^^2 A. D. 1760. 



pronounced impolliblc, an aquediid: bridge over ilie navigable river 

 Irwell, at the height of thirty-eight feet above its furface, which pre- 

 fented to the wondering fpedators the new and furprifing fight of vef- 

 fels failing aloft in the air, high above other vcflels failing below in the 

 river. As the duke's operations were carried forward with great fpirit 

 during the whole of this year, the public were gratified with the light 

 of the firfl boat palling along his magnificent aquedud on the I7tli of 

 July 1761 ; and the fcofFers, who, in derifion of this noble eflbrt of 

 Erindlcy's bold, but unerring, genius, had called it a cajlle in the air, felt 

 themfelves afliamed. The whole work of the canal was executed in a 

 flile of folidity and grandeur, which might induce an inattentive fpec- 

 tator to fuppofe that it was made for oftentation ; but a careful infpec- 

 tion will fliew, that every part is not only proper but necefTary ; that 

 economy has been happily combined with magnificence ; and that the 

 vaft expenfe of perhaps the greatefl: work that ever was undertaken and 

 executed in any part of the world at the charge of one individual, is 

 fmall, when compared to the extenfive utility of it. 



The duke, im.mediately after the completion of this canal, extended 

 the length and the benefits of his navigation as far as Liverpool ; and 

 goods are now carried on his canals between that town and Manchefler 

 at 6/"a tun inftead of 12/", the charge of the former navigation on the 

 Merfea and the Irwell, or 40/", the price of the land carriage : and,, 

 while his fpirited and patriotic enterprife is rewarded by a vail revenue 

 arifing from his water-carriage, and his formerly ufelefs coal-mine, the 

 lurroLinding country is benefited at Icafl: a pound for every fliilling paid 

 to the duke. 



Thus the fpirited commercial county of Lancafter appears to have 

 had the glory of producing the firft canal made in the kingdom in mo- 

 dern times, and upon the modern improved principles ; of firil con- 

 ceiving the magnificent defign of a navigable communication between 

 the eafl and weft fides of England through the heart of the country; 

 and of exhibiting the firft fpecimen of a canal executed on a grand 

 fcale. Such is the animating influence of vigorous commerce and raa- 

 nufaclures. 



The duke of Bridgewater's canal immediately attra([^ed the attention 

 of the public in an extraordinary degree ; and the advantages of inland 

 navigation condu(5ted upon improved principles, and alio the fuppofed 

 difadvantages of it, were the fubjeds of general difcuflion. 



The enemies of the new mode of conveyance objeded, that the fa- 

 cility of canal navigation would greatly diminilh the numbers of the 

 nfeful and noble breed of draught horfes.-r^A curious objedion, truely, 

 to the abridgement of an expenfe, A part of thofe horles will be em- 

 ployed in drawing the veflels on the canals. A part of them may be 

 employed in drawing ploughs on grounds hitherto kept in grafs for the 



