464 1UIIXD1.KVS LAST CANALS. 



thus set on foot, which brought ruin upon many, and 

 led to waste both of labour and capital. But numerous 

 sound projects were at the same time launched, and an 

 extraordinary stimulus was thus given to the prosecution 

 of measures, too long delayed, for effectually opening up 

 the communications of the country. The movement ex- 

 tended to Scotland, where the Forth and Clyde Canal, 

 and the Crinan Canal, were projected ; and to Ireland, 

 where the Grand Canal and Royal Canal were under- 

 taken. But, as Arthur Young pithily remarked, in 

 reference to these latter projects, " a history of public 

 works in Ireland would be a history of jobs." 

 ,_Jn the course of the four years ending in 1794, not 

 fewer than eighty-one Canal and Navigation Arts 

 were obtained : of these, forty-five were passed in the 

 two latter years, authorising the expenditure of not 

 less than 5,300,000/. As in the case of the railways 

 at a subsequent period, works which might, without 

 pressure upon the national resources, easily have been 

 executed if spread over a longer period, were under- 

 taken all at once ; and the usual consequences fol- 

 lowed, of panic, depreciation, and loss. But though 

 individuals lost, the public were eventually the gainers. 

 Many projects fell through, but the greater number 

 were commenced, and after passing through the usual 

 financial difficulties, were finished and opened for 

 traffic. The country became thoroughly opened up in 

 all directions by about 2600 miles of navigable canals in 

 England, 276 miles in Ireland, and 225 miles in Scot- 

 land. The cost of executing these great water ways is 

 estimated to have amounted to about fifty millions ster- 

 ling. There was not a place in England, south of 

 Durham, more than fifteen miles from water communi- 

 cation ; and most of the large towns, especially in the 

 manufacturing dictricts, were directly accommodated witl i 

 the means of easy transport of their goods to the prin- 

 cipal marketsTX " At the beginning of the present ecu- 



