CHAP. vi. nrKi-rs CANAL TO nrxmRX. 379 



railroad upon ( 1 hat Moss sonic sixty years Intel 1 . But 

 l>rindley. like Stephenson, looked upon a difficulty as a 

 tln'n^ to be overcome ; and a difficulty no sooner present^ I 

 itself, than lie at once set his wits to work to study how 

 it was l>est to l)o grappled with and surmounted. There 

 were also a large number of brooks to be crossed, and 

 two important rivers, involving a number of aqueducts, 

 1) ridges, and culverts, to provide for the accommodation of 

 1 1 1 e d i s t r i e t . 1. 1 wi 1 1 , tl lerefore, be obvious that this under- 

 taking was of a much more formidable character more 

 difficult for the engineer and much more costly to the 

 noble proprietor than the comparatively limited and 

 inexpensive work between Worsley and Manchester, 

 which we have above described. 



The capital idea which Brindley early formed and 

 determined to carry out, was to construct a level of dead 

 water all the way from Manchester to a point as near 

 lo the junction of the canal with the Mersey as might be 

 found practicable. Such a canal, he clearly saw, would 

 not be so expensive to work as one furnished with locks 

 at intermediate points. Briiidley's practice of securing 

 long levels of water in canals was in many respects 

 similar to that of George Stephenson with reference to flat 

 gradients upon railways ; and in all the canals that he 

 constructed, he planned and carried them out upon this 

 leading principle. Hence the whole of the locks on the 

 Duke's canal were concentrated at its lower end near 

 Runcorn, where the navigation descended by a flight of 

 lorks into the river Mersey. Lord Ellesmere has ob- 

 served that this uninterrupted level of the Bridgewater 

 Canal from Leigh and Manchester to Runcorn, and the 

 concentration of its descent to the Mersey at the latter 

 place, have always been considered as among the most 

 striking evidences of the genius and skill of Brindley. 



There was, as usual, considerable delay in obtaining 

 possession of the- land on which to commence the works. 

 The tenants required a certain notice, which must neces- 



