98 Josiah Wedgwood CHAP. 



held that the new scheme would place a monopoly of 

 the Cheshire and Staffordshire traffic in the hands of 

 the Duke ; though they concealed the fact that their 

 opposition to the Grand Trunk would continue their 

 own monopoly in the hands of the Eiver Weaver Canal 

 Company, whose navigation, so far as it went, was 

 tedious, irregular, and expensive. Both parties mus- 

 tered their forces for a Parliamentary struggle. Wedg- 

 wood, with his usual enthusiasm, entered the lists as a 

 pamphleteer, and in conjunction with Bentley of 

 Liverpool, afterwards his partner, published an able 

 statement, showing the advantages likely to be derived 

 from the construction of the proposed new canal. This 

 pamphlet was circulated by thousands. 1 



In the course of his correspondence with Bentley, 

 Wedgwood wrote to him from London about certain 

 corrections and alterations which he had made in the 

 pamphlet: "Must the uniting of seas and distant 

 countries depend upon the choice of a phrase or mono- 

 syllable ? Away with such hypercriticisms ! Let the 

 press go on. A pamphlet we must have, or our design 

 may be defeated. So, make the best of the present ; 

 and correct, refine^ and sublimate if you please, in the 

 next edition." 



The opponents of the measure also held their meet- 

 ings and published their pamphlets. Brindley's plan 



1 "A View of the Advantages of Inland Navigation, with a plan of 

 a Navigable Canal intended for a communication between the ports of 

 Liverpool and Hull." 



