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A treatise on the improvement
of canal navigation
10
Robert Fulton
Sem
HOPKINS TRANSPORTA TION
LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY
1891
STANFORD
UNIVERSITY
LIBRARIES
E.S.GIRD
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TION LIBRARY HOPPENS
UNIVERSITY STATE
1891
STANFORD
UNIVERSITY
LIBRARIES
e 5.9.GIRD
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Digitized by Google
A
TREATISE
ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF
CANAL NAVIGATION;
EXHIBITING
THE NUMEROUS ADVANTAGES TO BE DERIVED FROM
SMALL CANALS.
AND BOATS OF TWO TO FIVE FEET WIDE, CONTAINING FROM
TWO TO FIVE TONS BURTHEN.
WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THE
MACHINERY for facilitating CONVEYANCE by WATER through the moft
Mountainous Countries, independent of LOCKS and AQUEDUCTS:
INCLUDING
Obfervations on the great Importance of Water Communications,
WITH
THOUGHTS ON, AND DESIGNS FOR, AQUEDUCTS AND BRIDGES OF IRON AND WOOD.
ILLUSTRATED WITH SEVENTEEN PLATES.
BY R. FULTON, CIVIL ENGINEER.
LONDON.
Publifhed by I. and J. TAYLOR at the ARCHITECTURAL LIBRARY, HIGH HOLBORN.
1796.
Recent's
STANFORD
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LELAND
+
UNIVERSITY
+
H1085
УЛАЯВЫ ЗИОТИАТ: 10
( iii )
CONTENTS.
Page
MINUTES of a Committee of the Board of Agriculture, holden
Friday, March 4th, 1796,
-
-
-
V
To Meffrs. Fesop, Whitworth, Outram, Miln, and Rennie,
vii
Preface,
-
-
-
-
-
-
ix
Introduction,
-
-
-
-
-
xiii
CHAP. I. Of the Origin and progreffive Improvement of Canals, I
CHAP. II. Of the Importance of Canal Navigations, and the
Benefits arifing to Society by eafy Communications,
-
11
CHAP. III. On the Formation of Canals, and the Mode of extend-
ing them into every Diftrict,
-
-
-
-
-
20
CHAP. IV. On cutting Canals for Coafting Veffels, River, or
Forty-ton Boats, in Order to fave the transfer of Cargo to Boats
of Smaller Dimenfions, 95
-
-
-
-
26
CHAP. V. Of the particular Conftruction of the Boats, and their
Application to various Situations,
-
-
-
3 I
CHAP. VI. Defcription of the Second Plate, exbibiting a Double-
Inclined Plane, for the Purpofe of palfing Boats, and their Cargoes,
to, and from, the different Ponds, or Levels, in Canal Navigation, 39
CHAP. VII. Of the Syftem of Navigating,
-
-
57
CHAP. VIII. On the Saving of Water,
-
-
-
68
CHAP. IX. Defcription of the Single-Inclined Plane,
-
71
CHAP. X. Defcription of the Medium Plane for a Small Afcent,
being a Medium between Locks and Planes,
- 76
CHAP. XI. Of conftructing Aqueducts,
-
-
-
82
a 2
CHAP.
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Page
CHAP. XII. The Mode of croffing Rivers and gaining Height at
the Jame Time, performing the Double Operation of an Aqueduct
and Locks,
-
-
-
-
-
89
CHAP. XIII. The Parellel Plane
-
-
-
91
CHAP. XIV. On Perpendicular Lifts to pafs Boats,
-
93
CHAP. XV. Defcription of the perpendicular Lift,
-
94
CHAP. XVI. Defcription of Plate XI.
-
-
97
CHAP. XVII. Defcription of Plate XII. reprefenting the Second
Mode of paffing the alternate Trade by a perpendicular Lift,
100
CHAP. XVIII. Of Caft-Iron Rail Roads,
-
-
IOI
CHAP. XIX. On Conclufion of the Small Canal Syftem,
-
105
CHAP. XX. Plate XIII. reprefents an Aqueduct of Caft Iron,
114
CHAP. XXI. On Bridges,
-
-
-
-
117
CHAP. XXII. Plate XIV. On Bridges of Iron,
-
-
120
CHAP. XXIII. Plate XVII. Of Bridges of Wood,
-
I26
To Thomas Mifflin, Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennfylvania, 132
MINUTES
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( V )
MINUTES of a COMMITTEE of the BOARD of AGRICULTURE, holden
FRIDAY, MARCH 4th, 1796.
T
HIS Committee having taken into confideration the reference
concerning Mr. Fulton's invention, and having examined
the Model of his Machines for improving Inland Navigation, by
Inclined Planes and various other apparatus, are of opinion:
That the invention is deferving the attention of thofe who are
engaged in the bufinefs of forming Inland Navigations.
The above Refolution was afterwards confirmed by the Board of
Agriculture, at its meeting on the 8th of March following.
JOHN SINCLAIR, Prefident.
TO THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE.
My LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,
WHEN a fubject is firft brought forward, which has the ap-
pearance of novelty, however found and rational the principle
may be on which it refts, yet it is with much difficulty the pre-
judice in favour of eftablifhed practice can be removed. The
frequent failure of new defigns alfo ftrengthens the arguments of
oppofition, and feems to juftify thofe who are difpofed to perfift
in the habits of their anceftors.
On the other fide, a warm imagination is the ufual companion
of thofe by whom any new plan is formed; hence it becomes ne-
ceffary
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( vi )
ceffary that cool, deliberate, and penetrating men fhould analyze
the ideas, and preferve fuch as are of intrinfic worth and utility.
For this purpofe I have a particular pleafure in placing the fol-
lowing pages before the fcrutinizing eye of the Board of Agricul-
ture; in which I have no doubt but there are numerous errors,
which partiality to a favourite purfuit has prevented me from per-
ceiving: nor have I a wifh that any part of this Work fhould
meet with favour, unlefs it can ftand the teft of the ftricteft in-
quiry, and be fupported by reafon.
To reduce the expence of canals, and extend the benefit of eafy
conveyance into every diftrict, whatever natural obftacles may
prefent themfelves, is certainly an important confideration ; but
if I have not been fo fortunate as to point out the method, there
undoubtedly is one among the infinite materials in the repofitory
of Genius which will be brought into light by energy and in-
veftigation. I fhall therefore feel happy, fhould this Work prove
a ftimulus to induce ingenious men to direct their attention and
talents to further improvement.
With the moft fincere thanks for the meafure which the ho-
nourable Board has been pleafed to take, in order to bring the
fubject of fmall canals to the teft of difcuffion and experience,
I remain,
My Lords and Gentlemen,
With the utmoft gratitude and refpect,
Your obedient and very humble fervant,
ROBERT FULTON.
TO
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TO MESSRS. JESOP, WHITWORTH, OUTRAM, MILN,
AND RENNIE.
GENTLEMEN,
IN fome obfervations on the utility of fmall canals, which I
printed in the Star of July the 30th, 1795, and in which I called
on you to ftate your objections to the fyftem, the Printer, by
miítake, having placed the words, whofe merits I efteem, immedi-
ately after Mr. Whitworth's name, inftead of inferting it after
the names were repeated, it might appear that Meffrs. Outram,
Miln, and Rennie, were excluded from that refpect which I ever
feel for men of fcience. I therefore take this opportunity to ex-
plain the error, in order to rectify any bad impreffion which it
might occafion; and I hope this will be deemed a fufficient
apology.
At the fame time I think it perfectly confonant to the nature
of this Work, again to call on you, together with Meffrs. Telford,
Cockfhot, Chapman, and Benet, to deliberately weigh the follow-
ing pages on fmall canals, and favour me with your opinion,
or tranfmit it to the public, in order that they may be put in the
poffeffion of the arguments for and againft the fyftem. In this
requeft I conceive myfelf perfectly juftified: Firft, Becaufe the
improvement of canals is of national importance; fecond, it is
the duty of every man engaged in public works, to inveftigate
every plan which has the appearance of facilitating fuch works;
third, many ufeful works remain unnoticed, for ages, for want of
7
immediate
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immediate confideration; fourth, by the difcuffion I propofe, the
ufeful or imperfect parts will be more immediately exhibited, and
the mifapplication of the old mode will be detected: hoping that
this fyftem, to its extent, will meet the moft candid and liberal in-
veftigation, and be deliberately confidered and compared with the
old practice for the various canals in contemplation, or which
may hereafter be conftructed.
I remain, with all poffible refpect,
Gentlemen,
Your moft obedient,
ROBERT FULTON.
London, March I, 1796
PREFACE.
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PREFACE.
THE illiber of meeting the oppofition of envy, or the
of ignorance, is, no doubt, the frequent
caufe of preventing many ingenious men ufhering opinions
into the world, which may deviate from the common
practice. Hence, for want of energy, the young idea is
fhackeled with timidity, and a ufeful thought is buried in
the impenetrable gloom of eternal oblivion.
But if we confider for a moment, how much men are the
fons of habit, we fhall find, that almoft the whole opera-
tions of fociety are the produce of accident, and a com-
bination of events, rendered familiar by cuftom, and inter-
woven into the fenfes by time; infomuch, that it is mere
chance if the ideas are awakened to a fenfe of particular
errors. But in fuch cafe it is fortunate, when they arife in
a mind active to inveftigate, and which feels only contented
to reft on the bafis of reafon ; for without this, man muft
ever remain in a fixed point, and improvement will be at
an end: the adventurer muft therefore arm himfelf with
b
forti-
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X
PREFACE.
fortitude to meet the attacks of illiberality and prejudice,
determined to yield to nothing but fuperior reafon; refting
affured, that every virtuous mind will commend an exertion
to remove the rubbifh from around the Temple of Truth,
even fhould the undertaking fail.
There is alfo frequently a fecret pride which urges many
to conceal their fpeculative enquiries, rather then meet cri-
ticifm, or not be thought the firft in their favourite purfuit;
ever anxious to claim the merit of invention, they cannot
brook the idea of having their works diffected, and the
minute parts attributed to the genius of other men. But in
mechanics, I conceive, we fhould rather confider them
improvements than inventions, unlefs improvement may be
called invention, as the component parts of all new machines
may be faid to be old ; but it is that nice difcriminating
judgment, which difcovers that a particular arrangement will
produce a new and defired effect, that ftamps the merit.
And this may perhaps, with propriety, be called either in-
vention or improvement ; which certainly exhibits that the
artift has that penetration which is ufually dignified with the
term Genius. Therefore the mechanic fhould fit down
among levers, fcrews, wedges, wheels, &c. like a poet among
the letters of the alphabet, confidering them as the ex-
hibition of his thoughts; in which a new arrangement
tranfmits a new idea to the world.
It
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PREFACE.
xi
It is for want of this difcrimination, that many a worthy
man, of eafy demeanor, is tormented by the criticifm
of ignorant infignificance ; for men of the leaft genius are
ever the firft to depreciate, and the laft to commend; and,
for an obvious reafon, they have not fenfe to know the pro-
duce of genius when they fee it : But,
" Men of true genius glow with lib'ral fpirit,
And bind a garland round the buft of merit;
While blockheads, void of wildom's grateful light,
Bury diffinction in eternal night."
MOREHEAD.
b 2
INTRO-
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( xiii )
INTRODUCTION.
O
N perufing a paper defcriptive of a canal projected by
the Earl of Stanhope, in 1793, where many difficulties
feem to arife, my thoughts were firft awakened to this
fubject.
The canal was intended for the purpofe of conveying fea
fand, as a manure, from Bude Haven, in Cornwall, to the
high grounds near Houlfworthy and Hatherleigh, in Devon-
fhire : on which the difference between the fummit and
lower levels was upwards of five hundred feet, and water ex-
tremely fcarce. Thus the difparity in the levels, and fcarcity
of water, which would require numerous and expenfive re-
fervoirs, banifhed every hope of a canal on the lock principle
paying the fubfcribers.
But to accomplifh the work, it was propofed by his Lord-
fhip to form the ponds of canal at convenient diftances, and
unite them by iron rail-roads of a gradual and eafy afcent, on
which boats of two tons were to be ufed; fuch boats navi-
gating to the firft rail-road, each was to be fufpended be-
tween a pair of wheels about fix feet diameter, and conveyed
by a horfe to the next afcending level ; then navigate to the
fucceeding rail-way, proceeding thus till the fummit was
attained.
7
In
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xiv
INTRODUCTION.
In a country with little water, and fo great a difparity be-
tween the levels, and where coals could not be obtained to
work fteam-engines, fuch a plan was certainly a good me-
dium between navigation and cartage; but as the whole trade
was to go up the country, I was aftonifhed to find, by cal-
culation, that the horfes to perform the eftimated four hun-
dred tons per day, would amount to 7,000l. per annum on the
rail-roads only.
Seeing thefe difficulties, and the neceffity of an eafy com-
munication with hilly countries, I was impreffed with the
importance of an apparatus, which might transfer boats and
their cargoes, to and from the different levels independent
of locks and their demand of water, or rail-roads and their
appendage of horfes.
To produce fuch a machine, the firft thing that occur-
red to my imagination, was a water-wheel, to be put in
motion by water from the upper level; and, by that means,
raife the boat on an inclined plane. But in great afcents,
I found the wheel deftroy more water than locks ; I then
thought of a preponderating ciftern of water, and was fo
certain of obtaining the power by that means, that I im-
mediately conceived I had accomplifhed the machine ; and
having fome communication with his Lordfhip, on the
practicability of navigating veffels by Iteam, I fent him a fketch
of my plan : his Lordfhip, in anfwer, was pleafed to com-
pliment me on the thought; but at the fame time informed
me, it was the fame as defcribed by Mr. Edmund Leech,
about fixteen years fince. Here, for the firft time, I dif-
covered that the idea of a preponderating body of water,
was
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INTRODUCTION.
XV
was by no means new. But, on inveftigating Mr. Leech's
work, I found, that although our ideas of the ciftern were
nearly fimilar, yet we were far diftant from the point to be
attained; each ufing it on an inclined plane, without any
certain mode of getting the boat in and out of the upper
canal. I then changed the ciftern from the inclined plane, to
a perpendicular defcent; becaufe, in a perpendicular, the
defcending body acts with a force equal to its whole weight,
friction excepted; while, on the plane, its defcending force is
loft in proportion to the angle ; after which, my whole dif-
ficulty has been to get the boats in and out of the upper
canal, with certainty, eafe, and expedition, fo as to preferve
a regular movement, and avoid much wear on the
works.
To effect this, I have tried various experiments, and ulti-
mately determined on the four modes defcribed by the
annexed Plates, each of which works with great certainty
and eafe, varying from double to fingle macbines; and have at
leaft eftablifhed the practicability of paffing boats to and from
the different ponds of canals, independent of locks, rail-roads,
or fteam-engines.
Having accomplifhed a mode of paffing the difparity of
the levels, the next important confideration in reducing the
expence of canals, was to crofs rivers, or deep and wide vàl-
leys, without aqueducts. The following Plates will alfo ex-
hibit the cheap mode by which this part of the work may be
performed ; and the reader will judge of the facility with
which it may be executed.
Thefe
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xvi
INTRODUCTION.
Thefe points being gained, there is no doubt but much
room is left for improvement, and that will be progreffive as
in all other machines: but the refult of my experiments I
now lay before the public; where, I hope, they will meet
with a candid inveftigation, and the utility of fmall canals be
deliberately confidered.
A TREA-
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A
TREATISE
ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF
CANAL NAVIGATION.
CHAP. I.
OF THE ORIGIN AND PROGRESSIVE IMPROVEMENT OF CANALS.
IN contemplating the infinite operations of Art, and reflecting
on their progreffive improvement, it is an inexhauftible fund
of amufement to trace them back to the time when genius
called forth the mental powers of our fpecies, and conducted hu-
manity from the wilds of favage life to the cultivated plains of
fcience and refinement.
Ever anxious to diffipate the cloud which intercepts our view of
remote times, we endeavour to difcover the origin of the fubjects
we inveftigate, and to trace them through their various meandrings;
pleafed, if we find improvement cheer the way, and induftry diffufe
her bleffings through fociety.
B
Such
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7
2
A TREATISE ON
Such deliberations have a happy tendency, by exhibiting our
comparative fituation with that of former ages, to teach us the
abfurdity of prefuming on prefent perfection, or of fixing a boun-
dary to any purfuit; they contribute to obliterate the prejudices
refulting from eftablifhed cuftom; and to open an unbounded
field of the moft luxuriant foil, gratefully productive to the hand
of cultivation, and richly rewarding the toil of the labourer.
For this purpofe, I conceive it will not be uninterefting to take
fome notice of the infant operation of canals, and of their progrefs
from Eaftern to Weftern climes; in which, we fhall find, their
importance did not efcape the obfervation of fome of the early im-
provers of fociety.
From the beft hiftorical accounts it appears, that in the Medi-
terranean fea navigation originated and flourifhed, that fea being the
greateft inlet in the known world, and without tides, confequently
feldom exceffively agitated; alfo, containing numerous iflands, and
fhores within fight of each other, it was particularly favourable to
the young adventurer. Time, with fuch advantages, having im-
proved the navigator in knowledge, and the furrounding countries
in cultivation, the mind began to feek, in ftreams of artificial di-
rection, thofe conveniencies it had enjoyed on the watry expanfe
of nature.
The firft enterprize of this kind, of which we have any account,
is related by HERODOTUS, of the Cnidians, a people of Caria, in
Afia Minor, who defigned to cut through the ifthmus which joins
that peninfula to the continent; but who were fo fuperftitious as
to relinquifh the undertaking becaufe of an interdiction by an
oracle.
It
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CANAL NAVIGATION.
3
It was alfo a favourite project with both the Greeks ánd Ro-
mans, to cut a canal through the Ifthmus of Corinth; and open a
communication between the Archipelago and the Ionian Sea; to
accomplifh which, DEMETRIUS, JULIUS CAESAR, CALIGULA, and
NERO, made numerous, but unfuccefsful, attempts.
The important junction of the Mediterranean and the Red Sea,
by a canal through the Ifthmus of Suez, has at various times OC-
cupied the attention of feveral kings of Egypt; PHARAOH NECHO
attempted a canal from the Nile to the Red Sea, and 120,000 men
perifhed in the attempt. In this great undertaking, it is alfo faid,
that, in after ages, SOLIMAN II. Emperor of the Turks, employed
50,000 men; and that the work was completed under the caliphate
of OMAR; but afterwards was fo entirely choked up by the fhift-
ing fands, and loofe foil, as entirely to obliterate their immenfe
labours.
As it has been frequently queftioned in Europe, whether fuch a
canal was practicable, in order to òpen a route to India nearer
than that by the Cape of Good Hope, I fhall beg leave to quote
Mr. VOLNEY, who made it a part of his enquiry during a refi-
dence at Cairo and Suez in 1782; and who, having a juft fenfe of
the fubject, exhibits the impracticability of conftructing a per-
manent canal;-for the following reafons:
" Firft, It is certainly true, that the fpace which feparates the
two feas is not more than 18 or 19 ordinary leagues; it is true,
alfo, that this interval is not interfected by mountains; and that
from the tops of the terraces at Suez we cannot difcover with any
telefcopes a fingle obftacle on the naked and barren plain to the
North Weft; it is not, therefore, the difference of levels which
B 2
prevents
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A TREATISE ON
prevents the junction : but, the great difficulty arifes from the
nature of the correfponding coafts of the Mediterranean and the
Red Sea, which are of a low and fandy foil where the waters
form lakes, fhoals, and moraffes, fo that veffels cannot approach
within a confiderable diftance. It will, therefore, be found
{carcely poffible to dig a permanent canal amid thefe fhifting
fands; not to mention that the fhores are deftitute of harbours,
which muft be entirely the work of art. The country, befides, has
not a drop of frefh water; and to fupply the inhabitants it muft
be brought as far as from the Nile.
" The beft, and only, method, therefore of effecting this junc-
tion, is, that which has been already fuccefsfully practifed at dif-
ferent times; which is, by making the river itfelf the medium of
communication, for which the ground is perfectly well calculated;
for, Mount Mokattam fuddenly terminating in the latitude of Cairo,
forms only a low, and femicircular, mound, round which is a con-
tinued plain, from the banks of the Nile as far as the point of the
Red Sea. The ancients, who early underftood the advantage to be
derived from this fituation, adopted the idea of joining the two feas
by a canal, connected with the river. STRABO, lib. 17, obferves,
that this firft was executed under SESOSTRIS, who reign about
the time of the Trojan war; and the work was fo confiderable, as
to occafion it to be remarked, that it was a hundred cubits (or 170
feet) wide, and deep enough for large veffels."
This work has been repeatedly choked up, and repeatedly re-
paired, and fo fenfible were the ancient Egyptians of the utility of
The ancients were of opinion, that the Red Sea was bigher than the level of the Me-
diterranean; but, admitting this to be the cafe, it would be a trifling obftacle in the prefent
improved ftate of mechanics, and knowledge of locks.
canals,
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CANAL NAVIGATION.
5
canals, that, according to HERODOTUS, SESOSTRIS caufed fuch
numbers, to be conftructed, that they fuperfeded the ufe of wheeled
carriages, which had been in practice till that time. Thofe works
are now buried beneath the wreck of government; are over-
whelmed by drifting fands, and fediment depofited from the
inundations of the Nile; infomuch that no mark of their courfe is
left.
In times more modern, when Europe was but emerging from
the gloom of Gothic barbarity, the active genius of CHARLE-
MAGNE projected a plan of uniting the Rhine and the Danube, by
a canal, in order to open a communication between the ocean and
the Black Sea; in this immenfe work he employed numerous ar-
mies, but the extreme difficulties he had to encounter, after in-
finite labour and expence, obliged him to abandon the undertak-
ing.
Thus we fee, in various periods of fociety, the moft vigorous
exertions to open water communications between diftant provinces;
which works were ever under the particular guidance of the moft
eminent characters, and profecuted by fuch immenfe numbers of
men that the labour is almoft incredible; but as manual labour,
unaided by mechanic ingenuity, is utterly inadequate to works of
this kind, their various failures muft be attributed to their igno-
rance of the genuine principles of fcience.
The ancients were totally unacquainted with locks, or any other
mode of paffing veffels from one level, or pond of canal, to another;
they, confequently, would be neceffitated to purifue the level of that
part on which they commenced, be that level what it might; and this
in a mountainous country would lead them into high grounds. It is
alfo probable, they would attempt to navigate fuch veffels as tra-
verfed
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verfed the ocean; while perforating rocks, or making tunnels for
thofe veffels, would never intrude on their imagination. Such cir-
cumftances would confequently defeat every undertaking in an
irregular country; it is therefore natural to conclude, that each
Egyptian canal muft have preferved one level; particularly when
we confider, that Lower Egypt (in which they were formed) is a
flat and uniform country.
