From the northern extremity of the Tring summit, a branch passes off; and proceeds upon one level, 61 miles, to near the town of Wendover. It is chiefly for supply ing water.
A little way north of the Tring summit, and 45 feet below it, a branch passes 6 miles to the town of Ayles bury, having a fall of 95 feet by 14 locks. This branch is partly for the supply of that town and neighbourhood, and chiefly as a step towards forming a junction with the Wilts and Berks canal at the town of Abingdon, to which there is a fall fronn Aylesbury of 96 feet.
Ile next branch proceeds from the west end of Wol verton embankment, and passes up the north bank of the river Ouse 91 miles, with a rise of 13 feet, to the town of Buckingham, chiefly for supplying that town and neigh bourhood with coals and other articles.
A little west of Blisworth tunnel at Gayton, a branch of 5 miles passes to the river Nene, at Northampton, with a fall of 112 feet, to supply that place and neigh bourhood, and open a direct communication from it with London.
The last operations upon the main line of canal, were the embankment at Wolverton, and the tunnel at Blis worth. These were completed, and the whole naviga tion from London to the Oxford canal at Braunston open ed in 1805. The tlade is various and great, and the re venue in 1813 was 168,390/. notwithstanding the follow ing low rates of tonnage, viz. lime and limestone a far ihing per ton per mile ; all other stone, brick, slate, pig iron, lead, and all sorts of manure, one halfpenny ; coal, coke, three farthings; other goods, merchandise, one penny per ton per mile.
The execution of a line of canal through so great an extent of country presented a variety of new views and interests, ancl of course required a number of separate acts, viz. 53, 34, 35, 36, 38, 41, 43, and 45 Geo. III. William Jessop was employed as engineer in planning the works, and while they were executing ; and Thomas Telford was employed to examine and report their state previous to opening the Blisworth tunnel, and the whole navigation, and continues to be the chief engineer for that great company.
The width of the main line is 36 feet at top water, and 24 feet at bottom, with 41 feet depth of water. The locks arc 85 feet long, and 14 feet 6 inches wide. Some of' the branches are for 7 feet boats.
The Grand Junction Canal having opened a commu nication between the great manufacturing districts in thc interior of thc kingdom ancl the metropolis, created a great depot at the western suburb at Paddington ; but the city of London and all its eastern extremities were still very distant, and difficult or access ; and these cir cumstances gave.rise to the project named the Regent's canal.
It departs from the Grand Junction canal at Padding ton, and passes for a little way in open cuttings. It then crosses the Edge ware road, and some high giound in a tunnel about a quarter of a mile in leilgth. It after wards proceeds chiefly in deep cutting, along the north ern side of the Regent's Park to the Hampstead road, near to which a branch, three-fourths of a mile in length, passes along the eastern side of the park to an extensive basin, all hitherto on the same level as the Grand Junc tion Paddington arm. After crossing the Hampstead and Highgate roads, the line crosses the fields to Isling ton, having descended by four locks. It next passes under Islington by a tunnel 900 yards in length.
From the eastern extremity of the tunnel, the line passes through rich pasturage fields to the inn called the Rosemary Branch, having descended by two more locks, and had a short branch taken off, in order to ap proach the central parts of the city of London. Froni the Rosemary Branch the canal passes the Kingsland and Haggerstone roads to the IIackney road on Cam bridge heath, in which distance there is one lock. It afterwards passes by Bonner's Hall to Mile End road. This distance has two locks. It then crosses the corn mercial road immediately on the eastern side of Alessi's. Brunton's patent cable chain manufactory, and after crossing a field and Queen-street, terminates on the north bank of the river Thames at Limehouse. In this last division there are two locks, which, with the tide lock, makes in all 13. The whole length of the canal being Si miles, and the fall from Paddington level to the high water of the Thames at Limehouse 84 feet. The tide back and basin will receive coasting vessels, and the rest of the canal river barges. It is thirty feet wide at the bottom, and 45 feet at top .water, w'nich is to be 5 feet deep.