150 CANALS IN IRELAND. PART VII. 



with the manufactories at Burslem. Referring to this 

 method of communication, he observes that the railroad 

 " would form a quick and cheap mode of carrying goods. 

 Indeed," he adds, " I do not know a cheaper or better, 

 and, in my opinion, it might be substituted with great 

 advantage for the branch canal in question. I have 

 therefore to submit whether, as a matter worthy of the 

 consideration of the proprietors, this branch might not 

 be saved, and a railroad substituted in its place." This 

 report was written, be it observed, early in 1797, long 

 before railroads had been introduced ; and the suggestion 

 affords striking evidence of Mr. Rennie's sagacity in 

 so early detecting and appreciating the advantages of 

 this new means of communication. 



In 1802 Mr. Rennie was requested to examine the 

 works of the Royal Canal of Ireland. The origin of 

 this project was curious. The Grand Canal had already 

 been formed to connect the navigation of the Liifey 

 with that of the Shannon near Banagher; and though 

 enormous blunders had marred its construction, and its 

 cost had consequently been excessive, the traffic upon it- 

 was so great as nevertheless to render it exceedingly 

 profitable to its proprietors. The managing committee 

 consisted for the most part of persons of high rank, but 

 amongst them was a retired shoemaker, who had invested 

 a very large sum in the undertaking and made himself 

 exceedingly busy in its concerns. Offence seems to have 

 been taken at this person, and his meddling in various 

 matters without authority caused a rupture between him 

 and the other members of the committee. They thwarted 

 him at every turn, outvoted him, snubbed him, and " sent 

 him to Coventry." Yowing revenge, the shoemaker 

 threw up his seat at the board, and, on parting with his 

 colleagues, said to them, " You may think me a very 

 insignificant person, but I will soon show you the con- 

 trary. I will sell out forthwith, start a rival canal, and 

 carry all the traffic." The threat was, of course, treated 



