[ e19 7 - Se ay 
XXXVI. On Canal Track-Boats. By Ropertson Bu- 
CHANAN, Esq. Civil Engineer, Glasgow. 
DEAR SIR, To Mr. Tilloch. 
WV ems lately in Ireland I made a short excursion on the 
Grand Canal, which joins the Liffy with the Shannon. I 
was much pleased with the arrangements and punctuality 
observed with regard to the canal packets, or track-boats. 
The accommodation on board and at the hotels for the use 
of the passengers does very great credit to those under whose 
care the whole is conducted. 
The construction of the vessels, both with regard to their 
general plan and the mechanical contrivances connected with 
them, seems to me to merit the attention of those who take 
an interest in what relates to the improvement of our inland 
navigation. Iam therefore induced to lay before you the 
following details : 
The general appearance of the vessels is like that of those 
on our canals, but the number of passengers and the length 
of the voyage require additional accommodation ; an idea 
of which may be formed by inspecting the accompanying 
sketches, although not accurately drawn to a scale. 
Fig. 1. (Plate V.) is a sketch of the plan of the vessel. 
A, the principal cabin. 
B, the second cabin. 
C, a board which is occasionally raised up to prevent 
the water from the sluices from filling the vessel; an acci- 
dent which I am informed once occasioned the sinking of 
one of these vessels and the loss of many lives, and which 
probably gave rise to this improvement. 
Fig. 2. is a stern view. 
DD, are pieces of plate iron which are let down, when 
necessary, to retard the vessel’s motion, and are frequently 
of great use in entering the locks. 
E, the cab-house or cooking-place, the smoke-pipe of 
which seems well contrived to prevent the bad effects of the 
wind. 
Fig. 3, the smoke-pipe on a larger scales the same con- 
trivance 
