110 
‘as to be equally apportioned ip every 
part according to the actual productive- 
ness of the soil, or, m other words, in 
proportion to the local means of sub- 
sistence ; by introducing a line of canal 
inte such a country partially, the natural 
equilibrium of circumstances which time 
and experience bad previously fixed, will 
be thereby destroyed ; those districts im- 
mediately adjacent to the canal will 
become more benefited by it than others; 
the land in those districts connected 
with the canal will rise in value; but this 
benefit will not reach, in an equal de- 
gree, to those districts at a distance, 
The extension, therefore, of inland na- 
¥igation into every part of a country, 
manifestly becomes an object of the 
highest national importance, Every de- 
partinent, every district, every class, of 
the community, would thereby be in- 
finitely benefited: industry would every 
where receive a new stimulus; the face 
of the country would be changed for the 
better. By giving a maximum of ad- 
vantage to every part, it would cause 
agriculture every where to flourish, and 
vast tracts of land, otherwise unproduc- 
tive, would be cultivated, ‘The’ ten- 
‘dency of inland navigation is to produce 
these effects. 
Every real friend of his country will 
bear with pleasure that plans are now 
actively on foot for the opening of new 
navigable canals ih various parts of the 
country; and, it appears, that a consi- 
derable share of the public attention, in 
this part of the country in particular, 
3s engaged in the design of a canal, which 
3s proposed to pass through the county 
of Derby, so rich in ores and valuable 
minerals, Detraction, however, is busy. 
A set of individuals, acting from motives 
which require no interpretation, endea- 
vour to throw discredit upon these spe- 
culations, Unlike their predecessors, 
the petitioning monopolists before-men- 
tioned, these individuals employ the 
meanest artifices to dccomplish their 
purposes. Without the frankness of the 
tormer, but inheriting all their avarice, 
folly, and ignorance, they endeavour to 
conceal the whole under the mask of 
hypocrisy; a method peculiar to them- 
selves. They tell the public, that 
schemes are on foot for furming new 
canals, docks, bridges, &c. but that these 
schemes are “ visionary,” and the public 
are warned of the consequences of em- 
barking in them. The promoters of them 
are described as “men with their hands 
full of money,” and “ who are ready to 
Canal. Navigation. 
embark in any scheme that offers, 
however visionary ;” and, after thus de- 
scribing the liberal and pe 
adventurers of the day, these alarmists 
endeavour to throw a stigma upon their 
designs. Paragraphs for this purpose 
have been industriously foisted into the 
public prints in various ways, and it has 
beemwith regret observed, that an article 
of this description appeared in that excel- 
lent and widely-circulated work, the 
Monthly Magazine, (see page 579 of the 
ast volume.) The article here referred: 
to is, in fact, but an extract from others, 
or from the prototype of others which 
have appeared in various public papers. 
The authors, however, in their eagerness 
to impose upon the public, have inad~ 
vertently drawn aside the veil which was 
to have toncealed their designs. Ie 
begins thus: “ A scheme has been pro- 
jected for making a canal over the High 
Peak,” (observe, over the High Peak :) 
“to open a nearer and more expeditious 
channel of conveyance between the me-~ 
tropolis, Manchester, and Liverpool :” 
(the public will be glad to hear this, yet 
this is not its only object, but it would 
not suit their purposes to mention any 
other:) “in the course of which canal 
there are four miles and a half of tunnel 
through limestone rocks:” (Reader, be 
not surprised; but the truth is, that none 
of the tunneling proposed will have to 
pass through at inch of limestone rock). 
After noticing some disadvantage which, 
they say, the proposed line will expe- 
rience in lockage, when compared with 
the existing line to London, (for it is still 
inconvenient for them to inform the 
public that it embraces any other ob- 
ject,) they proceed again in the like 
strain. “ The adventurers seem not ta 
have considered that there is already a 
canal communication between the se< 
veral places before-mentioned, and that, 
in point of distance, it will be shorten 
than theirs.”—What? how is this? Is the 
existing line the shorter? We were just 
now told that the projected one, that the 
new line, was to be nearer and more ex- 
peditious. They would do the public a 
service by explaining this. But this is 
not all: they say, that if upon the pro- 
posed line the tolls are high, “then but 
few goods will pass, since the existing 
canals take only a moderate toll, and 
would of course take less rather than lose 
the trade.” What shifting! what arti- 
fice! ‘A few grains of honesty” would 
have saved them all this trouble. Alas | 
they have them not!” What moderation 
took 
[March 1, 4 
‘ 
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