3. The river 13ann. for 9 miles into Lough Neagh, which is navigible 13 mites, and 8 broad, and which also communicates with Belfast by the Laggan navi gation, with the Tyrone collieries by the Black-water river, and with the town of Anuim by the Antrim river.
The chief trade on the Newry canal, is importing bleaching materials, flax seed, iron, timber, and fareign produce from Newry ; and exporting agricultural pro duce, yarn, linen, and coal.
The Nore river is a branch of the Barrow. It rises in the Slieve Bloom, passes Kilkenny, becomes n viga ble for barges at 'Ihotnastown, and for sea vessels at Inistogue, and near New Ross falls into the Barrow.
The Royal canal extends from Dublin westward to the Shannon, nearly parallel to the Grancl canal, seldom 10 miles distant. The navigation commences on the north side of the Liffey, by a sea lock 116 feet by 27 feet, with 14} feet high water ; there is next a floating dock, to contain 25 sail of ships : there is also a second dock, now incomplete ; from thence the canal has 6 feet water, 24 feet bottom, and 44 width at surface ; in 14 mile, it rises 62 feet, by 4 locks, to the broad-stone level, where there is a large harbour for the use of the city. From thence, in 184 miles, there is a farther rise of 175 feet by 14 locks. The level is then 16 miles in length ; then 8 locks, in 54 miles, rise 70 feet to the summit level, which is 307 above the sea ; this summit is 12 miles in length to Coolnahay, communicating by a navigable river at AIullingar, with Lough Owell, which is the chief reservoir for this navigation. From Coolnahay, the canal descends by 15 locks, in 22 miles, to the Shannon at Tarmonbarry, in the county of Longford. Total length, 68 Irish miles. 'file Shannon is navigable from this point 27 miles.
'For Shannon is the largest river in Ireland. It rises in LJugh Allen, in the county of Leitrim, running south ward 100 miles to Limerick, where it enters the titl,?-way, and from thence westward 50 miles to the Atlantic Ocean. In its course, this river exp olds into a vai iety of wide lakes. of which Lough Rec and Lough D rg are the most remarkable ; it is joined by the Royal C .nal at
Tarmonbarry, hy the Grand Canal at Shannon barb() near Banagher, and has been rendt•red n tvigable through the greatest part of its course. Round Lough Mien re valuable inin,-s of iron-stone and coal. Near Lough Derg are quarries of excellent slate, and although mu -ht of the immediate bank of the Shannon is turl-bog. t..e course of the river is, in general, through a f”traile country.
1st, The Snannon is navigable for ships of 300 tons, to Limerick, where the Limerick navigation commences, and proceeds partly in the river, and partly by canals, to pass the rapids, 12 miles to Killaloe, at the entrance of Lough Derg. There 3IT 11 locks on this navigation, and a track-way for the whole length. There are cap stans and warping chains 2.t O'Brien's bridge, and various lesser works. The whole suited to vessels frequenting the Grand Canal.
2d, From Killaloe Lough Dcrg is navigable by the sail and oar, 20 Irish miles (or '25; Engli,A) to Portumna. At the upper end of Lough Derg, the Shannon becomes the property of the Grand Canal for 40 Irish miles, as far as Lough Ree, above Athlone ; and, to facilitate its navigation, there are four locks of large dimensions, with side-cuts at the bridges of Athlone, Shannon bridges, Banagher, and Cloghan, but there is no track ing path.
3d, Above Athlone, we enter Lough Ree, 13 Irish miles in length, navigable by sail and oat. Above this lake, at Lanesborough, commences the Upper Shannon navigation, which is as yet public property, and extends 26 Irish (equal to 33 English) miles to near Leitrim, fit for boats of four feet water, leming only 7 miles unnavi gable to Lough Allen, which is 7 Irish miles in length. The vessels using this navigation generally carry 30 to 40 tons, are worked with a square sail, and have four hands on board. There are side-cuts at the bridges of Lanesborough, Tarmonbarry, Rooskey, Jamestown, &c. The rest of the navigation being in wide reaches of the river, with shallow shores, and without track-ways, is necessarily very imperfect ; but, by the late invention of the steam boats, most of the difficulties attending the river and lake navigation may be obviated.