258 



The condition of the district even so late as 1784-85, as to 

 convenience of locomotion is exhibited to some extent by the 

 circumstance that, (as I find from the old correspondence,) in 

 August, 1784, the contractor to the Tunnel was kept in con- 

 finement at Bisley for four weeks, and again in January, 1785, 

 for many days at Minchinhampton, in both cases for debt, 

 previously to his being sent to Gloucester Gaol. 



The first reference to the Canal Tunnel, which I find is in 

 the preliminary report of Robert Whitworth, the Engineer, 

 applied to by the promoters of the Navigable communication 

 proposed to unite the Rivers Thames and Severn, dated 22nd 

 December, 1782, which was after the formation of the Sti-oud- 

 water Navigation, a work that was carried out after much 

 previous opj)osition and difficulty, under an act obtained in 

 1775. This was eai'ly in the period of the Canal mania, which 

 appears to have culminated in the years 1790 to 1794, during 

 which four years not fewer than 81 Canal and Navigation Acts 

 were obtained. 



As in the case of Railways at a subsequent period, works which 

 might without pressure upon the national resources easily have 

 been done if spread over a longer period, were undertaken all at 

 once, and the same consequences ensued of panic, depreciation, 

 and loss. Still the public have been the gainers, and some 2600 

 miles of Navigable Canals have been formed in England, 276 

 in Ireland, and 225 in Scotland. 



It is interesting and significant to note how the development 

 of the steam engine, as perfected by James Watt, was coincident 

 with the introduction of the means of supplying that engine 

 with fuel, at a reasonable cost, by the establishment of the 

 Canal system throughout the country, without which the de- 

 velopment of steam power must have been postponed. 



James Watt's patent for his improvements in the steam 

 Engine, was first granted for a term of 14 years, in 1769, and 

 in 1775 he obtained an Act of Parliament extending his patent 

 right to 1800. About 1790 therefore, he was in full enjoyment 

 of the exercise of his licences for the use of his inventions, 

 which had become very valuable. It may be interesting to the 



