But Mr. Telford's survey was continued across the Welland Valley, and thence to Oxenden, where it ascended 23 feet by three locks ; and thence proceeded, on the same level, to the Grand Junction at Buckley Wharf. From Arthington a level branch proceeded six miles to the limestone quarries at Rushton, making in all a summit level of about 30 miles, and that corre sponding with the Grand Junction summit at Braunston, would have added 4 miles more, say 34 miles of sum mit. The objects here were chiefly agricultural, viz. the coals from Derbyshire, in one direction, and by the Ox ford and Grand Junction Canals in the other ; but both led to the limestone quarries in Northamptonshire, and thence exported lime in all directions. General mer chandise, for the consumption of the populous country, would also have been considerable ; but the views of the Grand Junction proprietors being chiefly commercial, the most direct line between Buckley and Gumley Wharfs Ivas preferred, although passing near to the Ox ford Canal, and encumbered with a double lockage and two tunnels.
The only other important branch, to the eastward, is the Ashby de la Zouj.l..' Canal, which passes northward to the town of that nan.ie, by a very circuitous course, south of Hinckley, front the Oxford Canal et Alarston Bridge, near Nuneaton, 1'0 all a distance of 40 miles.
From the Oxford Cana; past Hinckley, to Oakthorpe engine, upon the Ashby \Voids, a distance of 301- miles, the canal is upon one level ; from this place to Boothorpe feeder, 14 mile, there is a rtse of 140 feet. The sum mit level then continues 4;111111es to the north end of the great tunnel, and thence, to ',he Clouclshill branch, a quarter of a mile, the fall is 8/ feet. A water branch goes 231- miles level to Swadlingcote coalworks; ano ther of seven furlongs, with a fall of 23 feet, to Stainton limeworks; a third of 200 yard:: level, to Hinckley Wharf. There is also a railway 5.1 miles to Tianall lime works, and another, 5 miles, to All-. Wilkes's Alea sham collieries. There is one tunnel c.-1 yards in length, at Ashby de la Zouch, and another 200 at Snareston. At Boothorpe is a large reservoir, from which water is taised by a steam engine into a feeder, which conducts it to the summit level. This navigation was completed in 1805. Act 34 Geo. III.
Scotland.
The northern division of Great Britain, called Scot land, being chiefly mountainous, its general appropria tion will probably always bc pasturage. Although, in some parts of the country, agriculture has of late years made rapid and successful progress, yet the districts proper for it are of small extent, the valleys narrow, and the hills approaching near to the sea-shore. It is fortunate that the central parts abound in coal, lime, iron, and lead. The mountains, though numerous and lofty, are generally disposed in ridges and detached groups, separated by valleys whose elevations are small. Be tween the rivers Forth and Clyde, the highest part of the valley is only 156 feet above the tideway. The val ley of Glenmore, or the Great Glen of Scotland, which passes from the Aloray Firth, in the east, to the Linnhc Loch, on the west side of the island, is not 100 feet high.
Many others, although not so correctly ascertained, ap pear to be equally low. The extremities of these val leys are generally filled with arms of the sea, while fresh water lakes not unfrequcntly occupy a considerable por tion of their middle space. These valleys, being also ge nerally exposed to temperate winds from the Western Ocean, are seldom much incommoded by frost and snow, circumstances render them peculiarly suitable for lines of communication between different parts of the country, and accordingly several of them have from time immemorial been thus employed. In the reign of the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius, a fottified wail and military road were constructed between the rivers Forth and Clyde, as a barrier against such of the natives as re mained unsubdued. After that badge of foreign inter ference had been destroyed, the same pass received a principal road for the intercourse between the populous districts on the eastern and western side of the island.
In process of time, when inland nal igation had made considerable progress on the Continent uf Europe, the proptiety of having one along this land-pass between the rivers Forth and Clyde became so evident, that in thc feign of Charles II. there was a proposal for construct ing a canal capable of receiving transpolts and small ships of war, the expense of which was estimated at 500,000/. The project was probably suggested by the then Duke of York, an experienced naval officer, a.nd no doubt well acquainted with the inland navigation of France and Holland. That no practical measures were adopted, may be attributed to the turbulence of the times, or it may have been discovered, that although thcre was a sufficient depth of water in the liver Forth, yet that the Firth of Clyde, above Port Glasgow, was unfit for vessels of the above-mentioned description. The subject was not resumed until the year 17'2'2, and then only carried the length of a survey. In 1761 Lord Na pier had a survey and plan made at his own expense. The subject having been thus fairly agitated, it was in 1763 taken up by the Trustees for Fisheries, and again in 1766, at the expense of a subscription in Glasgow ; but these latter piojects being only for a depth of from 4 to 5 feet water, were superseded by one to admit small coasting vessels, and Mr. Srneaton, one of the most emi nent engineers of that day, was employed to survey the country, and prepare plans. Upon these an act of par liament was obtained early in 1768. Practical operations were commenced on the 10th of June, and in November 1777, the navigation was completed to Hamilton Hill, near Glasgow. In 1786, the extension from Kelvin to the Clyde was commenced, and completed to the tideway at.Bowling Bay in July 1790. In November following. it was carried to Port Dundas, and from thence to the Monkland Canal Basin.