Disadvantages of River Navigation 155 



rents, especially when, in the absence of towing-paths for 

 horses, this work had to be done by men ; and the destruc- 

 tion, by floods, of the river banks or of works constructed on 

 them. 



I have here sought to catalogue, with passing illustrations, 

 the principal troubles attendant on inland river navigation. 

 That the physical disadvantages in question have continued, 

 in spite of all River Improvement Acts, and notwithstanding 

 a considerable outlay, may be seen from the report issued, 

 in 1909, by the Royal Commission on Canals and Waterways. 



In regard to the Thames the report says that the commercial 

 traffic above Staines has become a very insignificant quantity, 

 and " if the Thames is to be converted into an artery of com- 

 mercial navigation, there is need for much improvement 

 above Windsor, but still more so above Reading." 



On the Severn there is now practically no navigation above 

 Stourport. Much money has been spent on the river since 

 the Severn Navigation Act of 1842 ; the channel has been 

 deepened and dredged, and, "up to Worcester, at any rate, 

 the river is now one of the best of English waterways." But, 

 in spite of the considerable sums expended on improvements, 

 the traffic fell from 323,329 tons in 1888 to 288,198 tons in 

 1905, a decline in seventeen years of over 35,000 tons. High 

 water in the river renders it impossible for the larger estuary- 

 going vessels to pass under certain of the bridges, so that, 

 as one witness said, " A vessel may go up when the water is 

 low, and a freshet may come, and the vessel may not be able 

 to get back again for perhaps many days." 



The Warwickshire Avon, once navigable from Stratford 

 to the Severn, is now navigable only from Evesham, and even 

 from that point " there is hardly any commercial traffic." 



The Trent is navigable to-day to the junction with the 

 Trent and Mersey Canal, at Derwent mouth, " when there 

 is plenty of water." The report says : 



" The great difficulty on the Trent, in its present condition, 

 is the want of sufficient depth of water in dry seasons ; in 

 wet seasons traffic is impeded by floods. The river Trent is a 

 fine river and a most important part of the main route con- 

 necting the Midland waterway system and the town and 

 colliery district of Nottingham with each other and with the 

 estuary of the Humber. It appears, for want of necessary 



