CANAL. 



In Mr. Donaldson's " View of the Pre- 

 sent state of Husbandry," it is observed, 

 that the canals already completed or 

 forming 1 have had wonderful effects upon 

 the agriculture, as well as upon the 

 manufactures and general state of ma- 

 ny parts of the kingdom ; these, and the 

 navigable rivers, render the carriage of 

 bulky articles more easy and Jess expen- 

 sive. The conveyance of manure, fuel, 

 &c. into districts, "whither, without that 

 medium, they could scarcely have been 

 transmitted, has tended materially to the 

 improvement of these particular districts; 

 and the ease with which the inhabitants 

 can export the produce of the country to 

 otherwise almost inaccessible markets, 

 while it tends to the same end, has also 

 considerable effects on the general mar- 

 kets of the kingdom, and lessens the 

 number of horses that would be requisite 

 for transporting these articles from one 

 place to another. 



Owing' to some cause or other, inland 

 navigations in many parts of the island 

 have proved ruinous to the adjoining 

 lands ; while in many others the injury 

 done to the soil in the districts through 

 which these inland navigations are car- 

 ried, by obstructing the free passage of 

 the rivers to the sea, and by their fre- 

 quently overflowing their banks, and de- 

 stroying the crops in the low grounds, is 

 infinitely greater than any commercial 

 advantages that can possibly be derived 

 from them, except by those who'are more 

 immediately interested. To render ca- 

 nals, or inland navigations of any sort, of 

 general utility, sayshe,much circumspec- 

 tion is necessary in framing the acts of 

 Parliament : so that, while the commerce 

 of the coimtry is increased, its agricul- 

 ture may not be injured. It might, he 

 thinks, be a wise regulation, that in eve- 

 ry instance, without exception, all sorts of 

 manure should be carried at one half or 

 one third of lockage-dues made payable 

 for articles of any other description. 

 Were this point attended to, and minute 

 investigation made as to the probable 

 consequences that were likely to result 

 from granting leave to form canals, and 

 deepen the beds of rivers, for the pur- 

 pose of inland navigations, these means 

 of lessening 1 the expense of carriage 

 would not so often prove injurious to the 

 best interest of the country, its agricul- 

 tural improvement. 



It has been well observed by Mr. Mid- 

 dleton, in his able Survey of Middlesex, 

 that " canals calculated to navigate much 

 smaller boats than any which have fallen 

 under his observation, even down to ten 



tons, might be made at a very reduced 

 expense ; and after certain leading ones 

 were executed, every man of considera- 

 ble landed property would find it to be 

 his interest to make a small canal through 

 his estate, at least capable of floating 

 boats of five tons, which would be equal- 

 ly convenient for bringing manure, and 

 to carry away the produce. In all the 

 marsh and fen districts, most of the pre- 

 sent sewers would only want," he thinks, 

 " a little cleansing, to fit them for the pur- 

 pose." And he adds, that " the exten- 

 sion of canals may become the most pow- 

 erful means of promoting general culti- 

 vation. Good roads are certainly very 

 essential, and he thinks canals are at least 

 equally so, in an agricultural view. On 

 the best roads, produce and manure can 

 seldom be carried more than ten miles 

 with profit, at the present price of horse- 

 keep ; but if canals were as numerous as 

 roads, corn, hay, manure, &c. could be 

 sent to every partofBritain,withoutusing 

 more road than the towing-paths, and to 

 ten times the fprmer distance, without in- 

 creasing the expense. A general canal- 

 scheme would, says he, tend to equalize 

 the price of every article in life more than 

 all other things put together. It would 

 afford the cheapest,the safest,and speedi- 

 est conveyance of every article,thatmight 

 be too bulky and heavy for stage and mail 

 coaches. The benefits would be univer- 

 sal in this island. The inhabitants of Lon- 

 don and its environs would be infinitely 

 more plentifully and,cheaply supplied by 

 canals, than by any system of roads what- 

 soever. The remoter parts of this, and 

 every other country, would be placed 

 more on terms of equality with those that 

 are near, and every other part of the 

 island might reap advantages, which may 

 be foreseen, but which are much too 

 great for calculation." And he concludes 

 by remarking, that "canals and irrigation 

 might be made the means of cultivating- 

 every inch of this island, except rocky 

 ground and mountain tops, and these 

 ought to be planted." He states, that 

 " of two methods of raising the money 

 for making canals, the one which seems 

 to deserve the preference is,the mode by 

 which turnpike roads are usually provid- 

 ed for, instead of entrusting it to the ma- 

 nagement of interested companies. The 

 latter method is exceptionable, from its 

 creating a perpetual charge on all goods 

 sent by that conveyance,without regard- 

 ing the money expended, or the interest 

 it may ultimately produce, which is a ve- 

 ry imprudent bargain for the public in 

 this country, where population, trade. 