But although the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, were un-
acquainted with any mode of paffing boats to, and from, diffe-
rent levels of water; there is great reafon to believe the Chinefe
have long been familiar with an apparatus for this purpofe. Their
machine confifts of an inclined plane, and a cradle to receive the
boat; beneath the cradle are feveral rollers acting on gudgeons
into this the boat is floated, which fits it fo exactly as to give equal
preffure on all its parts; the whole is then raifed to the next level,
or pond of canal (or let down, as the cafe may be), by men at
a capftan (others fay, by a water wheel) ; but it is probable both
modes are practifed, according to the abundance, or the fcarcity, of
water. The imperfect accounts of China, which have reached
Europe, leave us much in the dark as to the fpecific operation
and a European mechanic cannot conceive how the power obtained
by a capftan, or any other apparatus where manual exertion is the
acting force, can be fufficiently quick to accommodate a con-
fiderable trade, without incurring a prodigious expence by the
number of men employed; as it would occupy at leaft thirty men
during fifteen minutes, to raife a boat of twenty tons to the height
of ten feet; the boat, cradle, and cargo, fuppofed to equal thirty
tons; and a repetition of this operation, for inftance, fo often as is
neceffary to mount a boat 200 feet, muft not only be tedious but
expenfive; yet all writers agree as to the magnificence of thefe
canals, and their aftonifhing length: the canal from Canton to
Pekin
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Pekin being 825 miles long, through which an immenfe trade is con-
ducted. Indeed, fo vigilant are the Chinefe over thefe works, that
they come under the immediate protection of the executive power,
and in the inftructions given to governors of provinces, thefe ob-
jects are recommended to their particular care. In conformity to
this principle, the opinion which the court forms of their conduct
is greatly influenced by the attention which they appear to have
paid to this part of their inftructions: this branch of the police is,
confequently, well attended to ; and their canals have the reputa-
tion of being infinitely fuperior to any thing of the kind in Eu-
rope. Hence, notwithftanding the great extent of the empire of
China, the vaft multitude of its inhabitants, and variety of its
climate, the confequent productions of all parts are tranfported
to, and from, the different provinces, with fuch facility as to open
a home market fufficient to fupport extenfive manufactures.
Machines, fimilar to thofe of the Chinefe, have been erected in
Flanders, on river navigations, where interrupted by falls, or
fhoal water ; while another mode adopted has been to erect a dam,
or wear, acrofs the river below the fall, in which was placed two
ftrong buttreffes of ftone, with perpendicular grooves; after paffing
the boat above the buttrefs, a ftrong gate was let down the grooves,
which ftopped the water till it rofe to a fufficient height to enable
the boat to pafs; this apparatus, tedious in the procefs, profufe of
water, and liable to injury from every flood, in all probability gave
the firft hint of locks. And this ingenious invention opened a new
fcene in canal navigation, in confequence of the facility of paffing
to and from the different levels. Since which, numerous impor-
tant works have been executed in the Netherlands, and in different
parts of Europe.
Of
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Of thefe, perhaps, the moft confiderable is the canal of Langue-
doc: I mean, moft confiderable, not only from its length, and na-
tional importance; but in confequence of the capacity requifite to
the conftruction of it.
It has in fa&t been the model for all canals down to the prefent
day; in this work, locks, refervoirs, aqueducts, tunnels, and em-
bankments, are plainly exhibited; and the fyftem which has been
purfued fully eftablifhed. This canal, which opens a communica-
tion between the Mediterranean and the Bay of Bifcay, is 192
miles long; it commences with a refervoir 4000 paces in circumfe-
rence; and is furnifhed with 104 locks, each of 8 feet rife. It was
begun (in 1666) and finifhed under LOUIS XIV. by FRANCIS
RIQUET, in little more than thirteen years; the expence amount-
ing to upwards of thirteen millions of livres; which, at twenty-
eight livres the mark of filver, the value of French money in the
laft century, amounts to upwards of 900,000/. fterling. On finifh-
ing this great work, the tolls were given to M. RIQUET, as a
reward of merit, and an inducement to keep it in repair; and the
emoluments have been fo important as to produce great eftates to
different branches of that gentleman's family: while, as a public
work, it is unqueftionably the nobleft monument of the monarch
who patronized it.
Nor did thefe ufeful works efcape the penetrating genius of the
Czar PETER during his refidence in Holland who, immediately on
his return home, procured engineers, and commenced a canal to open
a communication between Mofcow and Peteríburgh. It would be a
very extenfive undertaking to defcribe the numerous canals which
had been formed in various parts of Europe, previous to their in-
troduction into this ifland: but though England was the laft to
encourage
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encourage canals, it is now the moft active in promoting them ;
tenacious of eftablifhed cuftoms, Englifhmen are difficult to fet
in motion, but their fenfes being awakened to intereft they are
diligent and perfevering.
The firft canal in England which deferves notice * was conftructed
by the Duke of BRIDGEWATER, and has not been completed 3°
years ; during the procefs, fo unacquainted were the people with the
ufe of canals, and fo prejudiced in favour of the old cuftom of river
navigations, that the undertaking was deemed chimerical, and ruin
was predicted as the inevitable refult of his Grace's labour; here
tunnels, aqueducts, refervoirs, and embankments, familiar to fo-
reign nations, ftruck the aftonifhed Englifhman with wonder; the
apparent expence furpafled all calculation of an adequate return ;
particularly with a rival running by its fide + : yet it was not long
finithed when the eyes of the people began to open ; the Duke could
work on his canal when floods, or dry feafons, interrupted the na-
vigation of the Merfey; this gave a certainty, and punctuality, in
the carriage of merchandize, and infured a preference to the canal ;
the emoluments arifing to the Duke were too evident to be mif-
taken; and perfeverance having vanquifhed prejudice, the fire of
fpeculation was lighted, and canals became the fubject of general
converfation.
But as local prejudices oppofed the Duke's canal, in the firft in-
ftance, prejudice equally ftrong as firmly adhered to the principle
on which it was conftructed; and it was thought impoffible to lead
one through a country, or to work it to any advantage, unlefs by
The Romans made a fmall cut between the Nyne and Witham, below Peterborough,
purfuing one level, without machinery or any difplay of mechanical ability.
t The river Merfey runs nearly parallel to the Duke's canal, and navigates to and from the
fame port of Liverpool.
C
locks,
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locks, and boats of at leaft twenty-five tons, till the genius
of Mr. WILLIAM REYNOLDS, of Ketley, in Shropfhire, ftepped
from the accuftomed path, conftructed the firft inclined plane, and
introduced boats of five tons This, like the Duke's canal, was
deemed a vifionary project, and particularly by his Grace, who was
partial to locks; yet this is alfo introduced into practice, and will
in many inftances fupercede lock canals.
Thus we find the majority of men adhere ftrongly to eftablifhed
cuftoms; and prejudice the common enemy of every new work.
Senfible of the power of fuch an opponent, I fhall feek alliance
in the inveftigation of truth; requefting thole who take the trou-
ble to perufe this work, to abide by the teftimony of common
fenfe; to confider that, as fcience is progreffive, there is yet room
to improve, and that the infinite variety of applications to which
fcience is competent, leaves ample opportunity. for fuggeftions no
lefs advantageous than thofe which have already ftood the teft of
experiment, and received the fanction of fuccefs.
Mr. REYNOLDS'S machine is an ingenious combination of an inclined plane, and
locks: two locks being conftructed on the top of the plane, for the purpofe of getting the boats
in, and out of, the upper canal ; and, although it is only calculated for a defcending trade, fuch
as from colleries, or lime works (in which cafes the loaded boat, defcending, raifis that which is
empty), yet by its operation fmall boats have been introduced into practice; and for fuch in-
troduction every future improver will feel infinitely indebted to Mr. REYNOLDS; however
greatly his engine may be inproved in conftruction or varied in its operation.
CHAP
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CHAP. II.
OF THE IMPORTANCE OF CANAL NAVIGATIONS, AND THE BENEFITS
ARISING TO SOCIETY BY EASY COMMUNICATIONS.
A
LTHOUGH the numerous canals which have been executed
within the laft thirty years, have exhibited their utility to
fuch perfons as have reflected on the fubject, yet I may venture to
fay, that many fee their advantages in a limited view, while
more than half the inhabitants of England are totally ignorant of
their importance, to every diftrict through which they pafs.
Like the government of China, the legiflature of every country
fhould be particularly attentive to the reduction of the expence
and delays of carriage, and to the formation of eafy communica-
tions between different and diftant provinces; as agriculture and
commerce will improve, and happinefs fpread, in proportion as
the facility of conveyance increafes.
In the early and limited affociations of fociety, while men were
kept afunder by forefts, moraffes, and inacceffible hills, their know-
ledge muft have been circumfcribed; and their conveniencies few.
The rude implements employed in mechanics and tillage, would
occafion much labour in proportion to the produce, and though ar-
tifans, either by defign or by accident, might greatly facilitate their
work by a fuperior contrivance of inftruments, yet the difficulty
of intercourfe would confine the knowledge of fuch advantages, and
C 2
prefent
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prevent the improvement extending to others who might equally
require it; hence, in different diftricts, particular expedients might
be ufed in performing the various operations; yet, being practifed in
a limited circle, each community might remain ignorant of the
other's advantage; and this ftate of things in great meafure conti-
nues in every country, .but particularly between diftant nations.
The Chinefe, for inftance, poffefs many advantages of which we
are ignorant; and they certainly are unacquainted with many of
ours yet, was a free communication between the two countries efta-
blifhed, the particular improvements of each, in all probability, would
be combined to the benefit of both. But, even under the fame go-
vernment, or in the fame province, it is fome time before a com-
bination of knowledge can take place; but in proportion as the
difficulty of communication is removed, the fpirit of enterprize in-
creafes, and neighbouring affociations begin to mingle, their habits
and cuftoms affimilate, each tranfmits its improvements to the
other, and each feels the beneficial effects refulting from the union.
This fyftem of intercourfe, and benefit, would continue to
extend, as the difficulties which withheld, or obftructed, it were
removed; and eventually fmall focieties would become a large and
focial compact; bringing their various improvements into one com-
mon ftock: a knowledge of mechanics would fpread, and greater
comforts would refult from lefs labour.
An active man thus fituated, and feeling himfelf by this means
in potfeffion of more than was abfolutely neceffary for his fubfiftence,
would indulge his natural propenfity to barter: each would with
to difpofe of the furplus of his particular labour, in order to pur-
chafe a portion of the labour of others, which his neceffities, or
luxury,
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luxury, might require; thus the farmer barters his furplus with
the tradefmen; the tradefman his with the farmer; the towns
exchange the work of their artifans for that of the country ;
the country its produce for that of thetowns; the carpenter, thefmith,
the weaver, the taylor, the tanner, the fhoemaker, the butcher,
the brewer, &c. artifans, and profeffions of all kinds, have recipro-
cal demands on each other ; for not only the elegancies, but even
neceffaries, of life.
It is indeed curious to reflect how, by the refinement of art, and
divifion of labour, the united exertions of thoufands combine to
produce thofe things which familiarity exhibits as trifling, yet
abfolutely neceffary to the comforts of exiftence.
" Obferve," fays ADAM SMITH, " the accommodation of the moft
common artificer or day-labourer in a civilized and thriving coun-
try ; and you will perceive that the number of people of whofe
induftry a part, though but a fmall part, has been employed in.
procuring him this accommodation, exceeds all computation : the
woollen coat, for example, which covers the day-labourer, as coarfe.
and rough as it may appear, is the produce of the joint labour of
a great multitude of workmen; the fhepherd, the forter of the
wool, the wool-comber or carder, the dyer, the fcribbler, the fpin-
ner, the weaver, the fuller, the dreffer, with many others, muft all
join their different arts in order to complete even this homely pro-
duction. How many merchants and carriers, befides, muft have
been employed in tranfporting the materials from fome of thofe
workmen to others ; who often live in a very diftant part of the
country ? How much navigation and commerce in particular; how
many fhip-builders, failors, fail-makers, rope-makers, muft have
been employed in order to bring together the different drugs made
ufe of by the dyer, which often comes from the remoteft corners of
the
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the world ? What a variety of labour is neceffary in order to produce
the tools of the meaneft of thofe workmen ? To fay nothing of fuch
complicated machines, as the fhip of the failor, the mill of the ful-
ler, or even the loom of the weaver, let us only confider what a
variety of labour is requifite in order to form that very fimple ma-
chine, the fhears with which the fhepherd clips the wool; the miner,
the builder of the furnace for fmelting the ore, the feller of the
timber, the burner of the charcoal to be made ufe of in the finelt-
ing-houfe, the forger, the fmith, muft all be joined in their diffe-
rent arts in order to produce them : were we to examine, in the fame
manner, all the different parts of his drefs, and houfehold furniture,
the coarfe linen fhirt which he wears next his fkin, the fhoes which
covers his feet, the bed he lies on, and all the different parts which
compofe it, the kitchen grate in which he prepares his victuals, the
coals which he makes ufe of for that purpofe, dug from the bowels
of the earth, and brought to him perhaps by a long fea and a long
land carriage, all the other utenfils of his kitchen, all the furniture
of his table, the knives, the forks, the earthen or pewter plates,
upon which he ferves up and divides his victuals, the different
hands employed in preparing his bread, and his beer, the glafs
window which lets in the light, and keeps out the wind and rain,
with all the knowledge and art requifite for preparing that beauti-
ful and happy invention, without which the northern parts of the
world could fcarce have afforded a comfortable habitation, together
with the tools of all the different workmen employed in producing
thefe different conveniencies; if we examine, I fay, all thefe things,
and confider what a variety of labour is employed about each or
them, we fhall be fenfible that, without the affiftance and co-opera-
tion of many thoufands, the very meaneft perfon in a civilized
country could not be provided, even according to what we may
falfely imagine, the eafy and fimple manner in which he is com-
monly accommodated : compared, indeed, with the more extrava-
gant
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gant luxury of the great, his accommodation muft no doubt ap-
pear extremely fimple and eafy ; and yet it may be true, perhaps,
that the accommodation of an European Prince does not always
fo much exceed that of an induftrious and frugal peafant, as the
accommodation of the latter exceeds that of an African king, the
abfolute mafter of the lives and liberties of ten thoufand naked
favages."
Hence we fee conveniencies, efteemed the moft trivial, are the pro-
duce of reciprocity ; each has a variety of wants which muft be fup-
plied by the labours of others; and for which he gives his labour,
or the produce of his labour, which is the fame thing, in exchange.
An eafy communication with foreign nations, or the diftant parts of
the fame country, extends the market, and facilitates the transfer ;
while the eafe of transfer ftimulates the active powers to exertion.
Thus an eafy communication brings remote parts into nearer
alliance, combines the exertions of men, diftributes their labours
through a variety of channels, and fpreads with greater regularity
the bleffings of life.
Men in commercial intercourfe mingling with men, impercepti-
bly lofe their local prejudices, and their cuftoms gradually affimi-
late; while people remote from each other, and deftitute of eafy
communication, retain thofe prejudices, injurious to the mafs of
fociety.
Eafy communications to the different diftricts of a nation, alfo
renders it more independent of its neighbours, by collecting and
bringing forth its internal refources; which circumftance muft have
greatly
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greatly contributed, perhaps have conftituted, the entire indepen-
dence of Egypt, China, and India: it is worthy of obfervation,
that, in thefe countries, where canals were moft in ufe, they
never encouraged foreign commerce; but feem to have arrived at
their great opulence by a home trade, circulated through their ex-
tenfive and numerous navigations; indeed, if agriculture and its
dependencies may be confidered as the ftamina of fociety, a well
directed, and judicious, labour, would eafily produce the comforts
(if not the elegancies) of life Egypt, though not fo extenfive as Eng-
land, in former ages contained many millions of inhabitants, and,
as it is before obferved, they did not draw their refource from other
countries; the produce of agriculture muft have been immenfe,
and the principal fupport of the great body of the people. We
are taught to believe, they were fo attentive to this, that not an
inch of ground was loft; the whole country being like a continued
garden. This feems the more probable, when the peculiar advan-
tages of the country are confidered.
Egypt is a ftripe of land 55° miles in length and in the greateft
width, from Alexandria to Damietta, not more than 125 miles; from
thence it decreafes in width till it approaches Nubia; where it is con-
fined between two chains of mountains, and contracted to little more
than twelve or fifteen miles in breadth : through the whole length,
the Nile defcends to the Mediterranean Sea; it may therefore be
confidered as a rich valley well watered. As the country is flat,
and of an eafy defcent from one extremity to the other, it enabled
the Egyptians to cut canals from any level they thought proper;
and to commence fo high as to continue the fame level to any deter-
mined point; thofe cuts, which anfwered the double purpofe of
refervoirs to retain the waters of the Nile, and of canals to con-
vey
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vey the various produce, were fo numerous as not only to touch
at every town and village, but even at many of the farm houfes
added to thefe extraordinary advantages of water carriage, nature
performed a moft material work for the farmer, by mingling
with the ftream the foil of Abyffinia and Nubia, which being de-
pofited as a fediment, and fpread over every field and corner of
Egypt, by the overflowings of the Nile, formed a rich and fer-
tilizing manure.
We cannot conceive a more regular diftribution of the nutritious
particles of earth, than was produced by thefe inundations; which
not only enriched, but meliorated, the foil; hence little more was
left for the diligence of the farmer than to fow his grain, and
cover it with a harrow; thus the Egyytian obtained an abundant
harveft with a moderate degree of labour.
Here it is interefting to take a comparative view of fuch a level
country as Egypt, and one diverfified by mountains. The nearer
a hilly country can approach, by art, to fuch an equal diftribu-
tion of manure as the Nile effected, fo much nearer it will be to
the perfecting of agriculture, and the enjoyments of life; it is,
indeed, curious to confider the infinity of labour which the inunda-
tions faved, and which confequently might have been directed to
other works; the whole procefs of collecting, preparing, and depo-
fiting the compoft on the grounds, was faved to the Egyptian
labourer, with numerous other preparations requifite to the agri-
culture of an irregular country.
But obferve the immenfe number of hands employed in fuch
a country as England; in digging marle, and foffile fand, in quar-
rying lime-ftone, in mining for coal to burn the lime; and, in
burning it, remark the engines, kilns, implements, and apparatus,
D
requifite
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requifite to facilitate thefe operations; from thence the labour ne-
ceffary in their conveyance to the grounds, the wear of roads, wag-
gons, carts, harnefs, &c. &c. the wheel-wrights, fmiths, and other
artifans employed in conftant repairs; alfo, the waggoners, the
carters, and, above all, the number of horfes employed, each of
which confumes the portion of manual labour which would fup-
port a human being of the whole train of which the Egyptians
I conceive it a fair calculation, that each horfe confumes that produce of manual la-
bour which would fubfift an individual; particularly in a populous country, where every
field pays rent. If their keep is confidered throughout the kingdom, from thofe heavy ani-
mals in broad-wheel waggons, down to the pony, calculating the intereft on the purchafe,
the cafualties, provender, attendance, thoeing, wear of harnefs, &c. &c. it will amount to
upwards of 251. per annum, which is more than is fpent on an average by the labouring
people, and their children; confequently, if improved conveyance can difpenfe with the
horfe, 251. in produce of manual labour is faved to fociety, as a fund to other works;
which, throughout England, would be many millions per annum, confidering that every
40,000 horfes amounts to 1,000,0001. per annum in maintenance. But thefe being rendered
ufelefs by improved fyftem, would produce an eafy fupport to 40,000 inhabitants.
It is effimated, that, in the agriculture of England and Wales, one million of horfes are
employed, and if to thefe are added the number of mail coach, ftage coach, and poft chaife
horfes, with thofe of country and bye carriers, from colleries, lime-works, iron works, &c.
alfo thofe for the convenience of individuals, in the environs of manufacturing and other
towns, with the great number employed in the heavy and fly waggons, the principal part of
which may be difpensed with, I conceive the number will be little lefs than two millions, which
will amount to the immenfe fum of 50,000,000l. per annum in maintenance. If from this
number of horfes, which may be confidered as carriers (not to mention the immenfity of pleafure
borfes), one fifth could be difpenfed with ; the annual faving would be 10,000,000l. a fum
equal to the maintenance of 400,000 inhabitants, allowing 251. to each perfon, which would
confequently permit the labours of 400,000 men to be directed to other improvements.
From fome recent calculations prefented the Board of Agriculture, it appears, that a farm
horfe does not confume more than three acres of the fruits of the earth in a year ; but a
horfe kept on the roads eats yearly, in hay and corn, the full produce of five acres ; a man at
a pound of bread and a pound of meat per day, or in proportion, not quite an acre and a
quarter fo that one of thefe horfes eats as much as four men : I confequently have ftated
the faving by the reduction of horfes at a very low computation. Which further exhibits
the great importance of diminifhing their number.
were
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were relieved, and, being difpenfed with, faved fo much nourifhment
to the people.
Deliberate on thefe circumftances, and the difparity is certainly
great, which loudly calls for the exertion of mental faculties, and the
improvement of mechanics. Here art fhould affemble all her en-
gines to fupply the defect of fituation; man muft open the repofi-
tories of nature; mix, with chymic fkill, the various ingredients,
and ftrew them on his fields. Nature having diftributed her fructi-
fying particles in wild confufion; it is with them as with the culti-
vation of man, to render them productive, they muft be brought
into union; and this can only be accomplifhed by improved con-
veyance. ! In this operation, canals may be confidered like the
looms of the draper or hofier; or thofe improved machines, which,
reducing the labour, yet multiply the produce; and confequently
render the neceffaries, and conveniencies, of life more abundant
by being more abundant they are obtained by every member of
fociety, within their circulation, with greater eafe; the eafy means of
procuring the accomodations of life increafes the population of a
country, and population, creating a greater demand, proceeds to
further improvement. Such have been the progreffive fteps of civi-
lization; and to which there appears no boundary !
D 2
CHAP.
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CHAP. III.
ON THE FORMATION OF CANALS, AND THE MODE OF EXTEND-
ING THEM INTO EVERY DISTRICT.
H
AVING in fome degree exhibited the importance of canals,
the next confideration is to point out a mode of extend-
ing their advantages. In this it muft be evident, that they
can only be advantageoufly conftructed through fuch diftricts, as
produce a trade equal to an intereft for the money advanced in their
formation; and on this point the difficulty of extending canal
communications feems to depend : public roads, bridges, harbours,
docks, and other works, admit of a variation, and may be con-
ftructed great and magnificent, or contracted and cheap, in pro-
portion to the trade, agriculture, or population of the country which
they are to accommodate; but, according to the prefent fyftem *
of conftructing canals, there is a certain point to which they
feem to defcend t, and below which they cannot be further con-
tracted. The fum required for their conftruction therefore muft
be equal to the forming them of thofe dimenfions; and the
trade expected muft be fufficient to pay the intereft of the fum,
or the country remain hopelefs of the conveniencies of water car-
riage; unlefs a canal be executed in the frenzy of fpeculation,
which indeed is fometimes the cafe; and rather injures than pro-
motes fuch works; for fubfcribers being difappointed of the intereft
with which they had flattered themfelves, are deterred from entering
By this I mean the prevailing fyftem ; there are but two canals yet conftructed on the
inclined plane principle, that of Ketly, and the Shrophfhire.
