Book II. CANAL COMPANIES. 555 



tion of the engineer, both to make the most economical use of what streams he finds, to 

 procure other supplies of water at the least expense, but above all, to secure an abundant 

 sufficiency. The dimensions and heights of the locks, and breadth of the canal being 

 settled, an accurate calculation made of the quantity of water required to fill a lock ; and, 

 with the largest probable number of boats that will pass in a day, the quantity required 

 daily in every part of the canal ; this, with a due allowance for the evaporation, from the 

 surface of the whole canal and its reservoirs, and for the soakage that will take place into 

 the banks, however well they are constructed ; will show the number of locks full of 

 water that will be required, from all the dilFerent sources. 



3538. In estimating the expense of all such works, the lengths and solid contents of 

 the several embankments, and the distance from which the stuff or soil must be fetched 

 for the same ; the lengths and dimensions of all the deep cuttings, and the distance to 

 which the stuif must be removed ; the lengths of the tunnels, and number and depths of 

 the several shafts or tunnel pits will be necessary; the lengths or headings of soughs 

 that will be wanted to drain the tunnelling work ; these, and all the great variety of other 

 works, some of which we have already mentioned, and others we shall have occasion to 

 mention in the sequel, being particularly stated, and prices affixed to each species of work 

 and kind of material; (and these prices ought not to be below the current prices of the 

 best articles at the time, but due allowance should also be made for the advance of prices, 

 which will take place during the advancement of the work ;) the total probable expense, 

 with a due allowance for contingencies, will be thus obtained, on which the engineer will 

 prepare his general report and estimate, to be laid, with the plan, before a meeting of the 

 adventurers or proposed proprietors. 



Sect. III. Of the Powers granted to Canal Companies by Government. 



3539. As a canal must pass through a great variety of private jffoperty, and necessarily 

 affect different individuals in very opposite ways, considerable powers are requisite to 

 carry it into execution. The first step to attain these is the appointment of a solicitor, 

 and an application to parliament for an act of incorporation and regulation. 



3540. A canal bill contains numerous clauses ; but the following may be considered 

 as the heads of the most general. 



Regulations as to raising money by shares or other- Removing the SMvface-soil, and clamping it, for 



wise. the purpose of being again laid on the surface of the 



Election of committees and general meetings of exterior banks of the canal ; or for other pur- 

 proprietors, poses. 



Enact?nents relative to purchasing lands, &c. Forming watering places for cattle or irrigation. 



Powers for erecting wharfs, and enforcing certain Regulations as to mills, Sfc. 



equitable rates of wharfage. Pouier to make bye-laws. 



Tolls, or rates of tonnage, with exemptions, if any. Form of conveying land to the canal company. 



Fixing milestones, for regulating distances and Regulations as to depositing plans of the can, 



tonnage. and making variations from them, &c. 



3541. The act of parliament for a canal being passed, and therein the time and place 

 for the first meeting of the subscribers or proprietors thereof being fixed ; the first 

 business of such meeting will be the election of a general committee of management, 

 consisting of the most independent, respectable, and generally informed persons among 

 the proprietors. The committee of management will then proceed to elect a chairman 

 and subordinate officers ; to fix upon their place of meeting, and to arrange the order of 

 their business. 



3542. A resident engineer and land-surveyor and valuer should now be fixed on, and pro- 

 bably also a local or select committee : auditors of accounts will be appointed, and salaries 

 determined. The chief engineer will now revise the line, and divide it into different 

 parts, assigning names to each for convenient reference. Of these distinct parts, or divi- 

 sions, a separate account of the expenses should be strictly kept by the resident engineer, 

 the overseers, or counters, as they are generally called, that the engineer is to recom- 

 mend or employ upon the works, and by the office clerks in a ledger, with proper heads 

 for each length of canal, set of locks, tunnel, embankment, deep-cutting, reservoir, 

 aqueduct, or other great work, that may form a separate division : such particular and 

 divided accounts of the works will prove of the most essential service to the committee, 

 and to all others concerned, in informing and maturmg their judgment on the actual 

 or probable expense of every different kind of work ; and will enable the committee to 

 account to the proprietors how great, and sometimes unavoidable, as well as unexpected, 

 expenses may be incurred. 



3543. Suck lands as are wanted should now be treated for by the land-surveyor, and 

 the purchase and conveyance concluded with the approbation of the committee, and the 

 aid of the solicitor, with or without the aid of the sheriff and a jury, as the case may re- 

 quire. In general, the ground for reservoirs and locks ought to be the first purchased, 

 to permit the embankments and masonry to be proceeded with. 



