4 8 NATURAL HISTORY 
two confiderable rivers come fo near each other in the middle of 
the County, that they almoB cut it in twain. From LoBwythyel 
(where the tide from the South now reaches) to Parbrok, whither 
the tide comes up from the North, the difiance is eight miles ; 
but from Refprin Bridge, near Lanhydroc Park, to Dunmere 
Bridge, about a mile from the town of Bodman, (at both which 
places the Breams are conliderable) the difiance is but four miles ; 
and in this intermediate fpace, many lefler Breams occur, which 
might come in aid, to promote the union of the North and South 
CoaBs. The advantages of fuch an union, are too obvious to be 
particularized, and the difliculties too few to difcourage the undertak- 
ing, whenever a public fpirit, for rendering rivers navigable, ffiall arife 
in this nation. It is indeed to be wiflied, that as the eyes of all begin 
to fee the advantage of good roads for trade and travellers, fo they 
may in time awake, and perceive the greater, at leaB equal ad- 
vantage of improving the water-carriage of this nation. MoB of 
our creeks are capable of being made navigable higher up into the 
country, than they are at prefent ; and indeed were fo formerly : 
and though this might feem needlefs here in Cornwall, where the 
lea is fo near us on either hand, yet I think this is a Brong argu- 
ment for, inBead of being againB the improvement of our water- 
carriage ; it being evidently of lb much the lefs difficulty, as the 
{pace is fhort, and of fo much the greater advantage than making 
Rivers navigable in an inland country, as the produ&s of the Sea, 
and the Sea-coaB commerce, muB exceed the products of any one 
inland county. But farther : As nature has denied other manures, 
fuch as lime, chalk, marie, or rather art has not yet difcovered 
them in any anfwerable goodnefs and plenty, Sea-fand and ore- 
weed may be reckoned our principal and moB prolffick manures ; 
and fo many of our farmers are forced to carry fand fix, eight, or 
ten miles, and fometimes more, that in the Philofophical Tranfac- 
tions, April 1675, in a letter to Dr. Daniel Cox, I find the carriage 
is eflimated at 32,000k a year : if therefore we were to receive no 
other benefit than the faving in this one article of Sea-fand, which 
furely might be reckoned one half of the prefent carriage, it could 
not be unworthy the publick notice of this County. But many 
other and Bill greater conveniencies are obvious, fuch as bringing 
up timber and other materials for building, and tin-works, carry- 
ing, recarrying, and exporting metals, communicating necefiaries 
from London and Brifiol, introducing the products of foreign 
countries, eafier conveyance of coal, and wood (with which the fides 
of our navigable Rivers are remarkably well furnifhed) for firing. 
Thefe apparent advantages of improving our navigable Rivers moved 
fome worthy patriots of the lafl century to make an eBay on one parti- 
cular 