For navigating twenty -five or twenty ton boats.
into
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into fimilar undertakings, though of more rational adventure. The
ill fuccefs alfo fpreads like a contagion, and fickens the foul of en-
terprize in others ; yet the failure is perhaps not for want of mate-
rials to be conveyed by the canal, but in confequence of the expence
of getting at fuch materials.
Had the ordinary engines of conveyance admitted of no diminu-
tion below broad-wheel waggons, thofe waggons would, in every
refpect, increafe the expence of roads, and the carriage of the vari-
ous materials ; and the country could not poffibly be fo commo-
dioufly fupplied as by carts, or even cars. Or had that incom-
parable apparatus, the fteam engine, been confined to a two-hundred
horfe power, the innumerable advantages arifing from proportion-
ing its powers down to any degree, which fits it to every fituation,
could never have been experienced, and the engine itfelf would be
of very little ufe.
A fimilar power of proportioning a canal to the particular de-
mand of carriage upon it, in like manner, would be attended with
benefits which at prefent are not even thought of but canals are
the only things, which I can at prefent recollect, which feem to be
fixed to a certain point; in this refpect, confequently, they are limi-
ted in their extenfion, imperfect in their principle, and incapable
of effectually fpreading the bleffings of water communications by
their prefent mode of conftruction ; to prove this affertion it is
only neceffary, for a moment, to confider the operation of a
lock.
On viewing the operation of locks, it appears that if they were
conftructed for fmall boats, Suppofe boats of four tons, the delay in
paffing would be fo great that an important trade could not be
tranfacted, as it requires almoft as much time to pafs a fmall
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as a larger boat; for inftance, on a man arriving with fix four-ton
boats (equal to what is ufualy conveyed in a boat of twenty-five tons)
at a lock conftructed for fmall boats, he would be obliged to fepa-
rate them, and pafs them fingly; which would be an operation of
three minutes at leaft to each boat, together with the time neceffary
for uniting them when paffed through, fay four minutes, amount-
ing in all to twenty-four minutes a repetition of this operation,
to mount only one hundred feet by twelve locks, would be a delay
of four hours forty-eight minutes : this would not only be tedious,
but create confufion wherever there were a number of boats paffing,
even if paffing the fame way. How this would be increafed by thofe
moving the contrary way, may eafily be conceived. Yet the twenty-
five ton boat would move through the firft lock in five minutes, at
the utmoft, and paffing through the fucceeding eleven locks with the
fame expedition, would rife to the fummit level in one hour hence
the twenty-five ton boat will have an advantage in time of three
hours forty-eight minutes. This calculation, I hope, will fuffici-
ently prove the impropriety of conftructing locks for fmall boats
hence fmall and cheap canals cannot be formed on the lock princi-
ple; locks demand large boats, that an important trade may be per-
formed; and large boats are the caufe of increafing the expence
of all the other parts of the canal ; in tunnels, bridges, aqueducts,
land, refervoirs, digging, &c. &c. which evidently exclude every
diftrict which cannot fupport thefe heavy expences, and preclude
every hope of giving to agriculture and commerce the full force of
fo powerful an agent as water conveyance.
But as the true criterion for judging of all improvements, where
the object is to increafe the produce of labour, is the cheapnefs with which
the work may be performed ; that mode which will convey the moft
goods for the leaft money will confequently be the beft, whether by
roads, railways, large or fmall canals, or any other mode. It is
therefore
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therefore neceffary impartially and deliberately to inveftigate this
fubject.
FIRST, In proportion as a canal is large the expence on all its
parts will increafe tunnels, locks, refervoirs, aqueducts, bridges,
land, and digging, are ufually allowed to be one third more expence
in a canal for forty-ton boats, than in thofe conftructed for boats
of twenty-five tons; twenty-five ton boats, alfo, require a canal of
greater dimenfions than boats of four tons : in a word, it is evi-
dent that the expence of a canal will decreafe, in proportion as the
boats are reduced; the object therefore is to find the proper me-
dium.
The boat fhould be of fuch a fize as not to exclude any but un-
ufual articles; for this purpofe I conceive a boat of four tons fuffi-
ciently large; being twenty feet long, four wide, and two feet ten
inches deep; fuch a boat, being larger than the cheft of a wag-
gon, will contain almoft every thing but long timber*, one horfe
conveying ten boats.
Such boats will contain lime, lime-ftone, coals, lead, iron ore,
grain, flour, iron ware, pottery, and all bodies ponderous and com-
pact, as well as boats of any fize whatever; they will contain
hogfheads, boxes, and bale goods, not exceeding four feet in width,
which are feldom of greater dimenhons; each boat will receive fifteen
facks of hops, cotton, or wool; and although the fifteen facks
will not weigh four tons, yet the fame circumftance is attendant
on all other boats, it being impoffible to give the weight of tonnage
For timber I have made a provifion (fee the Defcription of the double-inclined Plane, and
Plate of Parts); planks, and all fcantlings under twenty feet, will go into the boats.
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by fuch materials : yet a horfe may take the greater number of boats,
in order to make up a weight equal to his ftrength.
Confidering the articles enumerated, and deliberating on the fize,
and weight, of other commodities, I conceive there are few things
excluded; and the queftion is, Whether a company fhould expend
one hundred thoufand pounds inftead of fifty thoufand ? Thereby
finking two thoufand five hundred pounds per annum, in order to
accommodate the few things which boats of thefe dimenfions can-
not contain, when, in all probability, the articles accommodated
would not in tonnage produce 1001. per annum.
Thus feeing that moft things may be conveyed in fmall boats,
and fmall boats diminifh the expence of canals ; the next thing
to be confidered is how to pafs them to, and from, the different
levels, or ponds, of which the canals confift. To perform this,
fee the annexed Plates of Machines. But firft give me leave to
premife the objects in view :
The firft object is, to conftruct fuch cheap navigations as may
extend into diftricts which produce but a fmall trade : to perform
this, I find it indifpenfably neceffary to reduce the boats to fmall
dimenfions.
The fecond object is, as the trade may increafe, and become of
confequence, it is prudent to provide againft fuch an event, as it
will then be neceffary to perform an important trade on a fmall and
cheap canal. For this purpofe; if we reflect that the boats may
be multiplied as the trade increafes, and that the canal may be
full of fuch boats from one extremity to the other; confequent-
ly the canal, and boats, are adequate to any quantity of trade
which the moft fanguine imagination can conceive.
But
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But, the principal confideration is, how to prevent ftagnation
at the machinery ; hence it becomes neceffary to conftruct the
apparatus in fuch a manner that the boats may pafs with the great-
eft poffible expedition ; and this quick transfer is the more neceffary,
in confequence of dividing the trade into fmall portions of four tons,
each of which muft pafs feparate. Succefs in thefe objects will con-
fequently produce fyftem; for, as the canal, though fmall, and
fuited to a fmall trade, is alfo adequate to a trade of the firft impor-
tance, it will be impolitic to form any other than cheap and fmall
navigations; hence the boats of one may navigate the other,
wherever canals extend.
A third object is, by forming them cheap, and fuited to diftricts
with a fmall trade, it will be the greateit poffible inducement to
conftruct them. The fubfcriber feeling himfelf guarded againft
any material lofs, with every advantage which a larger work could
give thefe circumftances may juftly be expected to extend them
through the remote parts of the country, open its numerous re-
fources, and fpread the produce in every direction. Whether I
have fucceeded in thefe points, the candid reader will determine.
Locks are attended with a certain and heavy expence, whatever the trade may chance
to be.
E
CHAP.
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CHAP. IV.
ON CUTTING CANALS FOR COASTING VESSELS, RIVER, OR FORTY-
TON BOATS, IN ORDER TO SAVE THE TRANSFER OF CARGO
TO BOATS OF SMALLER DIMENSIONS
IT hanftructed, and are executing, on the principle, tha tto form
a prevailing opinion, and many canals have been
them fufficiently large to receive coafting veffels, river, or forty-ton
boats, would produce a confiderable advantage, by faving the
transfer of cargo to fmall veffels.
While there was no alternative but forty or twenty-five ton
boats, there might be fome reafon in fuch a practice, as the diffe-
rence in conftructing the canals for fuch boats does not appear
to be materially great; but, if we eftimate a canal for a forty, and
then for a four-ton boat, the faving, by adopting the latter, is fo
important as to render the expence of transfer inconfiderable.
In every fituation where a canal is to be formed for forty-ton
boats, one-third of the fum neceffary for that purpofe would pay
the expence of a canal for boats of four tons t. Hence, if a com-
If it fhould be faid, that it is, not fe much in order to fave the transfer of cargo, as
to accommodate things which cannot be conveyed in fmall boats; fee the Calculations on
fuch accommodation in the preceding Chapter.
t
In thefe calculations, I take no medium between forty and four-ton boats, for, if the
cargo is to be transferred, it fhould be to the cheapeft poffible conveyance.
pany
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pany are about to expend 300,000l. * where 100,000]. would
anfwer the purpofe, 10,000l. per annum is funk to fave transfer.
It muft be obferved, that in all goods paffing inland from the
coaft, there is only one change of cargo, viz. to the fmall boat
when the fmall boat unloads up the country, the expence is the
fame as if the larger had proceeded to the fame point. In all
goods paffing to the rivers, or coaft, one transfer into the large
boat, the firft reception into the fmall boat being the fame as into
the large one. Hence all goods going up the country may be taxed
two-pence per ton, the price of transfer, and the fame on all goods
defeending : it muft alfo be confidered, that although a canal may
be connected with the river, or ocean, the principal part of the
trade will not require transfer, being taken up, and depofited,
in various places on the paffage, without defcending to the river,
or the ocean.
The trade of a canal muft, indeed, have a very material connec-
tion with a river, where there is occafion to transfer five hundred
tons per day; which, at two-pence per ton, allowing 280 working
days, would amount to 11661. 13s. 4d. per annum; yet, to fave
this, the principal of 10,000l. per annum is funk.
To thofe unacquainted with canal fpeculations, 300,000l. may appear a great fum B'
but the following will give him fome idea at the moneys expended in fuch works, of which
the eftimates are
£.
Miles long.
The Rochdale canal,
-
-
-
291,900
31'2
Ellefmere ditto,
-
-
-
-
400,000
57
Kennet and Avon ditto,
-
-
-
420,000
70
Grand Junction ditto,
-
-
-
500,000
90
Leeds and Liverpool,
-
-
-
800,000
129
E2
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By adopting fmall boats, the clear gain to the company would
be 88331. 6s. 8d. per annum, even provided they paid the ex-
pence of transfer; but I conceive this expence will ultimately fall
on the freighter, or he muft have an admirable alternative, much
fuperior to land-carriage, if the two-pence per ton for transfer
can prevent him fending his goods by the canal; and there-
fore, if the freighter or carrier pays the transfer, the 10,000l.
per annum is a clear faving to the company.
This reduces a decifion on the queftion of the adoption of fmall
boats in various fituations, to a very fimple criterion. Let the
intereft of the faving made by adopting a fmall canal, inftead of
a large one, be compared with the expence of transfering cargoes :
keeping this in view, that the expence of transfer will fall on the
freighter or carrier, who can have no alternative to relieve him
from this mode of conveyance; not even if a large canal ran to
the fame point. No large canal can rival a fmall one, for evident
reafons. Suppofe, for inftance, a large and fmall canal running
fide by fide, the large canal cofting 300,000l. (or, in proportion,
three times the expence of the fmall one), and the fmall one 100,000l.
one penny per ton per mile, to the fmall canal, would be as good
intereft as three-pence to the larger work; confequently the fmall
canal company could lower their tonnage, fo as to favour the
freighter, and render the expence of transfer of no confequence
they would even grow rich, by lowering the tonnage ; which
would draw the trade from the large canal, and leave it a ftagnate
and ufelefs pool
I do not hefitate to prognofticate the annihilation of lock-canais, by improved
fcience i in like manner as improvement on machinery renders the old apparatus ufelefs.
The
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The facility and cheapnefs of the fmall canal alfo invites and
encourages connection from every quarter but the difficulty of
conducting large boats through a country precludes, or at leaft
moft materially limits, their extenfion.
Confidering thefe circumftances, I conceive there are few fitua-
tions which can warrant a canal for large boats; fhort cuts uniting
the arms of rivers, or through a flat country to an adjoining
town, where there is no great expence, and much to be gained,
the latter may be advifeable.
But, to view internal navigation on the broad fcale of national
improvement, I conceive the river navigations fhould be extended
as far as convenient; but, the moment the courfe of the river is
left to direct water conveyance towards the interior country, fmall
boats fhould commence.
In the light of national improvement, the produce of labour is
the real wealth of a country ; the more the labour will produce,
fo much more the nation improves. As a man who improves a
machine, from fpinning one pound of cotton per day, to fpin
twenty; in the fame time, and with the fame labour, evidently
obtains his comforts with greater eafe. It is therefore worthy of
remark, that, within little more than three years, the immenfe fum
of 5,300,0001. has been fubfcribed, in order to pay the expence
of conftructing the various navigations which have been propofed
within that time : this fum, averaged at 50001. per mile, will
execute 1060 miles; yet, to a certainty, 2120 miles might be
formed on the fmall fcale for the above fum, adequate, in every
part, to the various kinds of trade, and thus give to the nation
the advantage of 1060 miles additional water carriage, the benefits
of which would certainly be immenfe.
Of
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A TREATISE ON
Of the canals already cut, or in fuch forwardnefs as not to
admit of an alteration, I confider them in the fame view as rivers ;
but all future works to be guided by the before-mentioned crite-'
rion, of comparing the expence of transfering cargoes, with the
intereft of the money faved, by adopting the fmall, inftead of
large boats.
CHAP.
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1.
CANAL NAVIGATION.
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CHAP. V.
OF THE PARTICULAR CONSTRUCTION OF THE BOATS, AND
THEIR APPLICATION TO VARIOUS SITUATIONS.
H
OWEVER novel the formation of the boats may appear, at
firft fight, I hope to be able to exhibit fufficient reafon for
the particular mode of conftructing them : I therefore beg the
accurate attention of the reader to this part of the combination,
as on this efpecially I conceive the whole fyftem of fmall canals is
fupported.
I have already affigned reafon for the boats being fmall; I have
alfo hinted at the neceffity of their paffing fpeedily over the machi-
nery : I muft again repeat, and imprefs this confideration, that
the trade being divided into fmall portions, will, confequently,
create a great number of movements at the machinery; it is there-
fore indifpenfably neceffary, that fuch movements fhould be per-
formed with the greateft poffible expedition, in order that an im-
portant trade may be tranfacted.
In deliberating on this part of the operation, I found it
would be the means of great lofs of time, if the boats were to
be placed on any kind of carriage, or cradle, for the purpofe of
paffing the plane; that fuch carriage or cradle would alfo prevent
one movement on the machinery, which is the great means of
expedition hence, to prevent lofs of time, and that the boats
The rotatory movement of the leading chains, which fhall be particularly defcribed
in the firft machine.
might
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might come prepared to pafs the plane, I was neceffitated to com-
pofe the plane of rollers, or to give wheels to each boat : after
weighing thefe two modes of conftruction, I ultimately determined
on wheels to the boats. Rollers being attended with many feeming
difficulties, firft, that of forming them in a ftraight line; fecondly,
that of keeping them true; thirdly, fhould any rollers be out of
repair, the machinery and trade would be ftopped, for fo long
a time as the repairs continued in hand * But, if a boat
was damaged, that boat only would be retained till repaired,
which might quickly be done, in confequence of being light, and
eafily handled.
Having therefore adopted wheels, I fhall endeavour to obviate
fuch objections as feem moft natural to arife againft this combina-
tion of a boat and waggon, after defcribing their mode of for-
mation. For this purpofe, fee PLATE I. which reprefents three
modes of conftructing boats to convey different articles ; either by
a flow, or by a quick movement, as particular circumftances may
require.
Fig. I. Exhibits the market, or paffage, boat.
Fig. 2. The difpatch for the purpofe of conveying fuch goods as
require expedition.
Fig. 3. The common trader.
This laft boat is twenty feet long, four wide, two feet ten
inches deep, in the clear; flat at the bottom, and ends like a box ;
it may be compofed of three-inch deal, bolted and fcrewed in the
Yet it is poffible rollers may be found of ufe in fome cafes.
ufual
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ufual mode, and ftayed at the corners; with two knees, or ribs,
infide, exactly above the wheels, and about five feet from the ends,
which will leave ten feet in the centre.
Two keels of fcantling, about fix inches fquare, and eighteen
inches afunder, muft be laid along the centre of the bottom to
receive the wheels; or if this is not found fufficient, a framing,
of the fame dimenfions as the bottom of the boat, may be con-
ftructed to receive the wheels, and on this framing the boat may be
built, which will be fufficient to fupport the weight while fhe is out
of water.
The wheels, which may be from fix to ten inches in diameter, are
to be two feet diftance from the extremities; and may be caft, axle
and wheel, in one piece, and turned at the fhoulders; or a wrought
iron axle if neceffary, which axle may move on brafs or iron fteps.
The wheels being thus fmall, and fhort in the axle, will lie clofe
under the bottom of the boat, fecure from the poffibility of touch-
ing the fides of the canal, or receiving injury; the keels, or
platform, which compofe the bottom, being cafed with thin board,
will cover every thing but a part of the wheel rim, as reprefented at
A. B. The chains on the end are for the purpofe of hooking the
boat to the leading chains of the inclined plane. In regard to ob-
jections which may be fuggefted againft the formation of this boat,
I conceive only THREE can arife.
Firft, The diameter of the wheels being fmall may occafion fome
additional friction, in paffing the machinery.
Secondly, The poffibility of the wheels being injured.
F
Thirdly,
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Thirdly, The refiftance on the water, in confequence of the wheels,
and fhape of the boat.
To the firft it muft be obferved, That, while the boat is out of
water, it will ever act on a regular plane of caft iron, and never
be fubject to inequalities, and although the friction will be fome-
thing more in confequence of the fmall wheels, yet, as fufficient
power may be obtained to raife her, the friction arifing from their
fmall diameter will be no confiderable impediment.
To the Second, I conceive the wheels are not fubject to receive
injury, but while the boat is out of water; and, even then,
I do not perceive wherein they are liable to damage; the wear
which enfues by a long courfe of time, only, can affect the
boat in this part; and, to this, it muft be obferved, that fhe will
not undergo fo much hardfhip in paffing two hundred miles, as a
common waggon in moving one mile on the ufual roads.-
But, even admitting frequent repairs fhould be neceffary, fmall flips
may be conftructed at proper fituations, where a man, by a com-
mon windlafs, would draw the boat out of water, and repair her,
with the fame facility as he would remedy a defect in a cart, or a.
waggon the procefs of dry docks neceffary to large boats, is by
no means required in repairing thefe.
In the third objection, the refiltance in the water may
appear to arife from two caufes; firft, from the projection
of the wheels in fome degree from the bottom; and, fecond, from
the flatnefs of the boat OR the ends. But it mult be obferved, that
boats of this conftruction are defigned to move flow, confequent-
ly the refiftance arifing from the particular conftruction will be
very trifling, and of little importance, refiftance being much
more
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more in proportion to the velocity, than either fhape or
weight.
To give a general idea of this, it is merely neceffary to remark,
that fhould a man attempt to drive a horfe fixty miles per day, he
could fcarce convey a boat of the lighteft conftruction at that rate;
yet the fame horfe would convey one hundred tons twelve miles per
day with eafe, and arrive at the end of fixty miles in five days
which is equal to twenty tons per day moving through the whole
fpace of fixty miles.
This Ihope will be fufficient to fhew that refiftance from fhape,
in flow movements, is inconfiderable alfo, that the true principle
of conveying goods cheap, when expedition is not required, is, to
move flow and take a quantity * ; and in this refpect I fhall now
confider their fuperiority over boats of twenty-five tons.
Seeing
To the reader who may with to enter more into the abftract, it may be proper to re-
mark, that a body moving in a fluid is refifted from two caufes; firft, from the cohefion of
the parts of the fluid : for a body in motion feparating the parts of the fluid wherein it moves
muft overcome the force with which thofe parts cohefe,
The fecond caufe is, the inertia, or inactivity, of matter; whereby a certain force is re-
quired to move the particles from their place, in order to fuffer the body to pafs. When the
fame body moves through the fame fluid with different velocities, the refiftance increafes, in
proportion to the number of particles ftruck, in an equal time, which number is as the fpace
run through in that time; i. e. as the velocity. But further, it increafes ia proportion to
the force with which the body ftrikes againft every part; which force is alfo as the velocity
of the body; and therefore if the velocity be triple, the refiftance is triple, from a triple
number of parts to be removed. It is alío triple from a ftroke three times ftronger againft
every particle; therefore the whole refiltance is nine-fold, i. e. as the fquare of the velocity ;
hence a body moving in a fluid is refifted, partly in a ratio to the velocity, and partly in a
duplicate ratio of the velocity.
Moft authors have confidered it as a rule, that while the fame body moves in the fame me-
dium, it is always refifted in the duplicate proportion of its velocity ; that is, if the refifted
body move in one part of its track with ibree times the velocity with which it moved in fome
F 2
other
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Seeing that the true principle is to move flow and take quantity,
in the ufual trade, it muft be obferved that a twenty-five ton boat is
a limited quantity, and more cannot with propriety be applied to
the horfe, confequently he muft refort to fpeed, and combat the
refiftance.
Two twenty-five ton boats cannot be hooked to each other; as
the helm of one will not govern the other, and they are too ponder-
ous to be managed by a boat-hook; they are alfo fo long that, in
making the bends in the courfe of the canal, they feparate the fluid
by fide preffure; the bow of the firft feparates the fluid, for inftance,
other part, then the refiftance of the greater velocity will be nine times the refiftance of
the leffer ; and if the velocity in one place be four times the velocity in another, the refiftance
of the greater will be fixteen times the refiftance of the leffer, and lo on. See Chambers on
Motion.
Hence, as refiftance is more in proportion to velocity than weight if I fuppofe a boat
and cargo to weigh twenty tons moving at the rate of two miles per hour, the will remove
a certain number of particles in that time ; if the weight is doubled, twice the number of
particles will be removed, and the refiftance will, in confequence, be double. But, as the
fpeed is not increafed, all the refiftance which would arife from increafed velocity, by the
force with which the particles would be ftruck, is avoided therefore quantity, to create
refiftance equal to what fpeed produces, is nearly as follows in which I will fuppofe a horfe
to convey thirty-fix tons at the rate of two miles per hour, and diminifh the quantity as the
fpeed is increafed.
Miles per beur.
Square of refiftance from velocity.
Tons.
