450 BRINDLEY'S LAST CANALS. PART V. 



connecting the Trent with the Severn, and authorised 

 in the same year as the Grand Trunk itself. It is now 

 known as the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal, 

 passing close to the towns of Wolverhampton and Kid- 

 derminster, and falling intathe Severn at Stourport. This 

 branch opened up several valuable coal-fields, and placed 

 Wolverhampton and the intermediate districts, now 

 teeming with population and full of iron manufactories, 

 in direct connection with the ports of Liverpool, Hull, 

 and Bristol. Two years later, in 1768, three more 

 canals, laid out by Brindley, were authorised to be con- 

 structed : the Coventry Canal to Oxford, connecting the 

 Grand Trunk system by Lichfield with London and the 

 navigation of the Thames ; the Birmingham Canal, which 

 brought the advantages of inland navigation to the very 

 doors of the central manufacturing town in England ; 

 and the Droitwich Canal, to connect that town by a 

 short branch with the river Severn. In the following 

 year a further Act was obtained for a canal, laid out by 

 Brindley, from Oxford to the Coventry Canal at Long- 

 ford, eighty-two miles in length. 



These were highly important works ; and though they 

 were not all carried out strictly after Brindley's plans, 

 they nevertheless formed the groundwork of future Acts, 

 and laid the foundations of the midland canal system. 

 Thus, the Coventry Canal was never fully carried out 

 after Brindley's designs ; a difference having arisen 

 between the engineer and the Company during the pro- 

 gress of the undertaking, in consequence, as is supposed, 

 of the capital provided being altogether inadequate to 

 execute the works considered by Brindley as indispen- 

 sable. He probably foresaw that there would be nothing 

 but difficulty, and very likely there might be discredit 

 attached to himself by continuing connected with an 

 undertaking the proprietors of which would not provide 

 him with sufficient means for carrying it forward to 

 completion ; and though he finished the first fourteen 



