44 Tkirteenth Report of the Commtsiioners for making 



current in the fresh-water lakes, might appear to threaten deten- 

 tion in cahn weather ; sucli weather however is not common is 

 a mountainous region ; and were it otherwise, we are not with- 

 out expectation of giving motion to the largest vessels, by an 

 expedient which can hardly fail of success, W'e here allude to 

 the new application of the steam-engine for prope'iing vessels 

 through the water ; a practice which has been carried to such 

 extent on the Clyde and elsewhere, that we have been led to 

 consider how far ?ny such machines might be rendered useful 

 for saving horse-Iaboar in towing heavy vessels along the Cale- 

 donian canal, and for occasionally assisting them in the lakes. 

 We are not without hope t'aat the various steam-engines which 

 we now possess, especially two of great power, may hereafter I'e 

 applied to this purpose with much advantage ; and we shall cause 

 thi-^ subject to be carefully investigated without delay. 



The weather during the last twelvemonth, especially the win- 

 ter half-year, has been remarkably unfavourable, as indeed ap- 

 pears from the daily register of the winds and weather [inserted 

 in the Appendix, and which when it has ai-swered its imme- 

 diate purpose of showing that the winds on the line of the canal 

 are as variable as elsewhere, may be applicable for the purposes 

 of general information.] From the 1 2th October 1804 to the 

 present time, this register has Ijec.i kept at Clachnacharry, at 

 Fort Augustus, and at Corpach, and may be relied on, especially 

 as to the first and last of these places, for the most perfect 

 fidelity, and as much precision as the subject admits. 



We have not considered it to be necessary to repeat in the 

 Appendix to this Report, the map which was inserted in the Re- 

 port of la^^t year ; which may be referred to in reading the followr 

 jng description of the pre..se*it state of the'works along the er-:- 

 tire line of the canal, as no alteration affecting the ma]i ha^ 

 taken place. 



Clachnacharrv District. The present scene of operations 

 being much confined to the Middle District, our description of 

 the state of the works at the two ends of the canal will exhibit 

 little variation from the Report of last year. 



Beginning as usual at the Inverness end of tlie canal, we hax'C 

 to state that the entrance lock (commonly called tl>c Sea-lock) 

 and its gates are in a perfect condition, and that the banks which 

 are advanced into the sea four himdred yards, in order to obtain 

 deep water for the position of this lock, are protected from the 

 action of the waves by a coating of refuse stone brought from the 

 neighbouring quarrv; and as far as the experience of last winter 

 proves any thing, the safeguard is likely to be effectual. 



Above the high- water mark, the continuation of these banks 

 is of course no further necessary, and at a very small distance 