2
4
36
3
9
16
4
16
9
5
25
6
6
36
4
Hence, as nine is to four in refiftance, fo is fixteen to thirty-fix in quantity and fo on, in
the fucceeding numbers, the quantity diminifhing as the fpeed is increafed which deter-
mines, that to convey four tons fix miles per hour, requires as much power as to convey thirty-
fix tons two miles in the fame time: thus, although the fpeed is but triple, the quantity is re-
duced to one ninth part, or as four is to thirty-fix-and fo on in the other numbers.
to
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to the right, and the ftern repels it to the left; the bow of the fecond
boat brings it to the right again, and then the ftern drives it to the
left; which agitation confequently will retard the motion of both
boats hence, on a canal for twenty-five ton boats, one boat muft
be the allowance of one horfe; he cannot have more; but muft
endeavour to accomplifh quantity by fpeed, and encounter the
confequent refiftance.
But of the four-ton boats, ten, fifteen, or twenty, may be linked
together, to compofe any weight which is thought proper, accor-
ding to time and diftance; being only twenty feet long they incline
to the bendings of the canal like the links of a chain, and follow
in the wake of each other, being guided by a man walking on the
horfe-path with a boat-hook; hence, by the fyftem of fmall boats, a
horfe may take any quantity, and move with a proportionate
velocitv.
From boats of this conftruction, another material advantage
arifes to proprietors of colleries, lime, delphs, &c. frequently a ca-
nal may país near fuch works; and yet it is inconvenient, or incon-
fiftent, with the quantity of trade, to extend the water level to the
very fpot; which circumftance frequently obliges fuch proprietors to
conftruct rail-ways, and keep waggons, which they muft be at
the expence firft of loading, before they can deliver the commodity
to the boats, and frequently of forming a depofit on the canal banks,
from whence they muft again load into the boats. But if fuch
works lie above the canal, and not more than fix hundred yards
diftant, fo that a regular defcent could be obtained; a fingle road
might be formed, and the boat floating on additional wheels might
be raifed to the pit by the fteam-engine employed in pumping, or
by the mode defcribed by D. in the Plate of Parts.
But if fuch a regular declivity could not be obtained; fuppofing
the afcent was eafy, the boat, on a carriage prepared for the pur-
pofe,
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pofe, might be conveyed to the works, any where within a mile, by
a horfe; there taking in her cargo, defcend from thence to the canal,
and be immediately ready for navigation.
It may alfo be advifeable, in fome cafes, for the proprietor to re-
duce his boats to two tons, being twenty feet long, two feet fix inches
wide, and the fame depth by placing wheels on thefe boats, of the
fame dimenfions as thofe of four tons, they will pafs the fame
machinery, and navigate wherever canals fo adapted extend ; and the
advantage to the proprietor would be, that fuch narrow boats would
pafs through a tunnel, not more than three feet fix inches wide and
nine feet high, which may be conftructed fo cheap as to enable him
to drive a water level into the centre of his works * : fo far relates
to the fquare ended, flow mover, and common trading boat.
But as various circumftances may require difpatch, fuch as boats
to market, paffage boats, or quick communications between trading
towns, where valuable merchandize may require fpeed ; Figure the
first and fecond, reprefents boats for this purpofe, being conftructed
thirty feet long, four wide, two feet ten inches deep ; flat at bottom,
with wheels as before mentioned, and fharp at the bow, as fpeed is
required, containing from four to five tons : in building thefe boats
ftern pofts muft be raifed about five feet high (as in the Plate), to
which the chains are fixed; thus, the chains being raifed will pre-
vent the leading chains of the machine from preffing on the goods,
or incommoding paffengers. Of the operation of thefe boats I fhall
treat in Chapter the Seventh, on the Syftem of Navigation.
I have not been able, in time for the prefs, to procure an exact account of the length of
the various tunnels which extend to his Grace the Duke of Bridgewater's colleries at Worfley :
but it is faid they amount to fixteen miles, which, at 61. per lineal yard on an average, would
coft 168,960l. half of which, 84,4801. might have been faved by employing the two-ton
boats.
CHAP.
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CHAP. VI.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SECOND PLATE, EXHIBITING A DOUBLE-IN-
CLINED PLANE, FOR THE PURPOSE OF PASSING BOATS, AND
THEIR CARGOES, To, AND FROM, THE DIFFERENT PONDS, OR
LEVELS, IN CANAL NAVIGATION.
A
S a thorough intelligence of the principles of this machine will
give a good introductory idea to the fucceeding apparatus, I
will endeavour to be particular in the defcription of it; therefore
I hope to be excufed if it appear a little tedious, to thofe who are
familiar with fome of its component parts; as my wifh is to ex-
plain the principle to thofe perfons who are totally unac-
quainted with the fubject, which I know by experience to be
fomewhat difficult; I will therefore firft enumerate the parts which
compofe it.
1ft, A double-inclined plane, extending from one pond or level
of canal to the other, and running into each canal about fixty feet.
2d, A pit (or well) in depth equal to the difference between the
levels of the two canals.
3d, A fough from the bottom of the pit, to communicate with
the lower canal.
4tb, A tub, or ciftern, to move in the pit, into which water is
drawn from the upper canal in order to create a power to put the
machine in motion.
5th,
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5th, A trough to convey the water from the upper canal to the
tub.
6th, A drum wheel, over the pit, to which the tub is fufpend-
ed; which wheel gives. motion to the remainder of the apparatus
with a fmall fan to regulate the increafed velocity of the tub, in
rifing from the bottom to the top of the pit.
7th, A weight fufpended to the oppofite fide of the drum
which muft be fomething fuperior to the empty tub.
8th, Balance chains, which are equal in length to the depth of
the pit ; thefe muft be faftened, one end to the bottom of the tub,
the other to the bottom of the weight.
9th, A horizontal wheel at the bottom of the plane, and over
the lower canal; alfo, a wheel inclined on the fame angle as the
plane, to be placed at the top ; round thefe two wheels the leading
chains are continued, and perform a rotatory movement.
10th, A lying fhaft with two wheels multiplied movement, to
convey the motion from the drum to the inclined wheel.
I 1th, A fmall wheel receiving motion from the back of the in-
clined wheel in order to draw the boat out of the upper canal on
the bridge of the plane.
12th, A ftopper on the plane near the bridge, to prevent the
boat defcending till the man is ready.
13th, A pair of centrifugal fans to regulate the movement.
14th,
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14th, A lying fhaft, multiplied movement, to communicate the
motion with the fans and inclined wheel.
I 5tb, Building to cover and fupport the works, with fome levers
and valves, to be defcribed.
To erect fuch a machine; the firft confideration is, in furveying
the propofed line of the canal, to run it to fuch points of hills as
will admit of the greateft poffible rife at one time; as this will pre-
vent much machinery and reduce the number of operations.
The flope of the hill muft then be formed into a regular plane
of any angle under forty-five degrees, to which the ground is beft
adapted; and extending from one pond to the other, as in Fig. II.
Two planes muft then be formed, in width two feet one inch,
and each diftant from the other fix feet; the ground work of thefe
planes may be timber, framed together and laid on a bed of rubble,
or rough afhlar, or the afhlar covered with coping ftones, each of
which fhould be at leaft three feet long croffing the plane, and not
lefs than one foot diameter, neatly dreffed and jointed; this
mode would form a permanant plane of ftone, the two fhould be
united by wood binders at about every fifteen feet, or caft iron rails
would be much better in confequence of their duration. Having
formed the plane by either of thefe modes, the iron rails caft with a
flange, and fix or more feet long, muft be carefully placed two feet
one inch apart from flange to flange; if laid on wood, ftrong
fpikes will be fufficient fecurity, and if laid on ftone they fhould be
carefully bedded, and the fpikes or pins faftened by melted lead, ob-
ferving to fill every aperture to prevent the admiffion of water,
which freezing in winter might fplit the ftone; fuch a plane of
iron and ftone is moft advifeable as it is moft lafting.
G
Of
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Of fuch plane about fixty feet muft defcend into the lower canal,
but of a lefs angle then the firft; it fhould not exceed four degrees,
that by lying flat it may let the boat into the canal without dan-
ger of filling. At the part where this laft plane joins the firft, in
entering the lower canal the angle muft not be left fharp, but the
union formed by a hollow curve, which will let the boat down
with a regular motion, without the danger of her bow, or ftern,
touching either of the planes which would be the cafe if the two
planes were joined by a fharp angle.
Again, on the fummit where the plane turns into the upper canal,
the union muft be a regular curved bridge, which will prevent the
bottom of the boat between the wheels from touching the planes $
which would be the cafe if the planes were united in a fharp point,
(comparatively) like the ridge of a houfe.
Each of thofe planes, as they proceed into the upper and lower
canals, muft widen from two to about three feet ; or have two rails,
placed juft above the water, in order with the greater eafe to guide
the boat to the exact fituation; that her wheels may touch in the
right part of the plane, and prevent her miffing the iron
rails.
2dly, Having formed the planes (fee the Top Drawing, which
reprefents the Upper Works), A, in the ground plan, exhibits the
mouth of the tub pit, and fhould be fufficiently large to receive a
tub which will contain eight tons of water. A tub nine feet diame-
ter and five deep will contain upwards of nine tons, therefore
fufficient room for eight without danger of fpilling; hence, if the pit
is from ten to eleven feet diameter it will be fufficient which pit
may be walled with brick, or ftone, as moft convenient, like a
common coal-pit fhaft or well.
3dly,
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3dly, From the bottom of the pit a fough, B, to the lower canal,
which needs not be more than three or four feet diameter; in fact,
as fmall and cheap as the nature of the meafures will admit; as it
is of no other ufe than to let off the water difcharged from the tub
in the pit.
4tbly, A tub muft be formed, as before mentioned, capable of
containing eight tons of water, nine feet diameter, five deep; this
may be made of wood, or fheet iron, like the boiler of a fteam
engine, and having in the bottom a hole from twelve to eighteen
inches diameter, acrofs the hole a ftrong bar of iron, and in a right
line with the bar one muft be placed acrofs or near the top of the
tub; through each of the bars, and exactly in the centre of the tub,
there muft be a hole to receive a perpendicular bar, fomething
more than one inch diameter; on the laft bar a valve is placed,
fufficiently large to cover the hole in the tub; and fo placed on
the perpendicular, that when it is fhut the bar will project about
eighteen inches below the bottom of the tub hence the valve will
play perpendicularly, being guided by the perpendicular paffing
through the crofs bars of the tub. The ufe of the eighteen-inch
projection below, is in order that, when the tub defcends to the
bottom of the pit, the bar may ftrike the bottom of the pit, and
rifing with the valve by means of the blow, may difcharge the wa-
ter from the tub. See the Figure of the Tub in the Plate of Parts
5tbly, A trough muft be formed, from about three feet below the
top water of the upper canal, to the centre of the diameter of the
pit, in which a common valve may be placed of twelve or eighteen
inches diameter, in order to draw water into the tub.
There may alfo be guides, to preferve the tub in a direct perpendicular through the
pit.
G2
6tbly,
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6thly, C reprefents the drum-wheel, which fhould be about half
the diameter of the tub, and fo placed that one fide may come
exactly over the centre of the pit. Care muft be taken that this
wheel be made fufficiently ftrong to fupport ten or twelve tons,
which indeed is not fo much as the ordinary weight of a confiderable water
wheel: its length may be from eight to twelve feet, but if kept fhort
it will have the more ftrength. On one end of this drum a fpur-
wheel, D, muft be conftructed, that the motion may begin to multiply.
For it muft be obferved, that as the plane will be fometimes fix, feven,
eight, or more times the length of the pit, the boat will have to pafs
through fo much more fpace than the tub; hence the movements
muft multiply in proportion. I will, in this, fuppofe the plane fix
times as long as the pit is deep, therefore let the fpur-wheel on the
drum be three times the diameter of the drum, which will multiply
the movement three times, leaving three to be made on the other
parts of the machine; the drum and fpur-wheel being formed, a
pinion may work in the fpur *, to the fhaft of which a pair of fans
will regulate the increafed velocity of the tub in returning. The
drum being fixed, the tub is to be fufpended by two or more chains,
and on the o ppofite fide a weight fomething fuperior to the tub the
ufe of this weight, is to return the tub to the top of the pit when
the water is difcharged.
Balance chains, equal in length to the depth of the pit, and equal
in weight to the tub chains, three feet of one, for inflance, being just as
beavy as three feet of the other, muft be fixed, one end to the bottom
of the tub, the other to the bottom of the weight ; and thus, as the
tub and weight rife and defcend alternately, there will ever be the
fame quantity of chain pendent, which will preferve a balance on
the works; but, without this chain, fuppofe the tub to be fituated at
bottom, the weight would have to raife not only the tub, but its chain
: See Fig. I. in the Ground Plan,
4
alfo;
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alfo; and the tub would have a fimilar weight to raife when the
weight was at bottom; but now whichever is at top has thewhole
of the balance chain hanging to its bottom, therefore an affiftant to
raife the oppofite chains and prevent them from being a tax on
the machine. (See the Balance Chains in the Plate of Parts).
E, a horizontal, or rather inclined wheel, being on an angle
with the plane. This wheel fhould be of fuch a diameter, that
its extremities might come exactly oppofite the centre of the two
planes, which will be about eight feet, therefore eight feet dia-
meter ; about ten inches broad on the fole, and two flanges : to
keep the chain on the wheel round the rim, ftrong pins, or teeth,
muft be fixed, on which the links of the chain catch promifcu-
oufly, to prevent them flipping; the beft mode of forming this will
be by fegments of iron caft with the flanges, and a row of holes
in the centre and end of each, and acrofs the fegment, at about
one inch diftant from each other. In faftening the fegments to
the wood, the fcrew-heads may be left pointed, and projecting
about one inch, which will anfwer the purpofe of catching the
links ; on the upper part of this wheel, fegments of bevil gear
muft alfo be fcrewed, of the fame diameter as the wheels. A wheel
of the fame fize and conftruction, excepting the bevil gear, muft be
placed at the bottom of the plane, and over the lower pond of
canal this muft be borizontal. Round thefe wheels the leading chains
perform a rotatory movement; a ftopper being placed on the up-
per wheel to prevent it turning back. (See the Plate of Parts.)
F, a lying fhaft, to convey the power. from the drum to the in-
clined wheel. By this the remainder of the multiplied movement
is performed; by a fmall pinion working in the fpur-gear of the
drum, and a large bevil working in the bevil of the inclined
wheel,
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wheel, the pinion end muft be made to caft in and out of the drum-
gear at pleafure, particularly to let the tub return.
G, is a bevil wheel with a fmall fhaft, receiving motion from the
inclined wheel : to the fhaft a rope is fixed, and continued round
a pulley, to a beam projecting from the front of the building
the ufe of this is to draw the boat out of the upper canal on the
bridge of the plane, by means of the defcending boat, or tub,
giving motion to the inclined wheel. When the rope is hooked to
the boat, a pull will draw a knot, which anfwers as a Stopper, home
to the lever H, which moving, the lever drops the wheel into gear.
When it has raifed the boat to a certain point, another knot, draw-
ing the lever H inwards, lifting the wheel out of gear, it remains
inactive, although the other parts of the machine are in motion.
This mode of raifing the boats out of the upper canal, on the
bridge of the plane, keeps a conftant fupply ready to defcend*.
I, (fee the Top-works.) This is to ftop the boat, when drawn on
the bridge of the plane, from defcending till the man is ready.
To place this, a fpace muft be made in the plane, between the
rails, about five feet long. The ftopper may be a frame of wood,
projecting about five feet above the plane, and defcending beneath
it, where it muft be framed into a fhaft, working on gudgeons,
one end of the fhaft projecting about three feet from the fide of
the plane ; to the fhaft a weight muft be fufpended by a chain,
which weight will raife it to a perpendicular, after the boat has
paffed; by which it faftens under the end of the lever, and ftops
the next boat, and fo on t. On the upper end of the ftopper there
As a diffinction, this rope may be called the Preparer, in confequence of preparing
the boats to defcend.
See the Plate of Parts.
muft
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muft be a roller, rather hollow on the face, to eafe the chain as it
paffes.
J, are the centrifugal fans, compofed of wood, and hung to a
perpendicular thaft, by boffes on the fans, and a gudgeon through
the fhaft. The object of thefe is to regulate the movement of the
various weights, without the attention of the workmen, which
will confequently be a means of faving time; thefe fans, as the
weights are heavy, and increafe in velocity, expand, creating re-
fiftance by their action on the air, by which they retard the mo-
tion; and, although the weight of the boats may vary, they pre-
ferve nearly an equal movement, which will render any attention
to this part of the operation ufelefs.
K, is a lying fhaft with two wheels one fmall, working in
the inclined wheel, another of a diameter four, or more, times
larger than the firft, working on the pinion of the fan-fhaft, which
is to multiply the fpeed of the fans ; they confequently will create
greater refiftance.
See the Plate of Parts, Fig. I. which reprefents the boat enter-
ing the upper canal, and the mode of feparating from the leading
chains, in confequence of the form of the hook, which hook is to
be made with a pin about four inches long, croffing at a right
angle through the head; by this means, fo long as the boat-
chains are in a diagonal direction, in afcending or defcending, the
hook will hold faft to the leading chain; but on entering the dif-
ferent ponds, the roller caufes the boat-chains to rife in a perpen-
dicular direction, by which the pin preffes on the link, and turns
out the bill of the hook, leaving the boat at liberty to run into
the canal, without ftopping the machine for that purpofe, which
I
is
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is the means of faving much time, the man paying no attention
to the unhooking of the boats. It muft be evident, that if the
machine was ftopped to unhook, at top and at bottom, the man
would have to pafs from one place to another for that purpofe,
and confequently lofe much time, but, by the hooks cafting off,
the man's whole attention is employed in preparing boats to rife,
or defcend; hence the machine is capable of being kept in almoft
conftant motion, and the boats rife and defcend, in regular fuc-
ceffion, with very little interruption; the fame mode of cafting off
being performed both at top and bottom of the plane, taking care
that the roller at top is fufficiently within the bridge, that the
boat may tend towards the upper canal, previous to the hook
feparating from the chain.
E, in the Plate of Parts, exhibits the mode of paffing long tim-
ber, all twenty-foots being put into the boats, each plane is prepared
with a carriage for this purpofe; and the timber being chained in
four-ton parcels, or rafts, is floated on the canal, one horfe con-
veying eight, ten, or twelve, fuch rafts. On arriving at the plane,
each, in fucceffion, is to be floated on the carriage, and, being
hooked to the leading chain, they will confequently mount or
defcend the plane, with the fame facility as a boat, and, by this
means, timber of any length, or dimenfions, may be tranfported
by a fmall canal.
In Ruffia and America, all timber is rafted in a fimilar man-
ner, as far as it is poffible to convey it by fuch means: and I fee
no reafon for objecting to fuch an operation on canals, the mode
of paffing to and from the different levels being accomplifhed.
Having
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Having defcribed the formation and ufe of the particular parts
of this machine, I will now go through the operation of paffing
the boats; in which obferve, that, in confequence of the chains
performing a rotatory movement, the defcending boats will ever
pafs on one plane, and the afcending on the other : hence the
boats will rife, or defcend, in a regular fucceffion, and in the fame
order, as they arrive at the plane; nor will the afcending boats
ever incommode the defcending, or the defcending be any obftruc-
tion to thofe that afcend.
Firft, it will be neceffary to go through the operation of a
defcending trade, fuch as is frequent from coal-works, lime,
delphs, &c. where the loaded boats defcending return thofe that
are empty.
In this cafe, let it be fuppofed a number of loaded boats are at
top, and empty boats at bottom ; the man hooks the preparer to
a loaded boat in the upper canal, and the man below hooks an
:
empty boat to the leading chains ; water is then admitted into the
tub, which, giving motion to the whole machine, draws the
:
loaded boat over the bridge, to the ftopper, and at the fame time
raifes the empty boat near to the fummit of the plane; this done,
the preparer is hooked to a fecond boat ; the loaded boat is hooked
to the leading chains, and alfo another empty boat is hooked be-
low. The tub being caft out of gear to relieve the works, the
man lets go the ftopper; and now the loaded boat, by its de-
fcending weight, raifes a fecond on the bridge, draws the firft
empty boat into the upper canal, and raifes a fecond empty boat
into the place quitted by the firft; thus a regular rotation of paf-
fing is kept up, in a defcending trade, without the ufe of water
H
to
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to any but the firft boat; the firft prepares the fecond; the fe-
cond the third and fo on, to any number of boats.
The fame operation, in all its parts, is performed in an afcend-
ing or alternate trade ; with this addition, that water is drawn
into the tub, to create à fufficient power to raife the loaded boats.
It now comes to fpeak of the expedition produced by this
fyftem.
Firft, It muft be evident to every one, particularly thofe who
have feen any fimilar operation, that if an alternate movement
was adopted, and a boat was to come up the fame plane where
one went down, the boat could not be raifed on the bridge of
the plane while the other was paffing, becaufe it would occupy
the fituation where the afcending boat mult país; neither could
the defcending boat draw the afcending into the upper canal,
the defcending boat lofing its power in touching the lower canal ;
confequently the afcending boat would not pafs through more
fpace than the defcending, therefore a ftop would take place be-
low the bridge of the plane, as is now the cafe; but it is the
defcent of the fecond boat which draws the firft over the bridge,
into the upper canal, and raifes a fecond boat into the place of
the firft; this fecond is alfo drawn in by the third defcending
boat, and fo on, which is the confequent refult of a rotatory
-movement, which rotatory movement could not be applied if any
kind of cradle, or carriage, was ufed to convey the boat, as fuch
carriage mult neceffarily rife, and defcend, on the fame plane,
and confequently give an alternate movement. Hence the necef-
fity of wheels to the boats, or of rollers to the plane.
Secondly,
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Secondly, The centrifugal fans regulating the movement, and
the caft-off hook difcharging the boats from the chains, is a great
means of faving time, and, in fact, leaves little more for the men
to 'do than hook boats to the chains, in fucceffion, they rifing,
and defcending, in regular rotation, which admits of fuch extra-
ordinary fpeed, that two four-ton boats may pafs a plane, whofe
perpendicular is 200 feet, in three minutes, as will appear by the
following ftatement :
Minutes.
Hooking the preparer to the boat,
-
-
-
-
1
Hooking the boat to the leading chains,
-
-
-
I
Drawing water into the tub, if neceffary,
-
-
-
I
During this the man below has fufficient time to hook
his boat.
Paffing the plane,
-
!
-
-
-
or
I I
3 o
During the paffing of the plane, the man above, having no-
thing elfe to do, may be getting his line of boats forward to the
fituation for the preparer, or pull forward thofe boats which have
afcended; or this might be the work of a boy, at IS. 6d. per day.
Hence 1920 tons may be performed in twelve hours ; and, if this
is not fufficient, there can be no difficulty in working fuch a
machine by night, changing the fets of men, who might live in
the building over the machine; and thus, 3840 tons may be per-
formed in twenty-four hours, at one plane, which, I hope, is
adequate to the greateft canal trade which the moft fanguine
imagination can conceive; particularly when it is confidered, that
there is no canal yet known, where 1000 tons per day through-
out the year paffes at one point of the canal: on a canal fixty
miles long, for inftance, 5000 tons might move on its various
H 2
parts,
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parts, the transfer of which would be divided among feveral
machines; but, fo far as I can learn, there is no canal in Eng-
land where 700 tons per day moves through one point; there-
fore, confidering every circumftance, I conceive a fmall canal, and
machinery, adequate to a trade of the firft importance.
