Internal Communication (b) Canals 



89 



canal starts in deep water at Eastham, on the left 

 of the Mersey, above Liverpool, 

 and ends at Trafford Bridge in 

 Manchester. The Ship Canal is 

 in several sections and has five 

 sets of locks. It is provided 

 with 133 miles of railway con- 

 nected with all the great railway 

 systems ; it is lighted by elec- 

 tricity, and fitted at the docks 

 and wharves with powerful 

 hydraulic and electric cranes 

 and elevators to facilitate load- 

 ing and unloading. There are 

 tugs to assist large steamers to 

 navigate the canal, and a boat 

 can come up from the sea on 

 its own steam in about eight 

 hours. 



Until the formation of the 

 Manchester Ship Canal the 

 Gloucester and Berkeley canal 

 was the biggest in England. It 

 is 18 feet deep, and can carry 

 ships of 1200 tons up to Glou- 

 cester, which is distant 16 miles 

 from Sharpness, where ships of 

 5400 tons can be docked. 



The Aire and Calder Navi- 

 gation Canal is 9 feet deep, and 

 on it steam-towage with a train 

 of barges has been successfully 

 carried out. The Caledonian 



bank 



