Proceedings. 33 



was pointed out that as no complete map of the navigable 

 waterways of the country could be exhibited at the Inter- 

 national Congress on Inland Navigation which met in 

 Manchester in 1890, Mr. WELLS and Mr. SWINDELLS had 

 privately prepared the one exhibited, which showed that 

 there are 740 miles of navigable waterways in the country 

 of the existence of which the compilers of the Government 

 returns of canals seemed to be unaware. Omitting large 

 estuaries, the total length of canals and navigable rivers in 

 England and Wales is 3,790 miles. With scarcely an 

 exception the sills of the locks are below the navigable 

 draught of the existing waterways, proving that the founders 

 of the system looked forward to the ultimate deepening of 

 the canals. 



In the discussion which ensued Mr. FARADAY com- 

 mented on the fact that it should have been left to the 

 private enterprise of Mr. WELLS and Mr. Swindells to pro- 

 duce the first complete canal map of England and Wales, 

 and contrasted the neglect and imperfections of our own 

 Government departments in this matter with Continental 

 Government work, as illustrated by the specimens of canal 

 maps issued by the French, Belgian, and other Govern- 

 ments exhibited by Mr. WELLS. 



