112 CANALS. 



which used to be provided for in the Civil Service Estimates (Class I.) ; and 

 the receipts then only averaged ;£"i66 a year. 



The Commissioners appointed to inquire into the system of navigation 

 connecting Coleraine, Belfast, and Limerick community in this navigation, 

 in their Report [C. 31 731 — 1882] state that — 



" Notwithstanding the large sums laid out by the Commissioners of Works 

 on the canal between 1865 and 1873, amounting, as has been stated, to 

 ^.22,000, it is now, chiefly owing to leakage, in a very unsatisfactory state, 

 and from want of water navigable only for eight months in the year. The 

 traffic is also restricted even when the canal is fully supplied with water, by its 

 shallowness and by the smallness of the locks. The boats in use on the 

 Lagan canal cannot pass along the Ulster canal when fully laden, the depth 

 of water in the channel of the latter being only four feet, whilst on the cills of 

 the locks it is only three feet nine inches. Oh the Lagan canal vessels can 

 generally be loaded so as to draw five feet six inches. The locks on the 

 Lagan canal are sixteen feet wide. Those on the Ulster twelve feet two 

 mches. Evidence has been submitted to us that by a further expenditure of 

 /i"io,ooo on the Ulster canal it may be deepened to five feet both in the 

 channel and in the locks, additional water supplied, and all the leakages 

 staunched. Many witnesses expressed their confidence that if this were done 

 a large traffic would spring up, and the canal would become a remunerative 

 concern. But it must be observed, they add, that the Great Northern Rail- 

 way competes with the canal for the greater part of its length, and to expect 

 such an increase of traffic on the latter as would be sufficient to pay its present 

 average expenses of ;^i,i53 a year, in addition to ;£.i^35o, the interest of the 

 ;^io,ooo necessary to put it into order, or ;;^ 1,503 in all, is in our opinion to 

 take a very sanguine view of its prospects." 



This navigation was transferred during the year 1890, to the Lagan Navi- 

 gation Company, and has ceased to be maintained out of the Imperial taxes 

 In accordance with the Act of Parliament, an agreement was subsequently 

 entered into between the Board of Works and the Lagan Navigation Com- 

 pany for tiansfer of the canal. This agreement bound the Company 

 to expend ;^ 10,2 50, the amount required according to the estimate of 

 the Board of Works' Engineer, to ensure a sufficient water supply and put 

 the canal in order for a ftve feet draft for lighters, the draft formerly given 

 by the Board of Works being only four feet. The company proceeded to 

 carry out the works, which cost ;^I2,7C)0 instead of the ;^I0,250 estimated. 

 Towards this sum the Treasury made a free grant of ^^3,500, and the Board 

 of Works lent ;^4,400, repayable in forty half-yearly instalments with in- 

 terest at 4 per cent, per annum, on condition that the Chairman of the 

 Lagan Navigation Company lent ;!f4,400 on same terms. The original 

 defect of water supply to the summit level still remains, no attempt having 

 been made to increase the size of the storage reservoir, or to remove an 

 obstruction which exists in this portion of the canal. The waterway above 

 the town of Monaghan therefore, is still impassible by barges during a por- 

 tion of almost every summer, and in dr)/ seasons the stoppage of the traffic 

 is complete for considerable periods. Until this essential improvement has 

 been carried out the Ulster Canal will not be able to reap the traffic which 

 awaits it at the thriving towns through which it passes. It is a most im- 

 portant link in the northern navigation system — continuing the line of navi- 

 gation from Moy on the Blackwater river to Lough Erne, near which lake it 

 joins the River Finn. 



