VOL. XVIII. (2) GLOUCESTER & BERKELEY CANAL i73 



Surplus water from the River Frome is taken under the 

 canal by means of two large culverts each lo feet in diameter, 

 and there are also a large number of other culverts of various 

 sizes to take the drainage of the lands below the canal-level on 

 the east side. 



A considerable extension was made to the canal in 1874 

 when the Sharpness New Dock was opened, with an entrance 

 60 feet wide, nearly half-a-mile below Sharpness Point. This 

 was necessitated by the vast developments which had taken 

 place in shipping, and it may be noted that vessels carrymg 

 up to 9000 tons are now received at Sharpness. The safe 

 passage of such large vessels, so far up the Severn Estuary, 

 has been made possible by an efadent system of Hghting and 

 marking the channel from the Kingroad to Sharpness, where 

 many improvements have also been effected to cope with 

 this increased tonnage : as for instance, the dock gates are 

 now operated by hydraulic machinery, coal is shipped by 

 hydrauHc power, and grain is pumped into the warehouses 

 by pneumatic elevating appliances. 