A CoM-
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CANAL NAVIGATION.
53
A COMPARATIVE VIEW of the EXPENCE of rifing 100 FEET, by
Locks, or INCLINED PLANES, the ufual Expence of Locks for
twenty-five ton Boats being 701. per foot, and for forty-ton Boats
100/. which, in the firît cafe, would coft 70001. and in the fecond
10,000/.
IN this I fhall confider the average of fituations and circum-
ftances, as to the form of the ground, carriage of materials, &c.
the plane on an angle of 20 degrees.
L. S. d.
Removing 4000 cube yards, in forming the flope of
the hill, at 5d. per yard,
-
-
-
-
82
10
To forming the ends of canal, top and bottom,
-
100
536 cube yards rubble walling, at 5s. per yard, - - 134
268 yards fquared afhlar coping, 18 inches thick, 3 feet
long, at 15s. the running yard,
-
-
-
201
536 yards caft-iron rails, 100 cwt. per yard, 15s. per
cwt.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
402
Bedding the rails in the coping, lead and pins, 2S. per
yard,
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
53 I2 o
26 caft-iron binders to unite the planes, 200 cwt. each,
at 15s. per cwt.
-
-
-
-
-
39 0 o
Two horizontal wheels, eight feet diameter, fix inches
on the face,
r
-
-
-
-
-
100
O
o
Carried over, L. 1,112 2 O
6
Brought
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A TREATISE ON
Brought over, L. 1,112
2
800 feet chain, 2S. per foot,
-
-
-
-
80
34 yards tub pit, II feet diameter, 41. IOS. per yard,
153
IIO yards fough, at 12S. per yard,
-
-
-
66
One wrought-iron tub,
-
-
-
-
-
60
700 feet of chain to the tub, weight, and balance, 4s.
per foot,
-
-
-
-
-
-
140
Drum-wheel, eight feet long, four diameter, fpur-
gear, &c.
-
-
-
-
-
-
100
Two lying fhafts, ftopper, and centrifugal fans,
-
150
Trough to convey the water to the pit,
-
-
IO
Sixty rollers to bear the chains off the plane, 53. each,
15
Building to cover the works, and anfwer as an office,
200
2,086 2
Contingencies, 10 per cent.
208
12
o
Total,
L. 2,294
14
Locks for twenty-five ton boats, 100 feet rife,
-
7,000
0
Double plane to the fame height,
-
-
-
2,294
14
Saving,
-
,
-
-
-
L. 4,705
6
Locks for forty-ton boats, 100 feet rife,
-
10,000,
Double plane to the fame height,
-
-
-
2,294 14
Saving,
-
-
9
-
-
-
-
£. 7,705
6
O
4
In
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CANAL NAVIGATION.
55
In cafe of a trade totally defcending, the loaded boats raifing
thofe that are empty, the tub, pit, drum-wheel, and all that
part of the machine for creating power, may be faved, amount-
ing to 5991. the contingent expences being reduced in proportion
in which cafe, a double inclined plane, to the height of 100 feet,
would coft 1,6351. 166.
This, compared with the expence of locks for twenty-five ton
boats, will be a faving of 5,3641. 4s. and on locks for forty-ton
boats 8,3641. 4s.
In this operation, when a number of loaded boats have to pafs
down during the day, it is only neceffary to leave a loaded boat on
the bridge of the plane, which will be a power in réferve to begin
work in the morning; or, if this is not confiftent with the nature
of the trade, the firft boat may be raifed on the bridge, by the
man, with a common windlafs, tooth, and pinion, which may be
a work of about ten minutes; but, that done, it will raife all the
remaining boats on the bridge, ready to defcend, as before de-
fcribed. Thus the machine may be conftructed for an alternate,
or a defcending trade; which laft will frequently be required in
lateral cuts, particularly in the lime and coal trade; but, fhould
future extenfion open an alternate trade, the water-tub, and all
the parts for creating power, may be added to the plane, with the
fame propriety as in the firft inftance; and this may be done with-
.out interrupting the trade one hour.
I now begin to apply the various apparatus to the feveral
directions and portions of trade, in order that the expence may
be contracted in proportion as the trade is fmall, yet enlarged
with
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56
A TREATISE ON
with facility as trade varies in direction, or increafes in quantity :
thus a canal may commence, like a man, on a fmall capital, and
rife to confequence out of its own earnings.
As the machine is reduced in expence, the quantity which it
will perform is alfo contracted : in the defcending trade about
nine hundred tons will be the work of twelve hours.
CHAP.
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CANAL NAVIGATION.
57
CHAP. VII.
OF THE SYSTEM OF NAVIGATING.
A
S a plane will rife from fifty to two hundred feet at one
time, confequently, the ponds of canal may be longer, with-
out interruption, than on the lock principle; and as men will be
ftationed at each machine, whofe bufinefs it muft be to pafs the boats
at fo much per ton *, I conceive the beft mode of navigating will
be, when a man arrives with his ten, or more, boats at a plane he
fhould immediately leave them for the men to transfer, and, taking
fuch boats as are ready, return to the fource or machine from
whence he came.
When the boats have been paffed by the engine-men, they are
navigated by a man to the next machine, and fo on, till the voyage
is completed. In a trade of lime-ftone, coals, iron-ore, flate, flags,
deals, and various other articles, it could not make the leaft diffe-
rence, in fuch materials, if a boat remained a few hours at a plane
waiting for transfer; but in cafe of the arrival of merchandize, it
fhould be paffed immediately, leaving the other boats for that
purpofe.
By this mode the fame boatman will not navigate the whole line
of canal, but will always work on one pond; which I conceive to
On the Ketley and Shropmise canals, a five-tom boat is paffed at a plane for 3d. the
npty boats return gratis.
I
be
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A TREATISE ON
be a convenience: for if I fuppofe the ponds between the planes
from one to ten miles long, it will be eafy to calculate the number
of trips which a man can perform per day, on each refpective length,
from which his wages may be determined; he will fet out without
fear of interruption by lock-keepers, or of being delayed by nu-
merous boats meeting at the fame lock or locks ; and he may ever
work in the neighbourhood of his own habitation.
In the courfe of a voyage a perfon at a particular place may want
to receive four, eight, or more, tons of coals, lime, or other mate-
rials, who has no occafion for more; thus one, two, or more boats
may be left at the moft convenient fituation to unload, without de-
taining the remainder, and the boats fo left may be emptied by the
purchafer, before the boatman's return: but, in the cafe of a
twenty-five ton boat, the whole muft be detained till the quantity
purchafed is difcharged.
This mode of a man always working on the fame pond, and in
the neighbourhood of his own houfe, will be productive of boat-
men, as any kind of horfe will fet a poor man up in bufinefs; the
fize of the boats enabling him to take a weight proportioned to the
ftrength of his horfe, mule, or even afs. Befides, as the whole object
is merely to get them conveyed from one machine to another, he
needs but little capacity, as he has nothing to do with machinery.
Thus almoft any kind of man will do for a boatman, and hence
a competition will arife on the different ponds, and competition
will not only produce attention, and civility, but alfo moderate
charges.
It now remains to confider, how this fyftem will operate on a
home, or extended, trade. As the property will país through various
hands,
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CANAL NAVIGATION.
59
hands, or rather come under the care of many, during its paf-
fage to any great diftance.
To take a general view of this, the practice which moft refembles
it, is the mode of fending valuable merchandize by the mail or other
coaches, for inftance, from Scotland to London; which property
paffes through the hands of various coach proprietors and changes
of coaches, yet arrives at the deftined fpot with certainty : or it re-
fembles the practice of a merchant, who fhips goods for the conti-
nent; in which cafe they have firft water, and then land carriage,
fometimes for many hundred miles : he and his correfpondent have
their agents eftablifhed in various parts to facilitate the tranfit;
who being alfo agents for many others, find it worth their while to
pay a proper attention to the goods, and thus the articles fafely
reach the foreign market to which they are configned; cuftom and
regularity having rendered the mode familiar and eafy.
Intereft will alfo bend men to the various circumftances, if one
mode can be proved cheaper than another; it is therefore almoft
impoffible for a mode to be pointed out, which may be precifely
followed on thefe navigations. But I will mention fuch as I con-
ceive will anfwer and this by eftablifhed agents.
Suppofe, for inftance, a man of good capacity refides near or in
the building over the machinery, where at leaft he might have a
counting-houfe; this man might be toll-collector to the company, and
at the fame time agent to the various traders who ufed the canal ;
which employment probably would produce a handfome annual
profit, and his agency might be performed at fo much per ton : on
a canal, for inftance, with a trade of three hundred tons per day,
allowing two hundred and eighty working days in the year, one
I 2
farthing
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A TREATISE ON
farthing per ton would produce him 871. IOS. per annum; which,
with toll-collecting, might amount to upwards of 1001. & fum fuf-
ficient to induce a very clever man to fill the office. For this far-
thing he fhould take boats and cargoes under his care for at leaft
ten miles; if two machines were in that fpace, he fhould govern
both, but if they were twenty miles diftant from each other, he
fhould have all goods paffing on that pond under his guidance, in
which cafe the agency might be raifed. Therefore, averaging the
agency at one farthing per ton, for ten miles, the expence of it
could not be felt on the value of any kind of materials; the agency
of one hundred miles being performed for two-pence halfpenny per
ton. But as eyen ten-pence per ton on one hundred miles would be
no object to the feller or buyer of the goods fent, I will therefore
raife the agency to one penny per ton for ten miles, confequently
feventy-five tons per day would pay an agent 87d. IOS. per annum
on a canal with fmall trade.
Having thus eftablifhed agents at proper fituations, who may be
confidered fomewhat analogous to the book-keeper at a coach-office,
alfo to collectors of turnpikes, they collecting the tolls, each propri-
etor of boats fhould have his name, and number, marked on each
boat.
I will now fuppofe him to difpatch ten; boats, to be left in dif-
ferent places ; with thefe boats he fhould fend a ticket to the firft
agent, and perhaps to the following effect:
Date.
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CANAL NAVIGATION.
61
Date.
Proprietor's Name.
Tons.
Boats Number.
To Who m.
Refidence.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
A. B.
Manchefter,
4
6
10
14
16
C. D.
Stockport,
3
11
8
E. F.
New Bridge,
7
4
G. H.
Romely,
8
9
8
C. W.
Chadkih,
I
I
The agent, on receipt of fuch ticket, would draw a line over the
numbers to be left in his diffrict, make out a direction for each, and
deliver it to the next boatman; with the firft ticket to be forwarded
to the next agent with fuch boats as pafs over the next machine, and
come under his care, and fo on. The agent, knowing the time of
the boats paffing, would alfo know when the empty boats, or full
ones, fhould return; he would likewife have the boatman on his
pond immediately under his control, as well as the men at the
machine, therefore could correct any negligence, and the proprietor
would know where to apply if they were anywife remifs in their
duty. The work might be fo regular, as even to afcertain when
any particular boats paffed each machine, and when it arrived at its
deftination, by marking the hour on the ticket.
This mode of reducing the work to fyftern, and rendering every
man by habit familiar with his part, I conceive, will facilitate na-
vigation, and render the paffage of goods of all kinds, to the moft
diftant parts of the country, extremely fimple; boats, for inftance,
from Manchefter to London, being carefully packed and covered
with a tarpawling, would pafs with the ticket, by the various
agents,
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A TREATISE ON
agents, with the fame certainty as others would go thirty miles,
one fyitem being preferved throughout
The perquifites of the agent, already ftated, would be fufficient
to warrant the company in demanding a bond to a confiderable
amount for the true performance of his office the company would
be refponfible to the freighter for any loffes, and the agent anfwer-
able to the company for neglect : this would not only link the va-
rious ponds of canal together, but would produce a continued
chain of felf-intereft, the moft prevailing ftimulus to urge men to
be active, and do what is right the agent's emoluments arifing
out of the tons conveyed, I conceive to be much better than a fixed
falary ; as his profits will, in fome degree, depend on his attention :
which attention might be the means of influencing proprietors of
goods to fend articles on the canals that might otherwife be tranf-
ported by different means.
Hence, even by this plan, I fee no difficulty in conveying goods
into the moft diftant, and lefs important, parts of the country ;
and time, with concurrent circumftances, will no doubt infinitely
improve this method.
It has been obferved, that fome difficulty would attend fending goods to diftant parts by
thefe boats, as a man could not follow his property, or appoint a perfon to accompany it,
in confequence of paffing through fuch various hands and boatmen ; but the fame objection
might arife againft the fending of game to London ; a man might fay he could not go with
the-game to fee it delivered but, what is much better, agency performs this part of the bu-
finefs, nor do I know any conveyance where property is followed or accompanied by the
proprietor. Property is given to the care of others, who are refponfible for the delivery
into fafe hands; letters, for inftance, which país through/the various poft-offices, are by
their fize much more liable to mifcarriage or miftake, from agency, than a four-ton boat, or
goods conveyed by it ; yet cuftom has rendered the transfer of letters perfectly eafy and
fecure, millions of property being conveyed by letters, circulated into the moft obfcure parts
of-the country every week.
To
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CANAL NAVIGATION.
6₃
To this regularity, I conceive expedition will, in many cafes,
be added, as before mentioned of the market, paffage, and dif-
patch boats. Many valuable kinds of merchandize will bear fome
additional expence in carriage; and it may be of more importance
to the merchant to have them in market, in a given time, than to
fave the difference in expence between the flow and the more
rapid conveyance.
I will therefore fuppofe a canal from the great trading town of
Manchefter to London, diftant 182 miles, to which add 38 miles
for the bonds, amounting to 220 miles, and on this length of
canal twenty-two agents, one to every ten miles.
A carrier at London, or at Manchefter, we fuppofe to have his
difpatch-boats ready, which, containing from four to five tons,
might be conveyed at the rate of fix miles per hour, by one horfe ;
as they would arrive periodically, each machine-man would know
when to look for them and the boatmen on the various ponds,
in like manner, would be prepared with their horfes, fimilar to
the operation with the ftage-coaches ; the boat, thus navigated,
would arrive at London, or at Manchefter, in about forty hours ;
of which the expence would be nearly as follows. Allowing one
horfe to navigate a boat ten miles forwards, and ten back, in
twenty-four hours, the horfe and driver may be eftimated at fix
fhillings, all cafualties included ; which will amount to three fhil-
lings per boat for teh miles, and the total expence of ten miles will
ftand thus :
Three-
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A TREATISE ON
L.
S.
d.
Three-pence per ton per mile to the company,
-
O
IO
0
Horfe and boatman,
-
-
1
-
O
3
O
Agency,
-
1.
-
O
O
2
Paffing machine,
-
-
-
-
o
O
2
Wear of the boat,
-
-
-
-
-
o
O
2
For IO miles,
-
-
-
o
13
6
For 220 ditto,
-
-
-
-
14
I3
4
or 31. 13s. 4d. per ton : what the carrier might expect for his trouble
cannot be eftimated, but it is probable this mode would not amount
to half of what is now paid to broad-wheeled waggons the expence
from London to Manchefter being about 81. IOS. per ton and
the faving in time would be near three days.
By the flow movement of the boats, every expence, except the
horfe, will be the fame as the above but by the flow movement a
horfe would take forty tons twenty miles for fix fhillings, which is
about three-pence halfpenny per boat for ten miles, thus the horfe-
hire on a boat to London would be
L. O 6 5
But by the quick movement the horfe-hire is
3 6 0
2 19 7
which is 14s. ro4d. per ton cheaper by the flow than the quick
.conveyance.
Thus feeing that difpatch may be produced by fmall boats, they
may become the means of conveying paffengers, and paffage-
boats rife to much national importance ; a convenience for paf-
fengers might be conftructed in a boat fuch as laft defcribed, or
If the tonnage was fixed at two-pence the ton per mile, which would be good tonnage
on a canal, the expence to London would be 21. 155. per ton, in which cafe there would be
little doubt but the goods might be delivered for half the fum they now coft by waggons.
4
a boat
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CANAL NAVIGATION,
63
a boat might be built for the purpofe, fimilar to the Firft Figure in
the Plate of Boats; which I fuppofe to be thirty feet long, four wide,
and twenty feet in the centre for the accommodation of the paf-
fengers. This fpace would give ample room to fifteen perfons,
which fifteen perfons would not weigh one ton and a half on an
average; confequently, fome repofitory fhould be conftructed for
parcels, to endeavour to complete a cargo, and pay the boatman
or proprietor.
I will now fuppofe fuch a paffage-boat to navigate from London
to Manchefter. In this cafe, as the weights would differ in almoft
every journey, in proportion to the number of paffengers, it would
be proper to contract with the company at a certain fum per mile,
loaded or empty; and, as the boat would feldom have more than
two tons, fuch contract at 4d. per mile would, perhaps, be the
beft encouragement to paffage-boats, and a fair toll to the com-
pany ; if fo, the expence of fuch a boat to London would be as
follows:
L. So d.
220 miles at 4d. per mile to the company,
-
-
3 13 4
Horfe hire,
-
-
-
-
-
1
-
3 6 o
Agency, at 22 machines, 2d. each,
-
-
-
3 8
Paffing 22 machines, 2d. each,
-
-
-
3 8
Wear of boat,
-
-
-
-
-
-
3 8
Total, £. 7 10 4
So that fifteen paffengers, at IO S. each, would pay the expences b
not to mention the carriage of parcels, which are very produc-
tive; I will therefore fuppofe every paffenger to pay 20s. that the
K
proprietors
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66
A TREATISE ON
proprietors may be guarded againft cafualties ; yet 20s. would be
a
cheap conveyance for two hundred and twenty miles, and not
one third of the fum which is now paid to the mail or ftage
coaches ; while the expedition with which the boat may proceed,
in confequence of being fmall, may be equal to the fpeed of the
ftage coaches
Thus we fee that the fmall boats, from being fuited to a How
progrefs, or to the moft expeditious conveyance, and being alfo
governed by one regular fyftem, would produce numerous con-
veniencies, well calculated to draw conveyance of all kinds to
fuch canals.
But fuch convenience never can be attained on the lock prin-
ciple, for evident reafons : fmall boats cannot pafs locks fuffici-
ently quick; a man could not pafs one hundred feet lockage in
lefs than one hour. But a four-ton boat may pafs a plane whofe
perpendicular is two hundred feet in four minutes ; befides the
lofs of water would be fo great in locking fmall boats, as totally to
exclude thefe quick movements ; nor could the expedition be per-
formed by a large boat, as the boat in itfelf is a load for the
horfe in a quick movement this, together with the delay of
locks, would prevent large boats from reaching London from
Manchefter in lefs than nine days, by the ufual mode of na-
vigating.
To the advantages enumerated, may alfo be added, the con-
venience of fhort trips to market, or quick communication to
and from the manufactories, in the environs of great trading
towns. In all fuch cafes, farmers, or manufacturers, may have
their private boats, which they may difpatch at pleafure, with
the
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CANAL NAVIGATION.
67
the facility of a cart, without waiting for an affocation of inte-
refts to compofe a cargo, as in large boats ; and thus the fmall
boats paffing machinery are fuited to the various kinds of trade,
fituations, and circumftances; and have a direct tendency to
draw almoft the whole carriage of a country into the channels.
of canal conveyance.
K2
CHAP
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68
TREATISE
CHAP. VIII.
ON THE SAVING OF WATER.
E
VERY one acquainted with canals, muft be fenfible of
the importance of faving water, and many have been the
expedients reforted to for this purpofe; locks being frequently
conftructed of only four, or four and a half, feet rife, in order to
leffen the confumption of this neceffary fluid; but fo fmall a rife,
on the other hand, increafes the operations, and lofes fome time.
Canal acts have alfo various reftrictions on boats paffing particuar
locks, unlefs the water flows over certain weirs, on particu-
lar ponds The following calculations will therefore ex-
hibit the proportions of water ufed at locks, and inclined
planes.
A lock for a twenty-five ton boat is, ufually, eight feet rife, eighty
feet long, feven feet fix inches wide; containing one hundred
and thirty-three tons of water. A loaded boat, afcending, by
preffing its weight (boat and cargo thirty tons) into the lower
Such reftrictions may be neceffary to fave water; but confidering canals on the
broad fcale of national improvement, and individual convenience, it is much the fame, as
if a cart fhould not pafs a turnpike without a certain load. If a boat muft exceed particular
dimenfions and weight, before it can país fuch lock or locks, in fealons when water is
fcarce, it is evident that boats under fuch dimenfions muft return, and their cargoes be
transferred to the larger boats belonging to the canal fo reftricted, or be fent by fome
other conveyance; which, in either cafe, is an Interruption of free intercourfe: on the
fmall boat principle, fuch reftrictions will be ufelefs; if one boat ftops, all muft ftop;
wherever one can navigate, all can go; wherever canals extend, whatever may be their
weights or their cargo, the ufe of water will be in proportion.
canal
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CANAL NAVIGATION.
69
canal from: the' lock, will require one hundred and fixty-three
toAs of water to bock to the next afcending portd, while a load-
ed boat, defbending will profs her weight out of the lock into
the upper pond, will ufe one hundred and three tons in defend-
ing 1 hence the average is one hundred and thirty-three tons, ufed
at every locking. Averaging empty boats in like mariner, they
will ufe alfo one hundred and thirty-three tons. To this it may
be faid, that two boats will pafs with one lock of water; one
up and one down; but this can only be the cafe when two
boats fortunately meet at the fame lock in that precife order;
but as this can be by no means common, it is not worth taking
into account; I will therefore allow to every twenty-five tons
cargo, confidering empty and full boats, one hundred and thir-
ty-three tons of water, which, on a trade of five hundred tons
per day, would amount to two thoufand fix hundred and fixty
tons.
On the inclined plane the boats defcending pafs without water
as before obferved; it is only the afcending boats which de-
mand water to raife them ; and they will have the advantage of
a defcending boat, to affift in drawing them up : it may therefore
be calculated that eight tons of water will raife four tons of cargo,
four tons being allowed to enfure an ample weight for the pur-
pofe, to overcome friction, and for the weight of the boat itfelf;
hence, if eight tons of water are ufed to an afcending boat, and
none to a defeending boat, the average is one ton of water to one
of cargo : thus, in a trade of five hundred tons per day, five hun-
dred tons of water will be ufed, which is not one-fifth part of the
i!
The trifle to the firft boat, of about two tons, to raife her on the bridge of the plane,
when one thousand tons may pafs in rotation afterwards, may be confidered as no
object.
quantity
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A TREATISE ON
quantity in demand for twenty-five ton boats, and locks; or one
tenth part of water required in locks for forty-ton boats; in-
dependent of leakage at gates, which is very confiderable after
fome years wear. This faving of water will confequently fave
fome expence by the reduction of refervoirs, and materially fa-
cilitate all cafes of defcending trade from high countries; where
the faving of water is an important confideration.
CHAP.
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CANAL NAVIGATION.
CHAP. IX.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SINGLE INCLINED PLANE, PLATE III.
