of this magnitude, 

 the diftance between fea and Tea being about 60 miles, in a 

 direct line, out of which upwards of 37 miles are now navi- 

 g ible locks capable of admitting ihips of the largeft dimen- 

 li mis; and the greateft height above the level of the fea does 

 not exceed ico feet. The locks on and above the fummit- 

 kvel form reiervoirs of about 20 miles in length ; and the 

 waters of a large diftrift of rainy country fall into the locks 

 which form this refer voir. 



This 



