TIM; i>ri\i-: OF I'.IMIXJKWATKI!. 345 



to In- carried to tin- doors of the consumers, so that there 

 was little, it' any saving to be effected by that route. 

 Besides, the minimum charge insisted on by the Mersey 

 Navigation Company of 3s. 4d. a ton for even the shortest 

 distance, proved an effectual barrier against any coal 

 reaching Manchester by the river. 



The same difficulty stood in the way of the transit of 

 goods between Manchester and Liverpool. By road the 

 charge was 40,9. a ton, and by river 12,5. a ton; that 

 between Warrington and Manchester being 105. a ton : 

 besides, there was great risk of delay, loss, and damage 

 by the way. Some idea of the tediousness of the river- 

 navigation may be formed from the fact, that the boats 

 were dragged up and down stream exclusively by 11 it- 

 labour of men, and that horses and mules were not em- 

 ployed for this purpose until after the Duke's canal had 

 been made. It was, indeed, obvious that unless some 

 means could be devised for facilitating and cheapening 

 the cost of transport between the seaport and the manu- 

 la< -tn ring towns, there was little prospect of any con- 

 siderable further development being effected in the 

 industry of the district. 



Such was the state of things when the Duke of Bridge- 

 water turned his attention to the making of a water-road 

 for the passage of his coal from Worsley to Manchester. 

 The Old Mersey Company would give him no facilities 

 for sending his coals by their navigation, but levied the 

 full charge of 3s. Ad. for every ton he might send to 

 Manchester by river even in. his own boats. He there- 

 tore perceived that to obtain a vend for his article, it 

 was necessary he should make a way for himself; and it 

 became obvious to him that if he could but form a water- 

 road or canal between the two points, he would at once 

 be enabled to secure a ready sale for all the coals that he 

 coidd raise from his Worsley pits. 



