214 History of Inland Transport 



United Kingdom, owing to the steepness, great irregularity 

 and impracticable nature of the ground, they have been of the 

 most essential utility in supplying the place of canals. . . . 



" There are numerous tram roads connected with the canal 

 between Cardiff and Merthyr Tydvil, in Glamorganshire. 

 The extent of rail road about Merthyr Tydvil alone is very 

 considerable ; besides which, in the same neighbourhood are 

 the Hirwaen, Aberdare, and Abernant tram roads, and a 

 great variety of others communicating with the vast works 

 on the hills in the vicinity." 



One of the South Wales tramroad schemes though not 

 specifically mentioned by Gumming is of exceptional interest 

 inasmuch as it represented, probably, the first attempt ever 

 made to introduce a railway as a direct rival of and com- 

 petitor with a canal, instead of being simply a feeder thereof. 

 The attempt was a failure, but it nevertheless constitutes a 

 landmark in early railway history. 



The story begins with the granting, in 1790, of an Act for 

 the cutting of a canal between Merthyr and Cardiff by the 

 Company of Proprietors of the Glamorganshire Canal Naviga- 

 tion, improved means of transport being then much needed 

 in the interests of the iron-works and other industrial under- 

 takings in the district. The Act of 1790 authorised the com- 

 pany to spend 90,000 on the canal ; but this amount was 

 found to be inadequate, and in 1796 a second Act sanctioned 

 the raising of a further 10,000, and, also, the cutting of a 

 short extension at the Cardiff end. 



The opening of the canal for traffic is thus recorded by 

 J. Phillips in the fourth edition (1803) of his " General History 

 of Inland Navigation " : 



" Feb. 1794. The canal from Cardiff to Merthir-Tidvil is 

 completed, and a fleet of canal boats have arrived at Cardiff 

 laden with the produce of the iron works there, to the great 

 joy of the whole town. The rude tracks, through which the 

 canal passes in some places are constantly improving, from 

 the happy and healthful toil of the husbandman, and in a 

 few years will be forgotten in a garden of verdure and fer- 

 tility. This canal is 25 miles long ; it passes along the sides 

 of stupendous mountains. Nothing appears more extra- 

 ordinary than, from a boat navigating this canal, to look 

 down on the river Taaf, dashing among the rocks 100 yards 



