The transport of these commodities is facilitated by an extensive and well organized system of inland navi gation, the canals in this county being numerous, ancl the tivers excellently adapted for the purposes of com mercial intercourse. No fewer than four of these canals take their rise in the Trent, and have a considerable part of their course within the limits of this county. The Nottingham canal extends about fifteen miles in a north-west direction to join that of Cromford, near Langley Bridge, not far from the termination of the Erewash cut ; and is also connected by a side branch with the canal, which joins the rivers Trent and Mersey. Grantham Canal is also united with the Trent ; as it terminates near Holme Pier Point, and sends a branch three miles uptvard to the town of Bing ham. It falls no less than eighty-two feet within six miles, after entering this county', front Cromwell Bishop through the \Voids till it reaches the river. 13ut the most important water-communication is the Chester field Canal, which commences in Derbyshire, close to the town from which it is named, crosses Sherwood forcst, and, after a circuitous course of forty miles, passes into the Trent at Stockuith. At the same point likewise terminates another canal, that of the Idle river, which commences at Bawtry, and runs nearly cast along. the northern verge of the county, forming. indeed more properly a river navigation than a cut. In one part of its course it has the name of Bycar Dyke; and about half a mile from Stockwith, its place of junction with the Trent, is Alisterten Sas, a large sluice, con trived for the purpose of drawing off' the floods from the lowlands through which that river flows.
Of the ancient history of Nottinghamshire my little is known. Originally it formed part of the settlements of the Coritani; in common with the rest of the island it became the prey of the Romans, and had several colonies of that enterprising people planted in it, as is evident, not only from written accounts, but also from various antiquities discovered at different times, and particularly from the roads, of which considerable ves tiges still remain, leading to and from their different stations. Under the Saxon sway this district formed
part of the kingdom of Mercia; and after the union of the heptarchy under one monarch, it continued to be governed by earls, bearing a similar title. After the conquest the same changes took place here as in other districts ; the forest of Sherwood became noted as the resort of various outlaws, wh.ose exploits have long formed the theme of many popular ballads; but the subsequent history of the county is too closely con nected with that of the kingdom at large to admit of anv particular exposition in this place.
At the close of the seventeenth century the number of houses in the comity was 17,554; the inhabitants were estimated as amounting to 105,300. In 1801, there were found to he 68,558 males, and 71,792 le males ; uin all 140,350 souls; or whom 35,513 wele employed in trade and manufactures, and 23,904 in the various branches of agriculture. By the returns of 1811, the total number was found to have increased to 162,900 ; there being 79,057 males, and 83,843 fe males.
As to the poor, their condition, owing to the subdivi sion of farms, and other causes, is saicl to be preferable to that of such persons in most other counties of Eng land , but of the rates and mode of management we possess no legular account, except for the county town.
See Beauties of England and Wales, vol. xii.; ancl Lowe's ilgricultural Survey.