T
HIS plane muft be conftructed in every refpect like one
of the planes in the firft machine; alfo the pit, tub, and
balance chains, fimilar; the drum-wheel about the fame diameter>
and placed over the pit in the fame manner; the remainder of
the apparatus varying from the firft machine, for the following
reafons :
On this plane, the boats will both rife and defcend; therefore,
there is two degrees of power required, and two portions of fpace
to pafs through.
The firft, in raifing the boat out of the upper canal over the
bridge of the plane, will not require fo much power or fpace
as the fecond, in raifing her from the lower to the upper
canal.
To effect this, A, in Fig. III. is a vertical wheel, eight feet
diameter*, three or four feet broad on the face, on which the leading
chain or rope is to lap; the fhaft of this wheel extending towards
the drum, has two wheels of different diameters; two of dif-
ferent diameters are alfo on the drum fhaft : fuppofe the plane
four hundred feet long, and the pit one hundred deep, the works
In this, I fhall ufe round numbers, in order to tranfmit the idea with greater eafe; but
the diameters of the wheels muft vary, in proportion as the boats pafs through more fpace
than the water-tub.
must
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muft multiply four times in order to raife the boat from the
lower to the upper canal; hence let the drum be four feet
diameter, B eight feet, C two feet; thus C, and the vertical wheel
A, on the fame fhaft, will make four revolutions, while the drum
performs one, and raife the boat four hundred feet while the tub
defcends one hundred.
Again, when the boat is to be raifed out of the upper canal
on the bridge of the plane, the will move through a fpace of
about fifty feet, while the tub defcends one hundred; thus the
fpeed is reverfed, the tub paffing through more fpace than the
boat: for this purpofe, let the diameter D be eight feet, and the
diameter E two feet, which is half the diameter of the drum and
the vertical-wheel, A, will perform but one revolution while the
drum makes two; and the tub will defcend one hundred feet
while the boat moves fifty, rifing out of the upper canal on
the bridge of the plane; thus the two movements are pro-
duced by reverfing the diameters: and, to caft them in and
out of gear, C and D work on a round part of the fhafts, and
may turn round though the fhaft flood ftill, which will be the cafe
on the return of the water tub between the two there is a bofs, on
the fquare part of the fhaft, which allows it to move from fide
to fide, but cannot turn except with the fhaft: when it is necef-
fary C, and B, fhould be in action for the quick movement,
the bofs is caft into C, by means of the lever, and D turns
round on the fhaft without confining the works ; when the flow
movement is to be performed, in raifing the boat out of the
upper canal, the bofs is caft into D, and C is left at liberty; by
this means, the teeth of the wheels are always in gear, and the
bofs fixes that to the fhaft which is to act, leaving the other to
turn as the revolution of its opponent requires; the bofs will alfo
2
leave
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leave both wheels at liberty, as in the Drawing, which muft be
the cafe while the tub returns to the top of the pit.
For the purpofe of raifing the boat out of the upper canal,
there is a roller placed beneath the vertical-wheel, as at F and G,
Fig. II. round which the chain makes a double; in raifing the
boat to the upper canal, fhe muft be hooked at the ftern, or lower
end ; and before the chain comes to a perpendicular, under the
vertical-wheel, the boat will pafs the bridge of the plane and run
into the upper canal, conveying with it the chain under the roller,
at F, which reprefents the boat entering the upper canal.
On raifing the boat out of the upper canal, fhe is alfo hooked
behind, as at G; the machine being then put into action, and the
chain bearing on the roller G, will draw her over the bridge;
when cafting off the water-tub, the immediately begins to defcend
without further trouble, the movement being regulated either by a
break or centrifugal fans.
At bottom, fhe is unhooked, and a boat linked to the chain, the
man at top cafting the bofs into C, draws water into the tub till
a power is created; and the boat will rife the plane, pafs the
bridge, and run into the upper canal, the man cafting off the
bofs on paffing the bridge.
The whole of this operation may be performed in fix minutes,
confequently, four tons up and four down, in fix minutes, will
amount to nine hundred and fixty tons in twelve hours: should
the trade furpafs this quantity, the machine may work by night,
as mentioned of the firft apparatus; confequently, one thoufand
nine hundred and twenty tons may be performed in twenty-four
L
hours;
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hours; which, I hope, exhibits the power of executing a very
important trade at a fingle plane, even admitting the operation
twice as long as here eftimated; it is therefore well fuited to
lateral cuts, or fuch diftricts as produce about five hundred tons
in twelve hours.
Eftimate for a fingle Inclined Plane, one hundred Feet rife, the
Plane on an angle of twenty Degrees, the Average of Situations
being confidered.
£. S. d.
Removing 3000 cube yards in floping the hill, at 5d.
per yard,
-
-
-
-
62
10
Forming the ends of canal top and bottom,
-
100
268 yards rubble walling at 5s. per yard,
-
-
67
134 yards fquared afhlar coping, 18 inches thick,
3 feet long, at 15s. the lineal yard,
-
-
100
IO
268 yards caft-iron rails, 100 cwt. per yard, 15s.
per cwt.
-
-
-
-
-
-
201
Bedding the rails in the coping, lead and pins, at 2S.
per yard,
-
-
-
-
-
-
26
6
60 Rollers to bear the chains of the plane 5s. each, -
15
I vertical wheel, 8 feet diameter,
-
-
-
5°
400 feet chain, 2S. per foot,
-
-
-
-
40
34 yards tub pit, II feet diameter, 41. 10S. per yard,
153
I IO yards fough, at I2S. per yard,
-
-
-
66
I wrought-iron tub,
-
-
-
-
60
700 feet chain to the tub, balance, and weight, at
4s. per foot,
-
-
-
-
-
140
Drum-wheel, 8 feet long, 4 diameter, fpur-gear, &c.
100
Carried over, £. 1,181
6
Pinions,
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Brought over, L. 1,181
6
0
Pinions, bofs, and wheels,
-
-
-
-
60
o
Centrifugal fans, or break,
-
-
-
-
40
Trough to conduct the water to the pit,
-
-
IO
o
Building to cover and fupport the works,
-
-
100
O
O
1,391
6
O
Contingencies, 10 per cent.
-
-
-
139 O o
Total,
L. 1,530
60
Locks for 25 ton boats, 100 feet rife,
-
7,000
O
Single inclined plane to the fame height,
-
-
1,530
6
O
Saving,
-
-
-
-
-
-
£. 5,469 14
O
Locks for 4° ton boats, 100 feet rife,
-
- 10,00Q
Single inclined plane to the fame height,
-
1,530
6
O
Saving,
-
-
-
-
-
£. 8,469 14
O
L2
CHAP.
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A TREATISE ON
CHAP. X.
DESCRIPTION OF THE MEDIUM PLANE FOR A SMALL ASCENT, BE-
ING A MEDIUM BETWEEN LOCKS AND PLANES. (PLATE iv.)
IN fometimes the fmall canal fyftem, long floping grounds will
intervene, where it would be impoffible to obtain a
rife of fufficient importance to erect the whole of either of the
machines before defcribed, as a building, wheels, &c. would be the
fame to a twenty as a two hundred feet afcent; the expence would
confequently increafe on the works, and the number of engine-
men would add to the expence of conveyance.
Nor would it be fyftematic or advifeable to ufe locks in fuch
fituations, although the lock might be fo confructed as to take in
ten boats at a time, five in length and two in breadth; yet the man
feparating his line of boats in the centre, and placing them fide by
fide to país the lock, then forming the line, and again fide by fide
to pafs the next lock, and fo on, when he could rife or defcend but
eight feet by fuch operation, would be a tedious work.
Or if two or three boats only were to pafs at a time, the wafte
of water would be fo great as might produce reftrictions on paffing
a fmall number in dry feafons, as before obferved of canals on the
lock principle, which would confequently be an interruption of
free intercourfe; nor could the quick trade, which I have propo-
fed, be conducted with facility by fuch means.
The
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The medium will therefore exhibit the mode of mounting from
twenty to thirty feet at one time, which are heights that can be
obtained in any country, and probably one or two may rife, fuf-
ficient to extend a pond to fuch fituation as will produce a plane of
one or two hundred feet perpendicular.
In forming this I will happofe a rife of twenty feet, where a
fingle plane, on an angle of about twenty degrees, is to be extended
from one pond to the other; alfo fixty feet of fuch plane paffing into
each canal, turned hollow on entering the lower pond, and bridged
on turning into the upper level. On the top and near the centre
of the bridge a ftrong framing is to be conftructed, croffing the
plane, in which a roller is placed fimilar to that under the vertical
wheel in the laft machine, and for the fame purpofe; two pulleys
are alfo fixed to the frame in order to guide the leading chains over
the centre of the plain.
A water-wheel muft then be erected near the fide of the plain to
create the neceffary power (fee the Ground Plan), on the fhaft of
which a pinion working in a wheel will put a roller or drum in
motion, on which the leading chains are to lap, which roller may
be caft in and out of gear by a lever; three hundred and fifty feet
of chain muft then be fixed to the roller, and pafs through the pul-
leys over the plane.
I will now fuppofe ten or any lefs number of boats ready to de-
fcend at one operation; the leading chain, making a double under
the roller, is hooked to the ftern of the third boat; and the wheel
being put in motion it will draw the three firft boats over the
bridge of the plane, the other feven following the three boats
being now on the fharp angle will have power fufficient to draw
out
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out the remainder; the water is then ftopped from the wheel, and
the chain ftill continuing hooked to the boat, they will begin to
defcend in regular rotation; the chain, defcending with the boats,
will turn the water-wheel backwards and anfwer as a break to re-
gulate the velocity. On a man arriving at a plane the whole opera-
tion is to hook the chain to the third boat, if there are three, or
to the ftern of one, if there is no more, and fet the wheel in mo_
tion; on that boat to which the chain is hooked, mounting the
bridge, the water is ftopped from the wheel, and the whole line of
boats begin immediately to defcend into the lower canal; during
which the man attends to the break, and the time in performing
this operation, I conceive, will be as follows
Minutes.
Hooking the leading chain,
-
-
-
-
3
Drawing the firft boat out with the wheel,
-
-
I
Defcending the plane,
-
-
-
-
I
Unhooking the leading chain and applying the horfe,
-
2
7
Hence, in a defcending trade, forty tons may pafs in feven
minutes.
In afcending, the fpeed will confequently be in proportion to the
power of the water-wheel; it will therefore be advifeable to give
power to the wheel in order to fave time; in rifing there will be
three boats out of water on the plane at a time, the plane out of
water being fixty feet long; the boats and their cargoes will weigh
about feventeen tons, this, on a plane of twenty degrees, will be a
refiftance of about five tons, friction confidered, perhaps fix tons; to
raife this if I fuppofe an overfall wheel fifteen feet diameter, and the
roller
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roller on which the chain laps one foot and a quarter, or to that
effect, by tooth on pinion, the power will increafe as one to twelve,
and one ton actual purchafe on the wheel will raife twelve on the
plane the wheel fhould therefore be conftructed to give one.
and a half tons purchafe, or nearly fo; and, for this purpofe,
fhould hold about two tons of water ; fuch a wheel would per-
form twelve revolutions in one minute, and draw the boats
forty-five feet up the plane in that time, or two hundred and
feventy feet in fix minutes, by which they would enter the
upper canal.
To perform this operation, the leading chain is continued over
the ten boats in the lower canal, and hooked to the ftern of
the laft boat; the hook of each boat is alfo fixed in a link of
the chain; thus the ten chains, being hooked to the leading chain,
the wheel is put in motion, and the whole moving forwards
afcend the plane, cafting off from the leading chain as they pafs
the bridge, and run into the upper canal, where they are imme-
diately ready for navigation the whole of this afcending operation
may be performed in ten minutes, the defcending boats being
paffed in feven, the average may be eftimated nine minutes ; hence,
forty tons paffing in nine minutes, three thoufand two hundred
may be transferred in twelve hours.
By the before calculation on the water-wheel, in which a very
fufficient power is allowed to raife forty tons of cargo, twenty
feet would require,
-
-
-
288 tons water.
In forty tons defcending
-
-
48 tons do.
336
This
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A TREATISE ON
This will average one hundred and fixty-sight tons of water to
forty of cargo, one, two, or more, boats ufing water in propor-
tion; but a lock to raife forty tons would require about two hun-
dred and fixty-fix tons; hence there is fome water faved. It is
alfo probable, that thefe machines will be conftructed on the
lower ponds, where water will not be fo important, the fupply
being obtained with greater eafe; the following will exhibit the
expence of conftructing fuch an apparatus:
Eftimate for a Medium Twenty Feet Rife.
£. S. d.
180 feet plane, Il. IOS. per foot,
-
-
-
270
o
Water-wheel,
-
-
-
-
-
100
Drum-wheel, and pinion,
-
-
-
40
35° feet chain, at 4s. per foot,
-
-
-
7°
Wheel leet,
-
-
-
-
-
-
60
Trough,
-
-
-
-
-
-
IO
O
Two large Pulleys
-
-
-
-
2
Timber and workmanfhip,
-
-
-
60
612
Contingencies 10 per cent.
-
-
-
61
4
Total,
£. 673 16
O
Locks for 25 ton boats, twenty feet rife,
-
1,400
o
o
Medium,
-
-
-
-
-
-
673
4
Saving,
-
-
-
-
-
-
£. 726 16
O
3
Locks
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Locks for 40 ton boats, 20 feet rife,
-
-
£.2,000
Medium,
-
-
-
-
-
673
4
Saving, -
-
-
-
-
1,326 16
This machine harmonizes the whole fyftem of fmall canals,
and fits them to every fituation (wbere water can be found), and
preferves regularity.
M
CHAP.
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82
A TREATISE ON
CHAP. XI.
OF CONSTRUCTING AQUEDUCTS.
HAVING the exhibited the mode of paffing the boats to and
different ponds of canal, and fhewn the great
difference in expence between the method defcribed, and locks;
the next confideration of the moft importance, in profecuting
navigations, is the expence of conftructing AQUEDUCTS.
In feeking to extend the benefit of water-carriage, and pafs to
certain towns or diftricts. by the neareft rout, wide and deep
valleys will frequently prefent their extenfive chafms, and feem to
exclude connection; which, on the lock principle, would, in
numerous inftances, be the cafe; for if I fuppofe a valley two
hundred feet deep, and fix hundred yards wide, what country
could produce a trade to pay for an aqueduct in fuch a fituation ?
That there are an infinite number of fimilar fituations, where it
would be defirable to pafs in order to open a near communica-
tion, I conceive no one will deny; and in fuch a fituation,
200,000l. would not pay the expence of an aqueduct. To lock
down and up would be almoft equally difficult, confidering wafte
of water and lofs of time; and, if practicable, to go by a cir-
cuitous rout, the diftance might to be fo great as raife the material
to the expence of land-carriage: confequently, the happy effect
of a water intercourfe between fuch diftricts, could never be
experienced on the lock fyftem. But, to furmount thefe difficul-
ties, and open an eafy communication, fee Plate VI. reprefenting
the CONJUNCTION.
This
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CANAL NAVIGATION.
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This is fimply two fingle inclined planes in conjunction, ex-
panding from hill to hill, and binding the two countries in the
bonds of reciprocity.
Each plane extending down the fide of the hill, they are
united at bottom by a double plane, in the form of a long
oval, on which the boats pafs each other. See the Ground Plan.
On the ends of the oval, there are guides working on a bolt,
which move from fide to fide of the plane alternately, as the
boats pafs, which prevents the two boats ever landing on one
plane, or interrupting the paffage of each other.
In this the operation at top is exactly the fame as the fingle
inclined plane; but at bottom a man is placed where the boats
are to pafs; and on each engine letting down a boat, the man at
bottom removes the chain from one boat to the other, and giving
the fignal to the men above, each draws up his opponent's boat
thus they are transferred acrofs the valley to the different
ponds of canal.
In performing the operation on the fingle plane, fix minutes
is allowed to pafs two boats, one down and one up; in do-
ing this, the time will not be much more; for each man at
top working at the fame time the fame operation, the two
boats will be moving down the planes towards the centre at the
fame time, where the man can transfer the chains in nearly the
fame time that he could hook a boat; but as they may not all
work regularly at the fame time, I will allow eight minutes to each
operation, amounting to one ton per minute, or feven hundred and
twenty in twelve hours, or one thoufand four hundred and forty
in twenty-four hours; a quantity fufficient to fhew, that if each
M 2
operation
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A TREATISE ON
operation was much longer than here eftimated, yet a very impor-
tant trade may be performed.
In the eftimate of expences, each man letting down and raifing
a boat for threepence * ; and the man at bottom transferring the
chains for threepence on two boats, would amount to one penny
and a fraction per ton; but confidering empty with full boats,
I will allow one penny halfpenny per ton for paffing this appa-
ratus, which I conceive adequate to every contingency; and the
following will exhibit the probable expence of conftructing the
machine.
Eftimate for a Conjunction Two Hundred Feet high, Six Hun-
dred Yards in Width.
Firft Half.
£.
S.
d.
380 yards inclined plane, 41. IOS. per yard,
-
1,710
67 yards tub pit, 41. 15s. per yard,
-
-
318
320 yards fough, 15s. per yard,
-
-
-
240
Vertical-wheel,
-
-
-
-
-
-
50
1,000 feet chain, at 2S. per foot,
-
-
IOO
Wrought-iron tub,
-
-
-
-
-
60
1,400 feet tub and balance chains, at 4s. per foot,
280
Drum-wheel,
-
-
-
-
-
100
Pinions, bofs, and levers,
-
-
-
-
60
Carried over,
£.2,918
Threepence for two boats I confider fufficient wages, when it is confidered a manwill pafs
forty boats, amounting to.5s. in five hours and twenty minutes hence, in working twelve
hours, in a brifk trade, he might earn IIS. 10d. halfpenny, a fum fufficient to fupport dif-
ferent fets of men.
Brought
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Brought over,
L. 2,918
Centrifugal fans,
-
-
-
-
-
60
Building and timber to fupport the works,
-
200
3,178
Second Half,
-
-
-
-
3,178
6,356
In the paffing place, бо yards plane, 41. IOS. per yard, 270
Culvert or bridge,
-
-
-
-
-
200
6,826
Contingencies IO per cent.
-
-
-
-
682
IO
Total,
L. 7,508 10
As the whole water ufed in raifing the boats will defcend to
the valley, and be loft from the canal, it will amount, on a
trade of five hundred tons per day, to about two thoufand
tons wafte, equal to about eight lockings for forty-ton boats,
which paffing from the upper ponds of canal, where water is
fcarce, to the lower, where it is of little importance, water be-
ing there more) abundant from various fources, is fimilar to the
above wafte.
In conftructing the conjunction, there is alfo the advantage
of gaining height; one plane may rife higher than the other
if neceffary, and thus gain any number of feet which the
ground will admit of, yet perform the transfer with the fame
facility ; and if one pond muft be replenifhed with water from
the other, a pipe may be laid along the fide of the planes for
that purpofe.
Having
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A TREATISE ON
Having exhibited the difficulties which may be overcome by this
machine; I hope criticifm will pardon my attempting to difplay
the advantages which will accrue, if I eftimate the probable ex-
pence of a canal without feeing the ground.
But fuppofe it neceffary to fupply a town with the very neceffary
article of coal, the works diftant ten miles with fuch a valley, and
two hundred feet rife intervening; in this, which is rather a dif-
ficult fituation, the expence would probably be as follows :
£.
s
d.
Conftructing the conjunction,
-
-
-
7,508
IO
Two fingle inclined planes, 100 feet rife each,
-
3,056
6
o
Refervoir,
-
-
-
-
-
3,000
O
O
Land, 5 acres per mile, 1001. per acre,
-
5,000
o
Cutting. planting quick, &c. 5001. per mile,
- 5,000
O
Bridges and culverts, 3001. per mile,
-
-
3,000
o
o
26,564
16
Contingencies, act of Parliament, &c.
-
- 2,656
9
7
£.29,221
5
7
The intereft of 29,2211. 5s. 7d. at 5 per cent.
per ann.
-
-
-
-
1,461 I 3
On this canal, 50 tons per day, allowing 280
working days, and 3d. per ton per mile,
would produce, per annum,
-
-
-
1,750 o o
Which, after paying the fubfcribers 5. per cent.
leaves for agency and repairs,
-
-
£.288 18 9
Thus,
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CANAL NAVIGATION.
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Thus, on a trade of no more than fifty tons per day, the fub-
fcribers would have a fair profpect of receiving 5 per cent: And
although threepence per mile may appear high tonnage for coals,
yet they arrive at town for the following fum per ton, carriage
3. d.
Threepence per ton per mile to the company,
-
2 6
Paffing two inclined planes,
-
-
-
-
o
2
Paffing the conjunction,
-
-
-
-
O
I
1
Boatman 6s. 8d. per day, or to that amount,
-
conveying IO loaded, and returning 10 empty,
boats in one day,
-
-
-
-
O
2
Total per ton for ten miles,
-
-
-
2 III
Which could not be conveyed by land for lefs than
7
6
Hence a faving to the inhabitants per ton, -
4
6 £
Which might produce a further faving as the trade increafed;
in which cafe the tonnage fhould be lowered: when one hundred
tons per day is performed, and the company receive more than
IO per cent. the tonnage by the act fhould be reduced, on rude
produce, to 2d. per mile.
When one hundred and fifty tons per day is performed, and
the company receive more than 15 per cent. the tonnage or rude
produce fhould be three halfpence per mile, but never lower by
the act; competition among canals will regulate the carriage of
courfe, and competition will be a benefit to the county. It is
therefore good policy in Parliament, to allow ample tonnage, that
fubfcribers may have a profpect of a return on a fmall trade,
7
which
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88
A TREATISE ON
which will be an encouragement to fpeculators; the reduction of
tonnage on rude produce to be governed by the returns; but on
merchandife, to ftipulate for a certain fum, which the proprietors
might reduce as policy dictates. And thus canals will be ex-
tended in every direction, in confequence of the beft of all en-
couragement, that of receiving a fair intereft on a fmall trade;
and the profpect of this intereft increafing to a very important
return of wealth from a fmall capital.
CHAP.
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CANAL NAVIGATION.
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CHAP. XII.
THE MODE OF CROSSING RIVERS AND GAINING HEIGHT AT THE
SAME TIME, PERFORMING THE DOUBLE OPERATION OF AN
AQUEDUCT AND LOCKS. (PLATE VII.)
THE The The plane in all its parts,
or alternate trade; the ftone piers
fupporting iron rails which compofe the plane.
It would be difficult to draw the exact difference, in expence, be-
tween this machine and an aqueduct to crofs a river, than locks to
gain height; but if the immenfe labour in conftructing an exten-
five and high aqueduct is confidered, I conceive the faving will be
found very important. The great quantities of ftone (which Jhould
be of a good quality), hewn to certain fquares and templets; the
frequent long carriage, the timber for centres, and the various
preparatory works, all tend to load aqueducts with heavy expences,
and render them one of the greateft obftacles in profecuting canals.
