The Slaney river rises among the 'Wicklow moun tains, and, running southwards, falls into the channel at Wexford ; it is navigable for barges 15 miles to En niscorthy.
The Suir river, a branch of the Barrow, rises from the Keeper 'Mountains, and the northern part of the range of Slieve Bloom, in the county of Tipperary, and run ning southwards, passes Thurles, Cashel, and Cahir ; afterwards turning eastward, it becomes navigable for barges at Clonmell, for sloops at Carrick, and the largest sea vessels lie afloat in 40 feet water, at the town of Waterford, five miles below which it joins the united Nore ancl Barrow, and thence turning southward for 11 miles, forms Waterford harbour, and joins the Atlantic ; but, with the exception of a towing path from Carrick to Clonmell, no remarkable improvement has been made upon this river.
Below 'Waterford, the Suir divides into two branches, embracing the little island. Of these, that called the King's Channel, though deep, is circuitous and dan gerous. The other, called the Ford, is more direct, though shallow. An act was lately obtained for the purpose of deepening this ford, and otherwise improv ing the navigation of the Suir, and levying duties on the ships for defraying the expense. A steam-dredging engine has been constructed, and the work is now in pro gress. 'IThere are, however, other bars in the haven, on which there is not depth at low water of more than 12 or 13 feet.
The Tyrone colliery canal extends from Coal Island, in the county of Tyrone, three rniles to the Blackwater river, and from thence, by a short cut across the Isthmus of Maghery, into Lough Neagh, thereby avoiding the bar of the Blackwater, upon which there is only about 22 incites of water in summer. The vessels using this canal are the same as those on the Newry and Laggan navigation. There are eight locks to the Colliery basin, from whence a wooden ailway cxtends to the rnine3 This canal is chiefly retnarkable, as being the first in this country, on which inclined planes and railway s were employed to umte canal ponds of very different levels. The mcrit of the attempt is due to Mr. Dail, Llukart, who had been an engineer in the Sardinian se, vice, and adopted the idea firm the lolling bi idges used on the continent ; but, after taking the opinion GI Messrs. Smeaton and Jessop, these works could not bt:
completed, from the want of funds, and the death of the engineer, and a common rail-road has been adopted.
Such has been the rise and progress of the inland navigations of Ireland, which are chiefly remarkable for bGing undertaken, not to facilitate any existing trade. ot to form a short passage instead of a circuitous navigation, nor even for the export of inland mines, for the two °I three solitary instances where this was attempted have been unsuccessful ; but they have been undertaken chiefly to promote agriculture in the fertile districts of the interior, to create a trade where none had previous]) existed, and to furnish employment for the poor. The success, in this way, has been wonderful ; and, though the adventurers have not yet been repaid, and perhaps never will, if we except those who have advanced capi tal by way of loan, to whom the interest has been paid with great regnlarity, the benefit to the public and landed property of the kingdom has been great and manifest. The nation has been sa;ted the payment ot a bounty of 100,000/. per annum for bringing corn to Dublin; for, in place of this being the case, that city has now become one of the first corn ports of F.urope : and Ireland, in general, which, half a century ago, imported corn to the value of half a tnillion per annum, has now a surplus produce in that article to the value of four mil lions per annum, while the whole amount of the expendi ture, whether on public or private works of navigation, even including the interest paid on loans, hardly amounts to three millions.
lmerica.
In treating of the inland navigation of North America, We must describe lakes, rivers, and projects for artificial canals.
This continent is singularly favoured by nature in thi. immense extent and ramification of its navigable waters Its great central plain is occupied, in the north, by the lakes of Canada, the largest body of fresh water on the globe, the outlet of which forms the great river St. Law rence, running to the north-east. The south and west are drained to the Gulph of Mexico by the still greater river Mississippi, which, with its various branches, is navigable in most places nearly to their sources.