Among the principal canals in England for the passage of barges, some of which run to very great elevation, are the— Length. Rise.
Miles. Feet.
Grand Junction 128 Leeds and Liverpool.... 128 433 Trent and Mersey 93 326 Kennet and Avon 57 402 The C. of the Loire is one of those aiding the navigation of a river. It has a width on the water line of 33 ft., and a depth of 5} ft., the locks being 17 ft. broad, and 100 ft. long. The river Lea and the Mersey and Irwell Navigations in England, and the Welland C. in Canada, formed to connect lake Erie with lake Ontario, and avoid the falls of Niagara, are also among the most noteworthy works of this class; the river Thames, above the first lock at Twickenham, partakes also of the nature of a canal.
Many canals pass through long tunnels, some very low and without towing-paths, in which case the mode of propulsion is by the boatmen lying on their backs and pushing with their feet against the roof of the tunnel.
The great expenditure of water and time in "locking" have led to the trial of various other plans for overcoming differences in level. On the Great Western C., boats are raised and lowered by means of machinery, called a perpendicular lift. On the Morris C. (United States), boats are conveyed on a carriage up a railway inclined plane, from one reach to another; on the Chard C., Somersetshire, and on the Monkland C., near Glasgow, they are taken afloat in a caisson, or water-tight vessel, up or down an inclined plane—in the latter case, empty boats of 60 tons burden are raised or lowered 96 feet.
Other matters engineers have to consider are an ample supply of water, by means of feeders and reservoirs to the summit-level; stop-gates at convenient distances, to shut off the water in case of damage to any part of the C.; means of drainage when repairs are necessary; and provision against leakage through the banks, by puddling or otherwise. The floor-line or bottom of a C. is usually made twice the width of the largest boat likely to enter the C., with an addition of 6 or 8 in. for play at each side, and the depth 12 or 18 in. more than the draught of the boat.
The introduction of railways has materially interfered with C. traffic, and some canals have been altogether abandoned. Many, however, still continue to prosper, as, for instance, the Grand Junction, the Lea Navigation, and the Trent and Mersey. It is estimated that the inland boat navigation constructed in Great Britain exceeds 4,700 miles. In the United States there are upwards of 4,000 in. of C., of which 1300 m. are
in New York state. The C. system has also been very extensively carried out in France, which has a large mileage of artificial inland water navigation. A new canal, which shortens the distance from Amsterdam to the North sea to 15 In., has recently been com pleted. The harbor is near Wyk-aan-Zee. and the minimum width is to be 80 yards. This canal was constructed mainly by British capital and engineers.
Lairs regarding Canals.—The traffic, and generally the rights, duties, and liabilities of canal companies are regulated by two acts of parliament, the 8 and 9 Viet. c. 42, and the 17 and 18 Vict. c. 31, called "the railway and canal traffic act, 1854." The word canal is declared to include any navigation whereon tolls are levied by authority of parliament. and also the wharves and landing-places used by such canal or navigation; and traffic is defined as including not only passengers and their luggage, but also goods, animals, trucks, boats, and vehicles of every description. All tolls and charges in respect of the traffic are to be charged equally to all persons. It is declared to be the duty of canal companies to make arrangements for the receiving and forwarding of traffic without unreasonable delay and without partiality, and facilities are given for a remedy to parties complaining of want of attention in these respects.
According to section 7 of the 17 and 18 Vict. c. 31, companies are liable for neglect or default in the carriage of animals or goods, although they may have given notice to the contrary. Where the effect of such neglect or default occasions the loss of or injury to animals, the act provides that no greater damages shall be recovered than as follows: for any horse, £50; for any neat cattle, per head, £15; for any sheep or pigs. per head, £2, unless at the time of delivery for transit, the animals were declared to have been of higher value. No special contract between the company and parties employing the canal shall be binding on the latter unless signed by them. The act saves the rights, liabilities of companies under the carriers' act, the 11 Geo. IV. and 1 Will. IV. c. 68. Injury to canals, with intent to obstruct the navigation, is punishable with penal ser vitude for not more than seven, or less than three years; or imprisonment for two years, with the addition of hard labor, solitary confinement, and whipping, at the discretion of the court. See CA Int IERS.