If I fuppofe it neceffary to carry a canal one hundred feet high *,
and three hundred feet in length, over a river, it is a moderate cal-
culation, confidering the average of fituations, to eftimate it at the
round fum of
-
-
-
-
£20,000
To which add one hundred feet lockage for twenty-five
ton boats,
-
-
-
-
7,000
Amounting to
-
-
-
-
- " £.27,000
There are fome aqueducts in contemplation of greater dimentions than here fpecified.
N
Yet
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Yet a fimilar fituation may be croffed, and the height gained, in one
movement, as appears by calculation, for about 8,000l.; confequent-
1y 19,000l. is faved, which is almoft the whole expence of the
aqueduct.
Without entering into tedious eftimates to prove this, I conceive
the common fenfe of thofe who have the leaft knowledge of the
fubject, will inform them of the reafon of thefe favings; but to
the fpeculating reader, if he obferves by the plate that the part
croffing the river is a fimple ftage, the weight of which, compared
with the load of water and ftone which prefs on the piers of an
aqueduct, is trifling; confequently the piers are but as columns
without arches, and the mafonry, which in aqueducts is almoft the
whole expence, is here fo contracted as to be, comparatively, fcarce
worth mentioning; iron arches or braces being adopted, the ex-
pence of which is not more than the centres to build an arch of
ftone, and the continued plane performing the part of locks, of
which he has had a comparative view, I conceive it will exhibit the
obvious reafon of fuch important favings.
This combination is indeed fo material, that, in projecting a line
of canal where a river or deep valley is to be croffed, it fhould be well
confidered, whether it can conveniently be brought to fuch a fitua-
tion that the ground will admit of rifing at the time of croffing;
which, even on the fmall fyftem, will fave time and expence.
CHAP.
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CHAP. XIII.
P LATE VIII. reprefents the parallel plane for fuch fituations
where height cannot be obtained; it is to extend acrofs the
river, or valley, and defcends about fixty feet into each canal.
On each end, and over the canal, a horizontal wheel is placed,
to one of which is fixed the whole machinery, except the preparer
and Aopper, of the double-inclined plane; the chains performing
the rotatory movement.
To pafs the boats, one is hooked to each chain; after which,
water being drawn into the tub till a power is created, the boats
will rife on the plane, paffing to the different ponds of canal, and
fo on, in regular rotation.
This is the moft expeditious of all the machines : the man having
little more to do than hook the boats to the chains, and draw
water into the tub; the caft off hooks acting as in the double plane.
In this the water to pafs the boats defcends to the river, or val-
ley, and is loft to the canal; but as this plane is level, the refift-
ance will not be great; in proportion as the length of the plane is
to the depth of the pit, water will be required; but averaging
fituations, one ton of water will pafs one of cargo: while its ex-
pence, confidering the various fituations and circumftances, will be
about one third the fum neceffary to an aqueduct.
But although rivers, or valleys, may be paffed with eafe by the
three modes defcribed, yet, in many inftances, it will be advifeable
N2
to
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to conftruct aqueducts, particularly where there is no great dif-
ficulties to encounter; which aqueducts may be formed of iron, as
in Plate XIII. averaging the fituations, much cheaper than of ftone.
But the decifion on the erecting of an aqueduct, or its particu-
lar conftruction, muft depend on a variety of circumftances; fuch
as, the fupply of water, faving of time, carriage of ftone, or iron,
&c. &c. adopting that mode which will on inveftigation produce
the greateft faving, yet anfwer the intended purpofe.
CHAP,
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CHAP. XIV.
ON PERPENDICULAR LIFTS TO PASS BOATS..
A
LTHOUGH I have already explained the mode of paffing
the boats, which, I conceive, will be productive of fyf-
tematic navigation, and ought to be univerfally adopted till a
better is difcovered; yet the four following Plates. will exhibit
machines for transferring the boat by perpendicular lift. Thefe
machines were originally intended for fmall. canals, as lateral
cuts from thofe of greater dimenfions, in order to extend into
fuch diffricts. as could produce from fifty to four hundred tons
per day; principally to convey manure and fuel, and thereby
relieve the country by a medium carriage, between the large canals.
and cartage:
This, for a long time, was the extent of my thoughts; the
idea of an univerfal fyftem did not arife, till I difcovered the great
faving which would be produced by fuch lateral cuts. I then
withed to render the canal equal to a trade of more than four
hundred tons per day, and capable of performing the work of a
large canal in which, there was nothing wanting but an im-
provement in the machinery to produce expedition; but this.
baffled every experiment for fome months. At length the rotatory
movement, and boats with wheels, occurred; and they exhibited
the power of paffing valleys. On revolving the thought, I found
it would anfwer the purpofe, by performing the moft important
trade, producing fyftem; and fimplifying the machinery it has
confequently raifed fmall canals (in my opinion) from lateral cuts,
to the moft extenfive and important communications.
CHAP.
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CHAP. XV.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PERPENDICULAR LIFT, PLATE IX AND X.
I point of a hill as will admit of a quick rife ; the hill, if fteep,
N conftructing this apparatus, the canal being run to fuch a
may be laid open, as in the Plate, or have two pits. funk equal in
depth to the difference between the levels of the two canals ; one of
the pits of an oval form, and fufficiently large to fuffer a boat
twenty feet long, four feet fix wide, to pafs through the other,
eleven feet diameter, for a preponderating tub. The two to: be
united to the canal by a tunnel.
Having formed the tunnel and pits, two cranes are to be con-
ftructed, each fifteen feet high, capable of bearing three tons each,
which muft be placed on the fide of the upper canal, and oppofite
the junction of the canal and pit, as in Plate X.
Thofe cranes muft : ftand twelve feet apart from gudgeon to
gudgeon, and their gibs to be united by a lever, alfo twelve feet
long, as at A in Plate X. ; by this means, the cranes will ever
move parallel to each other, i and keep their chains. equi-diftant.
Behind the cranes, and over the pit C, there is a drum-wheel
of two diameters to the largeft the crane chains are faftened, and
thofe of the tub to the fmall diameter; to the crane-chains a
cage of iron is fixed to receive the boat thus fufpended, the cage
and tub will move alternately between the fummit and lower
canals.
2
For
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For the purpofe of raMing the boat out of the upper canal, in
order to move Her over the pit previous to defcending, there is a
refetvoir, D, forthed in the fide of the tub-pit riear the bottom,
Fig. 3. Plate 10, and of a fize to contain about thirty tons of
water : at the time the cage is in the upper canal, the tub will be
beneath this refervoir, from which water muft be drawn into the
tub till a preponderating power is created; the tub will then de-
fcend about eight feet, raifing the cage and boat out of the upper
canal. The cranes are then moved over the pit, and a portion of
water difcharged from the tub, till the boat preponderates ; which,
defcending to the lower canal, will raife the tub to near the upper
level, in the fituation exhibited in the third Figure where a valve
opening, by means of the lever at E, the water from the tub
paffes into a pipe, and defcends to the refervoir, in order to raife
the next boat out of the upper canal, leaving the boat to float in the
lower pond.
To raife a boat from the lower pond, and pafs her into the
upper canal, water muft be drawn from the upper canal into the
tub by the pipe F, till a preponderating power is created; which
defcending, will raife the boat about one foot above the upper
pond; the cranes are then turned over the canal, and the water
being difcharged from the tub, the boat will immediately float in
the upper level.
To regulate the movement of this machine, the centrifugal
fans are applied, as reprefented in Plate IX. Alfo the balance
chains to the tub, as in Plate X. Fig. III.
The
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The operation of this machine is eafily performed, and a four-
ton boat may be transferred through a fpace of one hundred
feet high, in eight minutes, or three hundred and fixty tons
in twelve hours.
of
The expence of conftructing one hundred foot lift, averaging
the fituations, will be about 2,500l.
I
Hiw
of
.111
IT
X
an
of
CHAP.
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CANAL NAVIGATION.
97
CHAP. XVI.
DESCRIPTION OF PLATE XI.
E
XHIBITING a machine for a defcending trade, in which the
whole of the water is faved, while the trade defcends yet
fhould it be found neceffary, by a further extenfion of the canal,
to form the apparatus for an alternate trade, the water tubs may
be applied.
In the firft cafe of a defcending trade, there is but one pit,
which muft be thirty feet diameter, a capacity fufficient to fuffer
two boats to pafs; over the pit a building muft be erected, to
cover and fupport the works; in the centre of which a drum-wheel
of one diameter is placed. On each fide of the drum, two chains
and a cage to receive the boat is fufpended; which cage will move
alternately between the upper and lower canals; on the end of
the upper canal, and on the fide of the pit, there are two gates,
balanced fo as to rife perpendicular, as at A and B; and oppofite
the gates, parallel to the canal, two lock-carriages, c and D,
worked by rack and pinion, moving on iron rails; which car-
riages are conftructed with one end open, and of a fize to receive
the cage and boat.
When the lock-carriage is moved forwards, it fits clofe to the
end of canal in a groove; and the gate being opened, the water of
the canal fills the carriage; which enables the man to float his
boat in the cage; after which, the gate being fhut, and a valve
O
opened
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opened in the hind part of the carriage, below C D, to difcharge
the water, the carriage is run back and leaves the boat fufpended
over the pit during this operation, the man below having placed
an empty boat in the lower cage, the two boats are now ready to
pafs; the loaded one defcending, raifing that which is empty
and at the fame time, by a crank movement taken off the end of
the drum, three pumps are put in motion; and they raife the
water, which was difcharged from the lock-carriage, into a fide
pond, about twelve feet high, into the upper canal by which the
whole is faved. The empty boat having afcended, the fecond lock-
carriage is run forward, and the gate of the canal being opened,
the water filling the carriage, will float the boat into the
upper canal; another for the purpofe of defcending, is then moved
into the cage, and fo on alternately.
To regulate this machine, the centrifugal fans are applied, as
in the other apparatus; but the balance-chains will be of no
confequence, as the loaded boat defcending will be fufficient to
raife the weight of pendent chain, if the depth is not more than
one hundred feet, alfo work the pumps and raife the empty
boat; four tons defcending would alfo raife three, by cafting the
pumps out of gear, by the lever E, fo that fome alternate trade
might be performed.
But fhould future extenfion produce an alternate trade, the
pits and tubs may be added to this apparatus, converting it to a
double machine; for a return trade, this machine would transfer
two boats in about eight minutes ; confequently, in the defcending
trade, about three hundred and fixty tons might defcend, returning
the empty boats, in twelve hours. In the alternate trade, twice
the
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the above quantity would be performed by raifing loaded boats
at the feveral movements.
Its expence for the defcending trade, one hundred feet deep,
about,
-
-
-
-
-
£.2,500
For the alternate trade,
-
-
-
3,500
6,000
Which is about half the expence of locks.
O2
CHAP.
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CHAP. XVII.
DESCRIPTION OF PLATE XII. REPRESENTING THE SECOND MODE OF
PASSING THE ALTERNATE TRADE BY A PERPENDICULAR LIFT.
IN conftructing this machine, the tunnel and two pits are
fimilar to the firft lift, and the drum-wheel of two diameters,
which muft be fo placed, that one fide may be over the centre of
the pit; the cage chains being fixed to the large, and the tub
to the fmall diameter.
One gate muft then be placed on the end of the upper canal,
as in the laft machine; alfo one lock-carriage, moving parallel
to the canal.
On the fide of the machine, and below the hind end of the
lock-carriage, a fmall {pond is formed to receive the water dif-
charged from the lock-carriage; which water is afterwards drawn
into the tub, to create the preponderating power, and anfwer the
double purpofe of floating the boat into the cage, and then raifing
one from the bottom to the top canal.
To regulate the movement of this machine, the centrifugal
fans are applied, as before defcribed.
The expence of one hundred feet rife, about 2,500 1. and the
execution near three hundred and fixty tons in twelve hours.
In thefe three machines, the quantity eftimated being the work
of twelve hours, it confequently may be doubled by working at
night; which, I hope, exhibits that lateral cuts might have been
extended to great advantage by thefe machines.
CHAP.
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101
CHAP. XVIII.
OF CAST-IRON RAIL ROADS.
R
AIL-ROADS have hitherto been conftructed as a medium
between lock-canals and cartage; in confequence of the
expence of extending the canal to the particular works in its
neighbourhood.
But as the fmall boats fo materially reduce the expence of
canals, they come nearer to the expence of rail-roads, with which
they muft now be compared. The ufual eftimate of rail-roads is
about 1,600 1. per mile, which are fingle, with paffing places, and
only calculated for a defcending trade ; the whole being formed of
a gradual defcent from the works to the canal ; generally fo cal-
culated, that a horfe may return the empty waggons with the fame
eafe the full ones defcend ; on thefe the average work is about five
tons to a horfe, defcending at the rate of three miles per hour, or
one ton afcending, at near the fame fpeed ; on which the wear of
waggons is very confiderable; which wear muft generally fall on
the company; while the loading into waggons, then unloading at
the canal, where there is ufually a depofit for want of boats,
and again, loading into boats, tends to increafe the expence of
conveyance, and injure the various articles.
There can no idea be formed of the expence of a canal com-
pared with a rail-road, without being acquainted with the cir-,
cumftances ; but thefe fhould be well confidered before a rail-way
is laid down; and the canal fhould confiderably furpafs the ex-
pence of the rail-road, particularly if the length is greater than two
7
miles,
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miles, in order to induce fubfcribers to relinquifh it for a rail-way
and my reafons are, that when a rail-way is laid down, it excludes,
in a great meafure, the return trade, and fhuts out the profpect
of extenfion; the county, beyond its extremity, has no more
hope of affiftance, than before its conftruction; nor will any
company unite with it; for if it is added to, the difficulties in-
creafe, as paffing places are inadequate to an important trade
confequently, it would be neceffary to form them double, increafing
the expence and repairs ; without the power of raifing fuccours to
the high and interior country.
Yet the fmall canal is fufficiently wide to pafs at every part, and
transfers a trade with equal eafe meandering the hills, it holds out
affiftance to the fun-burnt fields, and feems to invite connection :
In a country, through which a rail-way or canal is conftructed,
there is fome hope of progreffive improvement and future exten-
fion; which ultimately brings this enquiry to two queftions :
Whether do canals, or rail-ways, prefent the beft profpect of
extenfion ? And, Which will moft facilitate conveyance by a
union of branches ?
It is therefore prudent to confider well the various circumftances,
before a rail-way, of even one mile in length, is laid down.
Rail-ways of one mile, or thereabouts, will no doubt be fre-
quently neceffary, where it may be difficult to find water at the
extremity; or when the trade from the works is not fufficient to
pay the expence of machinery, and its extent being but one mile,
can be of little importance to the country.
But
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But to bring thefe fhort fpaces into the general fyftem as much
as poffible, fee D, in the Plate of Parts which reprefents the
apparatus for returning the empty boats to the colleries, or other
works, in cafes where a regular defcent can be obtained. Suppofe,
for inftance, fuch works diftant fix hundred, or perhaps, more
yards, a fingle rail-way may be conftructed; on the fummit of
which the apparatus D is formed; and a carriage being con-
ftructed to receive the boat, the leading rope laps round the ver-
tical wheel F; which wheel works by a multiplied movement in
the wheel of the fhaft G, to which a weight is fufpended; on a
loaded boat defcending the rail-road, its power will wind up the
weight which weight is kept up by a ftopper on the wheel, and
is a power in referve to draw up an empty boat; hence, when a
loaded boat defcends, it winds up the weight, and on entering the
canal, the fhaft of F and G are caft out of gear, which fuffers
the carriage to defcend fufficiently to allow the boat to float an
empty boat is then placed in this carriage; and the ftopper being
caft off the wheel on the G fhaft, the defcending weight will raife
the empty boat; the movement being regulated by a break, on
the fhaft of F there are two pinions of different diameters, which
are, that the wheel F performs more revolutions in a boat afcend-
ing than defcending. When the boat defcends, raifing the weight,
fhe lofes her power on entering the canal; confequently, the
pinions muft be caft out of gear in order to give more length of
rope for the carriage to defcend, and allow the boat to float ;
therefore, the portion of rope thus let off, muft be wound up
by the power of the weight, on returning the empty boat ; which
is done by cafting the fmall diameter into gear. In the return
movement, this mode of working will be found a very confider-
able faving to the proprietor, in confequence of a fingle plane and
rope anfwering the purpofe; and, in order that the plane may
be
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be conftructed cheap, a carriage to receive the boat fhould be
made ; the carriage to have from ten to twenty fmall wheels, which
will divide the weight on fo many points, and eafe the plane; con-
fequently the rails may be light and cheap.
But where the nature of the ground will not admit of a regular
plane, or the diftance is too great, the boats may float on a car-
riage for the purpofe, with fix or eight wheels, and be conveyed to
the pits or delphs by a horfe; there take in her cargo, and defcend-
ing to the canal, be immediately ready for navigation.
The reader, by reverting to the various operations thefe fmall
boats pafs through ; many of which, where the trade is great, muft
be performed with the utmoft expedition, from which the greateft
part of the numerous advantages arife, I hope, will now fee the
neceffity of their wheels; which, like a boat and waggon com-
bined, has, in a great meafure, the properties of both : or, like
an amphibious animal, the double advantage of living in two
elements. Therefore, if it is neceffary to give them a name, in
order to difcriminate from other boats ; as Small boats do not di-
vide the idea, in fpeaking of them, I have thought Beavers might
be applicable.
CHAP.
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CHAP. XIX.
ON CONCLUSION OF THE SMALL CANAL SYSTEM.
H AVING exhibited the various machines for transferring the
fmall boats, and gone through the operations, in which I
have endeavoured impartially to prefent the fair comparative view
of the general effect of large and fmall boats; I fhall now take a
fummary review of the whole procefs, the object in view, and
the effect which ought to be produced by canals.
Firft, in the true fenfe of national improvement, to facilitate
agriculture and merchandize, the whole ponderous carriage of a
kingdom fhould, as much as poffible, be conveyed by canals, thus re-
ducing expence, opening eafy communications, exchanging the
produce of one diftrict for another, improving the country, re-
ducing the number of horfes, rendering manual labour more pro-
ductive, and fpreading with greater regularity the comforts of life.
Hence there fhould be a power of extending canals into every dif-
trict, in order to draw from every fource; but it is evident this can
only be done by portioning the expence of the canal to the trade.
Yet, however defirable this may be, it cannot poffibly be per-
formed by lock canals; locks load a canal with certain and heavy
expences which defcend to one point, for twenty-frue ton boats,
below which there is no reduction, whatever the trade may chance
to be: every country, therefore, which cannot produce a trade equal
to thofe heavy expences, muft be fhut out from the benefit of
water-carriage, and this is by much the greater part of the king-
dom.
P
Wherever
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Wherever the importance of two great trading towns, or com-
mercial countries, can bear the expence of a lock canal, it may be
conftructed; but it is impoflible to branch off into the lefs important
or poor diftricts with large boats, which carry with them all their
confequent expences : which is not only unmechanical, but im-
politic, in two refpects ; it excludes the benefit of water convey-
ance to fuch diftricts, towns, and hamlets, and bars out a trade
which ought to be drawn into the canal to the benefit of the pro-
prietors.
But a fmall canal, forming a communication between two impor-
tant counties, is fo eafy of accefs, in confequence of the fmall boats,
that lateral cuts are eafily conftructed; they confequently will extend
into the country, and others from them into every nook and cor-
ner where forty or fifty tons per day can be collected : thus the
country will be nourifhed, as veins feed the conftitution ; and the
canal become important, like a river receiving numerous ftreams :
while another advantage of the fmall boats, that of moving flow
and taking quantity, or conveying a lefs quantity and paffing with
the rapidity of a coach, which will moft materially accommodate merchan-
dize and valuable articles, will take in almoft the whole ponderous
carriage of the kingdom ; which circumftance will draw immenfe
quantities of trade on canals that muft for ever be excluded on the
lock principle. The canal being alfo cheap, and fuited to a fmall
trade, yet adequate to a trade of the firft importance, confequently
the boats of one may navigate the other wherever canals extend,
perfevering regularly throughout while their cheap formation is
the greateft poffible inducement to their conftruction: I fhall there-
fore bring this fubject to a few queftions, which I with every
fpeculator to apply to his own deliberations.
Firft,
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CANAL NAVIGATION.
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Firft, As a fmall canal, averaging the fituations, may be conftrue-
ted for one half the fum which a canal for twenty-five ton boats
would coft, or about one third the expence of one for forty-ton
boats; Is it not better for a fubfcriber to have as good a profpect of
receiving ten or fifteen per cent. by the fmall, as five by the greater
work; yet, guarded again t any material lofs, have every advan-
tage which the large canal could give?
Secondly, In conftructing a navigation, is it not better to expend
33,000l. in a fmall canal, and have the profpect of drawing in
numerous connections by the cheapnefs of the fyftem, than to
fpend 66,0001. for twenty-five ton boats, or 100,000l. for forty-
ton boats, in forming large canals, to accommodate a few unufual
articles which the fmall boats cannot convey, and thereby prevent
the poffibility of lateral cuts; which would return infinitely more
trade into the canal than the fmall boats exclude ?
Thirdly, Which will command the moft trade, the fmall boats,
by the cheapnefs with which they may be extended into every dif-
trict where there is any thing to carry or the large boats, by their
capacity to contain unufual and bulky articles ?
Fourthly, Or will the confequence of thofe unufually bulky com-
modities be put in competition with goods of medium dimenfions
which are certainly ninety parts out of a hundred of the whole
carriage of the kingdom ?
Fiftbly, In a national view, is it not better to have three hundred
miles of canal for the fame money which it now cofts to make one
I beg Gentlemen to confider what are the things which cannot be conveyed in boats
twenty feet long, four feet wide, remembering my provision for timber.
P 2
or
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or two bundred; and extend the conveniencies of water-carriage in
a two or three-fold proportion?
Sixthly, If a company are about to expend 300,0001. in a canal
for forty-ton boats, the canal only thirty miles long*, when ninety
miles might be extended into populous diftricts for the fame money;
which, in common fenfe, would make the beft return to the
fubfcribers?
Seventbly, It is not a fair criterion to judge of the application of
a fmall canal by thefe circumftances?
Eightbly, Is it not alfo fair, to compare the intereft of the prin-
cipal faved, by adopting the Small, inftead of the large boats, with the
expence of transferring the cargoes from large to fmall boats ;
confidering, that the transfer of cargo will fall on the freighter?
Nintbly, To view this fubject to its extent, as of individual and
national importance, will not the fmall boats draw infinitely more
trade into the channels of canal conveyance, in confequence of
their cheapnefs and expedition, than can ever poffibly be done by
the large and expenfive mode of locks?
Tentbly, Will not this fyftem draw almoft the whole carriage of
the kingdom on canals ; the greater part of which muft for ever be
conveyed in wheel carriages, if the lock principle is purfued?
Let each fpeculator, or member of a committee, contemplate
thefe queftions, and confider the procefs; let them propofe thefe
queftions to their engineers, and requeft an anfwer ; and I have no
doubt of difcuffion drawing the large boats out of the ftreams of
This is the cafe in many canals, or nearly this fum.
preju-
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prejudice, and launching them into the rivers, their natural and
proper fituation.
