Birth and Parentage 



ci> 



subsequently adopted throughout England 

 justified the correctness of Mr. Dixon's views. 

 He maintained that it was the proper course, 

 and most in accordance with the intention of 

 the Act, for the Council to elect the most 

 fitting persons as Aldermen from the citi- 

 zens who were qualified, without reference to 

 whether they were members of the Council 

 or not. It was maintained on the other side 

 that no one should be elected Alderman whc 

 had not first gone through the ordeal of a 

 popular election to a seat on the Council 

 Board. 



"It was in commercial matters, and in pro- 

 moting the trade and interests of Carlisle that 

 Mr. Dixon's judgment and ability were most 

 prominently displayed. He was one of the 

 promoters of the Carlisle Canal, for uniting 

 Carlisle to the Solway Firth at Bovvness — an 

 undertaking which gave a greater impetus to 

 the trade and prosperity of Carlisle than any 

 other event in its previous history. Unhap- 

 pily the undertaking was not advantageous to 

 its promoters in a pecuniary point of view, 

 for just as it was beginning to be remunerative 

 and to pay a fair dividend, the introduction of 



