400 THE DUKE'S DIFFICULTIES TAUT V. 



Duke from the sale of his coals and the local traffic of 

 the undertaking, enabled him to complete them with com- 

 paratively little difficulty. Considerable delay was oc- 

 casioned by the resistance of an obstinate landowi id- 

 near Runcorn, Sir Richard Brooke, who interposed 

 every obstacle which it was in his power to offer ; but 

 his opposition too was at length overcome, and the 

 new and complete line of water-communication between 

 Manchester and Liverpool was finally opened through- 

 out. In a letter written from Runcorn, dated the 

 1st January, 1773, we find it stated that "yesterday 

 the locks were opened, and the Heart of Oak, a vessel 

 of 50 tons burden, for Liverpool, passed through them. 

 This day, upwards of six hundred of his Grace's work- 

 men were entertained upon the lock banks with an ox 

 roasted whole and plenty of good liquor. The Duke's 

 health and many other toasts were drunk with the 

 loudest acclamations by the multitude, who crowded from 

 all parts of the country to be spectators of these asto- 

 nishing works. The gentlemen of the country for a long 

 time entertained a very unfavourable opinion of this 

 undertaking, esteeming it too difficult to be accomplished, 

 and fearing their lands would be cut and defaced with- 

 out producing any real benefit to themselves or the 

 public ; but they now see with pleasure that their fears 

 and apprehensions were ill-grounded, and they join with 

 one voice in applauding the work, which cannot fail to 

 produce the most beneficial consequences to the landed 

 property, as well as to the trade and commerce of this 

 part of the kingdom." 



Whilst the canal works had been in progress, great 

 changes had taken place at Worsley. The Duke had 

 year by year been extending the workings of the coal ; 

 and when the King of Denmark, travelling under the 

 title of Prince Travindahl, visited the Duke in 1768, the 



Griswell's ' Account of Runcorn and its Environs,' pp. 63-5. 



