At Runcorn, commences the powers of the :Mersey and Irwel Navigation Company, under an act 32 Geo. III. These rivers have been improved by locks and weirs, so as to complete the navigation up to the bridge between thc town of" :Manchester and Salford. The total risG is about 70 feet. In 1758, the price of carriage on this river between Liverpool and :Manchester was 12 shillings ; but on the completion of the Duke's canal it fell to six shillings.
Prom the Duke's canal at Manchester proceeds the Rochdale canal, which passes by the town of Rochdale and the northern extremity of the high land, named Blackstone Edge, and terminates in the Calder and Ilebblc navigation at Sowerby wharf, Halifax, the whole length being 31i miles. From Alanchester to the sum mit it ascends 438 feet in about 14j miles. The sum mit is 5-1 miles; and to Sowerhy wharf the distance is with a fall of 275 feet. It is supplied with water hy means of three large reservoirs, which collect flood water from Blackstone Edgehills. The locks are for boats of 14 feet beam. The whole navigation was completed in 1804. The acts are 34, 40, 44. Geo.
From the Rochdale canal at Alanchestcr branches off the Ashton and Oldham canal. It passes by Fairfield, and terminates in the Huddersfield canal at Duckenfield bridge. Its length is I 1 miles, and rise 152 feet. It also joins the Peake Forest canal by a branch of one fourth of a mile. There is another branch of one mile up to the town of Ashton, and another of 31- miles to New Mill and to Park collieries. From the Ashton main line at Draysfield, a blanch of six miles passes to the town of Stockport ; and from that a branch of three miles goes to Beatbank in Denton. All these canals are for boats of seven feet bean). The Ashton line was com pleted in 1796, and that to Stockport in 1797. The acts are 32, 33, 38, 40, 45 Geo. III.
From the Ashton proceeds the Pcake Forest canal. It passes in a south-east direction 17 miles to Chapel -Milton, and thence by a railway and inclined plane six miles to Loads Knowl lime quarries in the Peak. 'chere is a canal branch of half a mile to Whaley hridge, and a railway branch of 11 mile to AIarple. This canal being through a very rugged country, has expensive .vorks, one an aqueduct of three 60 feet arches, each about 100 feet high ; and the inclined plane 515 yards long, and 204 feet fall. The acts are 34, 40, 45 Geo. III. Engineer, Benjamin Outram.
Nearly from the same point as the last, the Hudders field canal departs from the Ashton, pursuing a north east direction across the ridge which here separates Cheshire from the West Riding of Yorkshire, which it passes by a tunnel above three miles in length, but most ly in rock. After passing the tunnel, the canal de
scends to Huddersfield. The total length is 19/ miles : that is to say, from the Ashton canal to the western end of the summit about 81 miles, with an ascent of 334 feet by 31 locks. The summit is 31 miles, occupied chiefly by the tunnel. From the eastern end of it to Hudders field is about 7/ miles, with a fall of 436 feet by 42 locks. The canal is supplied by reservoirs. The principal ones are in the Stannage hills, and one on the eastern side, above 70 feet deep, at Slaithwaite, which is below the summit level. The whole of the canal forms a striking instance of British enterprise and industry.
Sir John Ramsden's canal is a short link of 31 miles of length, with a fall 57a feet by 9 locks, between the Huddersfield and Calder and Hebble navigation. The :ocks are 64 feet long, and fifteen feet wide.
From the river Irwell in Salford, the Bolton and Bury canal ascends to a basin in Salford; from thence for four miles the canal is level, In the next three miles it ascends by 12 locks; thence to Bolton four miles it is level. From Bolton a branch proceeds 4 miles to Bury. The whole rise is 187 feet. The locks arc for boats 14 feet beam. The country over which it passes is very rugged. The acts are 31, 41 Geo. III.
From the north shore of the NIersey, a little below Warrington, the Sankey navigation proceeds to the col lieries near St. Helen's) a distance of 12i miles with a _ _ rise of 78 feet, by eight single and two double locks, for river barges. The depth of water is 5 feet 7 inches. There are three short branches. This canal was open ed in 1760, and has a great trade in coal.
Proceeding northwards, we find a very extensive ca nal pass quite from the western shore to the middle of the kingdom, named the Leeds and Liverpool canal. It commences at Liverpool, and terminates in the Aire and Calder navigation at the tunnel at Leeds, a total dis tance of 130 miles. The rise front low water in the Alersey to the canal basin is 52 feet, and thence to the summit near Caine 431 feet. Fron) the summit to the eastern termination the fall is 410 feet. The locks are for boats 70 feet long, with 14 feet beam ; and the canal has 41 feet of water. The great tunnel of Foulridge is 1630 yards in length ; it is 18 feet high, and 17 feet wide. The purposes of this canal are to open a communication between Yorkshire and Liverpool, carriage of coal and lime from the neighbourhood of Wigan, Scc. and the transport of agricultural produce. The acts are 10, 23, 30, 34 Geo. III. Engineers, James Brindley and Robert W hit» ot th.