At West Houghton, near Wigan, commences the Lancaster canal : it passes Charley, Garstang, Lancaster, and Burton, and terminates at Kendal in Westmoreland, in all a distance of about 76 miles. Its detail is as fol lows : From West Houghton to Barkhill, 31 miles, it is level; thence past Cnorley to Clayton Green, to near thc south bank of the river Ribble, 13/ miles, it is level. From Clayton Green, across the valley of the Rihble, to the top of its south bank, 3* miles, a fall of 222 feet, is passed by a railway and inclined plane on each side of the valley. From the north bank past Garstang and Lancaster to Tewitfield, near Borwick, 421 miles, is level; from thence to Kendal 14 miles, there is a rise of about 66 feet. Near to Lancaster there is a very fine aqueduct of 5 arches, each 70 feet span over the river Lune. See Plate CCCCXIV. Fig. 5. The canal is for boats of 14 feet beam. The acts are 32, 33. 36, 40 Geo. III. James Brindley was employed in this scheme in 1772. Robert Whitworth was employed in 1791, and John Rennie directed the execution of the works. The country adjacent to its southern extremity abounds in coal mines; and there are mountains of limestone near its northern termination. To connect these, and facilitate the general intercourse of that extensive dis trict, are the purposes of this canal.
North of Lancaster, the country continues mountain ous to near the borders of Scotland. But adjacent to Carlisle, in the county of Cumberland, the country is comparatively flat, and well cultivated ; and from thence across the country to Newcastle there is a sort of valley, through which the rivers Irthing and Eden flow to the westward, and the 'Fyne to the eastward. The narrow ness of the island at this place, and the comparative low ness of the surntnit, has frequently suggested the idea of a canal between the east and west seas, and to open the great mines of coal, lime, and lead, which are situat ed in the interior of the country. In 1795, a survey WaS made bv William Chapman, and examined and ap proved by Air. Jessop, and a bill brought into Parliament for a line of canal, commencing to the eastward of New castle, passing on the north side of that town, the river Tyne, and the town of Hcxham, to a summit at Glen whelt, 445 feet above the level of thc sea ; from thence descending westward down the southern side of the river Irthing, and town of Brampton and after crossing the liver Eden, and passing on tbe south side of the city of Carlisle, terminating in the Irish sea at the port of Workington, about 30 miles from the said city ; the to tal distance being about 94 miles. The general utility of this canal was admitted; but owing chiefly to a differ ence of opinion as to which side of the valley of the Tyne the canal should pass, the bill was thrown out ; and the measure has not since that time been generally resumed, although portions of it, as partial projects, have been occasionally taken up. The city of Cat lisle
having considerably extended its manufactures, and also increased in population, and being desirous of creating a competition in the supply of coals, and of opening a communication by sea-vessels quite up to thc city, em ployed Thomas Telford in 1808 to make a survey and report of the best means of accomplishing this object. Finding that the Solway Frith was navigable by coasting vessels up to past Bowness, distant about 13 miles from Carlisle, he recommended a canal between these two places for small sea-vessels. The plan WaS approved of; but the state of the country being then unfavourable for new projects, it was only in 1818 that Mr. Chapman produced a plan and report upon this line from Bowness to Carlisle ; upon which a bill was brought in, and an act of Parliament obtained early in 1819. Mr. Chap man's plan is for locks 74 feet long,17 wide, and 8 feet depth of water in the canal. The canal terminates in a field on the south side of-Carlisle, at 32 feet above the Sol way basin. This, when executed, will form a portion of the general line across the island ; and Mr. Telford having, in 1819, surveyed a continuation to the town of Brampton, it is hoped that Mr. Chapman will be enabled to carry on, and by degrees complete his very excellent line of-communication across the kingdom.
On the eastern coast there are three rivers which de serve attention, from lacing navigable for some distance from their mouths, and the great intercourse in coal and lime which is carried on in two of them. The rivers we allude to are the Tees, the Wear, and the Tyne.
The Tees divides the counties of York and Durham, and the tide flows up it 12 miles to Stockton, to which place it is navigable ; the spring tides rise about 13 feet. The imports are deal timber and general merchandise ; and exports are agricultural produce.
Ttie river Wear is navigable from its mouth past Sunderland, about 8 miles into the country, to the vici nity of Lumley Castle. The tide rises 13 feet at its mouth, which, although confined by pecrs, is incom moded by a bar. A very great trade is carried on here in coal and lime. The coal is sent chiefly to London and the south of England, the lime to the north of Scot land. From the staiths, or shipping platforms, on the banks of this river, various iron railways proceed to the works, distant about seven miles. From these staiths, on tne steep banks of the river, the loaded waggons are discharged immediately into the vessels which lie below them. At Sunderland, the sea vessels pass under the great iron bridge, %%hid) is 236 feet span, and WO feet high, withnut interruption.