FORTH AND Till". CLYDE. 401 



Navigation between tbc Forth and tie Clydt. 



tland is almoft divided into two parts by the 

 rivers Forth and Clyde. The Forth falls into the 

 eaft fea below Edinburgh, and has an eafy commu- 

 nication with the whole caftern coafl of Great 



; with France, Oftend, Holland, Hamburgh, 



Tia, Dantzic, Ruffia, Sweden, Denmark, Nor- 

 1 Greenland. The Clyde falls into the At- 

 lantic ocean below Glafgow, and communicates with 

 the wcflern coaft of Great Britain i with Ireland, the 

 fouth of France, Portugal, Spain, the Mediterranean, 

 America, and the Weft Indies. Thcfe two rivers, 

 thus falling in oppofite directions into the two fcas, 

 which environ our ifland, and the neck of land be- 

 tween them amounting fcarcely to twenty-four miles, 

 gave rife to the idea of a junction, fo as to open a 

 communication acrofs the kingdom, and the 

 off the long, dangerous navigation by the Land's 

 and the Pendant! Firth. 



An object of fuch general utility did not efcape 

 the notice of Charles II. who, amidft all his gallan- 

 tries, was the great promoter of every defign which 

 had the fuccefs of trade and navigation in view. 

 That monarch propofed to open a paflage for tranf- 

 ports, anil final 1 (hips of war, at the cxpence of 

 500,000 1. a fum far beyond the abilities of his reign ; 

 and the drfign was confequently laid a fit:-. 

 affairs of the nt engaged the attention of 



ig princes, till the beginning of the prefenc 

 reign; when the earl of Chatham, endued with all 

 the penetration and magnanimity of an able ftatef- 

 man, propofed to carry the defign immediately into 

 execution, at the public expence, on a 

 than the original defign, but Hill fufficient to admit 

 vcflfcls of burden. Unfortunately, the refignatiofl 

 of that great man, among other can. I co thefc 



io-ns the only opportunity which Nature 



C c fcnted 



