CHAP.V. FKIMMKs AND NAVIGABLE IMVKlis. 



trndnl to eross. observing the boat as she worked her 

 way from the other side, deelared that lie durst not trust 

 himself to the seamanship of such i'ellows as managed 

 her; and, turning his horse, he rode some fifty miles 

 round by Gloucester ! 



AVI ii 1st the internal communications of the country 

 were so imperfect as we have shown them to be, com- 

 mercial intercourse between different districts was in a 

 great measure prohibited. The roads of the kingdom 

 were for a long time but the reflex of its trade. So long 

 as corn, fuel, wool, iron, and manufactured articles had 

 to be transported mainly on horses' backs, it is clear that 

 the progress of commerce must necessarily have been but 

 slow. The cost of transport of the raw materials required 

 for food, manufactures, and domestic purposes, formed so 

 large an item as greatly to check their use ; and before 

 they could be multiplied and made to enter largely into 

 the general consumption, it was absolutely necessary that 

 gi -eater facilities for transporting them should be pro- 

 vided. The improvement of the roads towards the 

 latter half of the last century certainly afforded increased 

 facilities for internal trade ; but they w T ere still in a very 

 imperfect state, and further provisions with the same 

 object were still urgently needed. It mattered not that 

 England was provided with convenient natural havens 

 situated on the margin of the world's great highway, 

 the ocean, and with fine tidal rivers capable of accom- 

 modating ships of the largest burden. Unless the 

 country inland could be effectually connected with these 

 ports and tidal rivers, the general extension of commerce 

 and its civilizing influences upon the community must 

 necessarily be in a great measure prevented. Hence, 

 from an early period, attention became directed to the 

 improvement of those natural means of communication 

 provided by the numerous large rivers flowing through 

 the country. 