Having put the queftion to engineers, I conceive it neceffary
to be properly underftood by them : for I really have as a great
a defire to be in harmony with all men, as to harmonife the canal
fyftem.|
I do not therefore mean to call their abilities to account, by
this queftion, or to find the leaft fault with the works they have
conftructed; the lock-canals, though limited in their extenfion,
and imperfect in their principle, were not invented by them ;
they have but profecuted the principle, as the beft method hitherto
known for general utility.
When a company of gentlemen wilh a canal, they apply to and
give credit to the reputation of an engineer; he confequently acts
to the beft of his judgment, which judgment is ufually formed on
eftablifhed cuftoms; and which, in many inftances, has been
judicioufly exerted. But if fuch a fyftem of operation was in-
variably to be continued, there would be no more fcientific im-
provement among men, than in a bed of oyfters.
I therefore look upon it as a duty in every man, who has the
leaft pretenfion to fcience, to inveftigate every plan, which has even
the refemblance of improvement; and he is refponfible to his em-
ployers, if he perfifts without paffing his candid judgment; his
judgment fhould alfo be put to the teft, by oppofing it to one
well verfed in the fubject; and thus light would appear, as friction
brings forth the fparks of latent fire.
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I am aware, this challenge to a fair difcuffion may be con-
ftrued into felf-importance in me, by oppofing my opinion to all
others : but be that as it may, I deem it indifpenfably neceffary in
all improvements of a public nature.
A man, unthinking, may turn up a tuft of earth, and find a
vein of gold, which intereft will urge him to purfue : I, by
chance, ftumbled on this fubject, by turning over a news-paper, or,
in all propability, I fhould never have thought of canals. I men-
tion this to fhew, that I do not arrogate to myfelf a great deal of
the ingredient which is called Genius ; but that fome of the moft
ufeful difcoveries is the produce of accident. I found the fubject
interefting, and I have had the pleafure, in profecuting it, to
find it worth purfuing. It has alfo been fome fatisfaction, that it
appears of national importance: and, as I conceive, I have now
removed the principal part of the rubbilh (except one ftrong ftrata
of prejudice), and got my machines ready to work, I lay the en-
terprife open to the infpection of all, in order that, if there is
any intrinfic worth, it may be affayed and, I have fome hope, it
will not all evaporate in fufion.
Therefore, I do think it moft ferioufly important, for fpecula-
tors and their engineers, to confider this fubject well, before they
bring their bills into parliament, or profecute another canal. If
the fyftem is found, the fooner it is adopted the better; if not, let
it be buried in its own infignificance.
As I venerate liberality and the light of reafon, I defpife the
pufillanimity of the individual, who, like a dark lantern, conceals
the light he receives. Therefore, whether this is a gleam radiat-
ing from a brilliant reflector, or the pale glimmering of in-
flammable
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flammable vapour, I am determined it fhall not be confined and
my reafon is, that many ufeful improvements fleep for ages, for
want of the fire of energy in the projector, while the only mode of
proving their utility, is to bring them to the teft of difcuffion :
I, therefore, feel myfelf quite ready to meet every objection to
this fyftem of fmall canals ; and, for this purpofe, I here call on
engineers, or others, who think proper to anfwer the arguments in
their favour.
If they cannot do this, I hold myfelf perfectly juftifiable in
criticifing on the works of thofe men, who may hereafter either
wilfully, or ignorantly, profecute the lock principle, and draw
their employers into the confequent errors : I will therefore, once
more, revert to the comprehenfive view of the fubject, Which will
draw the moft trade into the channels of water-conveyance, large or
fmall canals; and which confequently will produce the greateft
benefit to fociety ? It will therefore be a feeble fubterfuge to at-
tempt to evade the queftion, by faying, this may do for fome
canals, but not for ours.
Such a reply would alfo be impolitic, and exhibit a limited fenfe
of the fmall fyftem ; for, as I have before hinted, I will now affign
my reafon why the fmall canals will ruin the large ones.
Which is, that when the fmall canals are well underftood, they
will become fo numerous, and perform the work at fuch low
tonnage, as to reduce the lock canals, or their emoluments, which
is the fame thing, to the utmoft infignificance, by drawing off
their trade, as lock canals now draw the trade out of rivers.
The proprietors of the lock canals, will then have little more
than the bulky articles ; and it will then be feen, what proportion
they bear to thofe of medium dimenfions.
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To give fome idea of this, I beg the proprietors of the Leeds
and Liverpool, Lancafter, Rochdale, Grand Junction, Kennet and
Avon, Ellefmere, and various other canals, for river or forty-ton
boats to fuppofe a fmall canal running fide by fide, or to the fame
points ; which fmall canal would carry all articles of medium
dimenfions for one-third which the proprietors of the large ca-
nal could afford where then would be the object of transferring
cargo ?
The fame tonnage which would produce five per cent. to the large
canal, would be fifteen per cent. to the fmall company and, as fif-
teen per cent. is a comfortable profit, they, for the fake of engroff-
ing the trade, might continue to reduce the tonnage as the tra d
increafed, which ftill retaining fifteen per cent. to the fmall com-
pany, would prevent the larger from ever rifing above five. Thus
the fmall canal would abfolutely be a dictator to the larger
work, and fix its emoluments, above which it could not arife
but might be reduced to lefs than two per cent. if competition or
difputes arofe, the fmall canal ftill receiving five per cent. The
reader will now judge, whether I have ufhered this opinion into
the world without fome reafons to fupport it : he will alfo con-
fider, whether any man would fubfcribe to large canals, taking
upon himfelf a part of the rifque attendant on fuch heavy works,
when he could not, at the utmoft, receive more than five per cent.
From thefe confiderations, it is alfo a natural conclufion, that
the large canal companies will endeavour to prevent thofe fmall
works interfering with their trade; and, in cafe of danger, fly to
Parliament with bills of infinite reftrictions. But, I hope, a wife
Twenty-ton boats in like proportion.
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Legiflature will fee, that competition is the true polifh of fociety ;
that to reduce the expence of public works, is to improve the na-
tion, and will therefore take off many of the refrictions with
which they are now fhackled.
As far as my judgment extends on this point, I conceive, if
Parliament guard landed and mill property, alfo the feeders to
eftablifhed canals, the relative effect which the trade of one may
have on the other, fhould never be confidered ; if all refrictions
of this kind were abolifhed, canal fpeculations would ftill find
- their level; and competition would reduce the expence of carriage,
which is the real object of canals : competition always takes as little
profit as it can afford, monopoly as much as it can draw out of
the freighter; therefore competition fhould meet with every en-
couragement, refrictions fhould be as few as poffible, and cir-
culation as free as the air we breathe. Till this is the cafe, the
nation never can receive the full benefit which ought to arife from
water conveyance.
CHAP.
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CHAP. XX.
PLATE XIII. REPRESENTS AN AQUEDUCT OF CAST IRON.
IN conftructing an aqueduct by this means, the butments and
piers being raifed, it will only be neceffary to extend twó
pieces of timber acrofs the fpan; each to be braced back to the
piers, and covered with plank to form a ftage or fcaffolding
which will anfwer every purpofe of centres neceffary to works
of ftone.
The iron-work, as in the fection, may all be caft in open fand,
and of the following dimenfions; fuppofing the fpan one hundred
feet, and the fpring one fixth of the fpan.
Firft, Three fegments of a circle, each in three pieces, about
thirty-fix feet long, eight inches by four diameter, to be united
as at A. Second, three ftrait bars, to extend from one pier to
the other, to be of the above diameters, may alfo be caft in three
pieces; which bars are to extend along the top of the fegments to
the piers, and form a line parallel to the horizon; the bars and
fegments to be united by perpendicular ftirrups, like B, ten or
fifteen feet diftant from each other.
The mortife in the lower end of the ftirrup being thirteen inches
long, will be fufficient to receive the fegment, and leave room
for a hole two inches fquare; through which a crofs-brace, C, is
to pafs, and faften the fegments at proper diftances; the brace to
have
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have a mortife caft on each fide of the ftirrup, in order to tighten
the work by wedges.
On the top of the ftirrup, the fquare hole to receive the crofs-
brace may be beneath the mortife, as in the Figure ; by which
means, the whole may be combined and form an iron ftage to
fupport the troughs.
The trough plates fhould be at leaft one inch thick, the fide
plates fix feet broad, and as great a length as can conveniently be
caft ; which may be performed twelve feet, and perhaps more, in
length: the flange to be outfide on thefe plates.
The bottom plates may be fix feet wide, thirteen feet long,
feven feet plate, and four arms projecting, each three feet long,
in order to fupport the horfe-path and braces; as exhibited by a
bottom and fide-plate at D.
Two of thefe plates laid acrofs the ftage, and fcrewed together,
with the flange under, will compofe a length equal to one of the
fide-plates; which may either meet or break joint as is thought
proper. The whole may, in this manner, be fcrewed together,
on packing of wool and tar; and have the feams pitched like thofe
of a fhip.
On the plates compofing one fide of the trough, fmall brackets,
about three feet from the top, muft be caft, as at E, in order to
fupport the horfe-path; perpendicular rails, eight feet long, be-
ing raifed from the arms of the bottom plates, will fupport the
outfide of the horfe-path, alfo the iron railing, as in the fection.
Q2
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By this mode, two patterns will anfwer for the whole of the
trough-plates, and but few will be required for the fprings, rails,
and fpurs ; while the faving in time and expence will be confidera-
ble; particularly where it is neceffary to bring the ftone by long
land-carriage; for the arches being difpenfed with, and the piers
not more than one-third the dimenfions neceffary to an aqueduct
of ftone, will moft materially reduce the quantity of mafonry.
But, according to the various circumftances of fituation, car-
riage of ftone, iron, &c. the difparity between the two modes
will be eafily determined, added to which, the durability may be of
fome importance.
In aqueducts of ftone, one of the great difficulties is to line
and puddle fo tight, as to prevent the water penetrating into, and
injuring the mafonry ; but in one of iron, fhould a leak take
place, it will inftantly appear; and on fhutting the ftop-gates at
each end, and difcharging the water, it may be ftopped in a few
bours, if not minutes: this circumftance, in aqueducts, is, per-
haps, one of the greateft prefervatives; they are confequently lefs
liable to injury, and only fubject to the corroding tooth of time.
CHAP.
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CHAP. XXI.
ON BRIDGES.
T
HOUGHTS on aqueducts, and their conftruction of iron,
bear fo near a relation to bridges, that the ideas naturally
tend to that fubject, and hence I am led to offer fome drawings
on their formation of iron and wood.
In this country the attention of engineers, of late years, have
been much engaged in bridges of iron, which bridges are progref-
fively expanding as experience produces courage; nor fhould I be
furprifed, if genius in time gave the mechanic rainbow of one
thoufand feet to wide and rapid rivers.
In fuch countries as Ruffia and America, an extenfive arch
feems to be a confideration of the firft importance: in croffing
their rivers, as the rivers, or even rivulets, in time of rain fuddenly
fwell to a great height, and in the Spring, on breaking up of the ice,
the immenfe quantities which is borne down with a rapid ftream
would, if interrupted by fmall arches and piers, collect to fuch a
weight as ultimately to bear away the whole; it is therefore necef-
fary that one arch fhould be extended as far as poffible, in fuch
fituations, and fo high as to fuffer every thing to pafs through ; or
the inhabitants muft, without fome other expedient, fubmit their
paffage to the cafualties of the weather.
The moft extenfive fpan of wooden bridges, as far as I am ac-
quainted with the fubject, are thofe of Schaffhaufen and Wettingen,
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in Switzerland : the firft, conftructed over the Rhine, is formed in
two fpans, one of one hundred and feventy-two feet, the other
one hundred and ninety-three, amounting to three hundred and
fixty-five, fupported by one pier, relative to which there has been
numerous arguments.
The pier being the remains of an old bridge, and the artift ha-
ving expreffed his defire to crofs the river in one fpan, or arch ;
but being over-ruled by the magiftrates, who ordered him to give
it a bearing on the pier, it is faid he feemingly complied with their
injunctions, but fo contrived that no part fhould actually touch
the pier ; yet the pier is not in a line with the buttreffes, but out
of the rectilineal direction eight feet, forming an obtufe angle ;
and this circumftance is fufficient to convince me, that it muft reft
on the pier ; therefore the greateft arch cannot be confidered more
than one hundred and ninety-three feet ; yet certainly a confiderable
ftretch of genius, and a ftrong inftance of the curious fabric in
which fhe frequently refides, the artift, Ubrick Grubenman, being
a common carpenter, without the leaft knowledge of the princi-
ples of mechanics.
In a drawing which I have feen, the leading beam, compofed of
two pieces laid on each other, rifes in a fpring of about twenty feet
over the pier, fimilar to the principles of a roof, and braced by per-
pendiculars and diagonals, in order that it may preferve its pofition,
fo that in fome degree it operates like an arch, although in appear-
ance the framing refembles a right line, the whole being roofed ; a
man on foot croffing this bridge will feel the whole fabric tremble,
yet it is fufficient to fupport waggons heavily loaded, and bears
every hardfhip ufual to bridges.
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The bridge of Wittengen, over the Limmat, is a fpan of two
hundred and forty feet, raifed about twenty feet from the water,
and may be faid to hang between two bows, the fyftem by which
it is fupported being a ftrong bow or arch compofed of eight tim-
bers bolted on each other to create breadth, and back up againft the
weight, one of the bows being on each fide, forming a fpring of
about twenty-five feet; the horfe road is fufpended between the two
near the centre of the bend, this is alfo roofed, and by the mode
of combining, has more fimplicity and true mechanifm than that
of Schaffhaufen, although conftructed by the fame felf-taught
artift.
CHAP.
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CHAP. XXII.
PLATE XIV. ON BRIDGES OF IRON.
A
LTHOUGH various have been, and are, the opinions rela-
tive to the conftruction of bridges of iron and wood;
each artift feems neceffitated to refort to fomething like an arch, but
differing in their mode of producing it they frequently create
labour and expence by erecting a complicated fabric.
But, on this head, I conceive the firft care is to have fufficient
butments; after which, let each fegment of a circle, compofing a
rib, be formed of fingle pieces as long as can conveniently be caft;
and it is evident, a circle muft be compreffed into a ftreight line,
or the butments feparate before the bridge can come down.
It is therefore only neceffary to form a fegment, fo that it may
not change its pofition, by finking in one part and rifing in another,
by the various weights which it may have to fupport, alfo guard
againft yielding fide-ways; for this purpofe, the great quantity of
iron or wood is not fo material as a judicious arrangement of
the parts.
In iron, or wood, the artift may be furnifhed with pieces of
greater length than poffibly can be obtained of ftone; confe-
quently, there will not be fuch numerous joinings; and thus the
fpan may be further extended: on which fee Fig. I.
This
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This reprefents a fegment of iron fixty feet long, eight inches
broad by four thick, and may be confidered as a fingle ftone of
that length; which being placed between butments and the fpring,
preferved in a perpendicular direction, let five weights be fufpended
at equal diftance; and, in all probability, though each weight
amounted to twenty tons, it would fupport the whole five equal
to one hundred tons : yet, let one weight of twenty tons be fuf-
pended between the centre and end, as in Fig. II. and it is rea-
fonable to fuppofe, the whole would come to the ground, as the
weight would comprefs one part and raife the other, deftroying
the fhape of the fegment, and preventing the direct longitudinal
preffure of the parts on each other, for want of counter-weights
to preferve the equilibrium. Therefore, after forming a fegment,
the great point is to difpofe of the braces, fo as to divide the weights
equally on the curve.
To effect this, Fig. III. reprefents a fpan of one hundred and
thirty feet, by a fcale of one inch to twenty feet; and is an
arrangement of parts which, I conceive, would ftand without
butments, this may be confidered as a bow and ftring; which
ftring, by keeping the bow bent, anfwers the purpofe of butments;
all the other braces being for the purpofe of preferving the bow
and ftring in their proper fituation, by dividing the weight on the
bow. For inftance, a weight over the perpendicular B, will tend
to extend I, and 2; in which cafe, they pafs on A and C, and they
pull down the bow at F and G; F and G, by the fame fyftem, pull
down H and I, and fo on, wherever the weight is placed its pref-
fure will be divided along the bow, which confequently cannot
vary its pofition : according to the width of the bridge required,
four or more of fuch ribs muft be conftructed and placed perhaps
ten feet diftant from each other; the whole being faftened by
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crofs-bars paffing through the ftirrups, as in the aqueduct, and
prevented from yielding fideways, by the diagonal braces exhibited
at A, B, &c. Fig. IV. After which, the whole may be covered
with plates of iron, foiled and gravelled, or planked, and covered
with earth and gravel in like manner.
Although, I conceive, there is little doubt but a bridge, as above
defcribed, would ftand to the length of two or three hundred
feet, yet the multiplicity of pieces of which it is compofed, in
order to preferve the fhape of the fegment and relieve the butments,
would evidently occafion much labour and nicety of workman-
fhip therefore it exhibits the importance of fimplifying fuch
works, in order to facilitate their. formation, and apply every
particle of materials, fo that they may tend to ftrengthen the
whole, and not be liable to alter the pofition.
I fhall therefore return to the firft propofal of adequate but-
ments, to refift the longitudenal preffure of an arch of any
dimenfions. In this it muft be confidered, that the butments
need not be of the immenfe fize which firft ftrikes the imagination;
for whatever dimenfions an arch of iron or wood may be, the quan-
tity of materials is eafily calculated, and the weight which the but-
ments will have to refift; for inftance, if an arch weighs five hun-
dred tons, and the butments oppofed to its preffure weighs one
thoufand tons, they confequently cannot move, not to mention the
weight of earth backing, which tends to render them more per-
manent; therefore, feeing that the foundations are fecured, and
the fprings, if any, well drained, in order to keep them dry, I fee
no difficulty in conftructing butments to fupport an arch of any
dimenfions, and that at much lefs expence than butments and piers
could be erected for a ftone bridge ; in the fame fituation particu-
larly,
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larly, if fuch piers were to be built in water of any confiderable
depth.
Having premifed the butments to be of fufficient ftrength, I con-
fider the arch, whether it be compofed of iron or wood, to be like the
fegment of a hogfhead, and the component parts as near as pof-
fible like the ftaves : for this purpofe, in conftructing one of iron,
Fig. VIII. reprefents two ftaves, each of which might be caft in
open fand, four feet broad from twelve to fifteen feet long, the
pattern being formed to the radius of the fpring, a flange on the
lower fide of the ftave fhould be caft, about one foot broad, with
holes to receive the fcrew pins; acrofs the ftave one or more ribs, if
thought neceffary, thould be caft, to give ftrength to the top plate;
thefe ribs and flanges, in uniting the ftaves would butt on each
other, and ultimately compofe a rib to the whole extent of
the bridge.
Having caft the ftaves as wide and long as experience may here-
after prove expedient, I will fuppofe it neceffary to erect a bridge
one hundred feet fpan, as in Fig. V. in building the butments,
it would be advifeable to place two or three fegments, of the fame
radius, as the bridge, in each butment, they being caft with arms,
or, united to binders, in order to take a firm hold on the mafonry,
and become a permanent fupport the fegment thus paffing into
the butments, might be confidered as a part of the arch, which,
by this means, would butt againft the centre of the whole weight of
the butment, and muft pufh the whole away before the arch could
yield; but, without this precaution, the arch would reft fo near
the top of the butment, as to raife the ftone-work and endanger
the whole. Having thus prepared the butments, a centre of three or
more fegments, fo that each ftave may have two bearings, fhould be
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erected; and the ftaves being ready, all of one dimenfion, and the
fcrew-pins all of a fize, the arch might be fprung in a few days,
breaking joint, as in Fig. VII. Thus each flange and rib would
butt upon its neighbour, and the fcrew-pins confining the whole,
it would become like one folid fegment of a cylinder one foot
thick, extending into the piers.
By this mode, the difficulties which arife in fitting diagonal, per-
pendicular and lateral braces, are avoided, the top plate perform-
ing the office of all fuch braces; which top-plates, in other com-
pofitions, have no tendency to ftrengthen : thus every particle is
applied to refiftance, and the materials have but few joinings ;
which junctions have alfo broad and permanent bearings of one
foot on each other, the flange and ribs being caft of that depth.
Thus, I conceive, a bridge of one hundred feet, or perhaps one
hundred and fifty feet fpan, might be erected at a cheap rate, with
with a fmall quantity of materials, yet with the profpect of great
durability. If I fuppofe a bridge one hundred feet fpan, thirty
wide, with the top plate one inch thick, five flanges or ribs, each
one foot broad and two inches thick, the whole weight of the
arch would not be more than feventy-eight tons, allowing one
pound to every four cube inches of caft-iron.
So far relates to iron bridges of one hundred or one hundred and
fifty feet fpan; but fhould it be neceffary to extend them to a
greater length, to fay three hundred feet, two fegments would
then be requifite; the firft, as in Fig. VI. as the principal fupport
the fecond, to eafe the paffage, fhould be of fuch a bend as would
admit an eafy afcent and defcent; and, by being part of a curve, it
alfo tends to ftrengthen; thus, if I fay, fpan three hundred feet, the
firît fpring thirty, the fecond fpring only ten feet, they both mult
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be compreffed into ftreight lines, before they can come down; they
will alfo have twenty perpendicular feet of bearing on the butment,
the bearings oppofite to the two fegments being oppofed by feg-
ments entering the butments, as before defcribed ; the two fegments
muft be kept afunder by perpendiculars in the haunches, placed at
about ten feet diftance from each other, as in the Figure. See
Plate XV. exhibiting the combination by ribs and braces; alfo
Plate XVI. reprefenting the arch of ftaves.
Having exhibited the mode of conftruction, I conceive it unne-
ceffary to comment on the particular formation, or to draw a com-
parative view of this and other bridges of iron; as in cafes where
they may be required; the artift will weigh the various circum-
ftances, inveftigate the feveral modes of building, and choofe for
himfelf; in which there is a leading deliberation, viz. By what
means can a given quantity of materials be arranged, fo as to incur
the leaft expence in erecting, and be rendered moft permanent i
and by which mode will the leaft materials anfwer the purpofe?
CH AP.
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CHAP. XXII.
PLATE XVII. OF BRIDGES OF WOOD.
THE importand objection to bridges of wood, is their rapid
and this objection is certainly well founded, when
particular fituations are alluded to, where timber is fcarce, and
confequently expenfive; but in fuch countries as America, where
wood is abundant, I conceive it will be a fair criterion to judge
of their application, by calculating on the expence of a bridge of
ftone and one of wood; then compare the intereft of the principal
faved in adopting the wood-bridge, with the expence of its annual
repairs.
I have before exhibited the neceffity of conftructing bridges in
America, of an extenfive fpan or arch, in order to fuffer the ice
and collected waters to pafs without interruption and for this
purpofe, it muft be obferved, that a wood arch may be formed of
a much greater length, or fpan, than it is poffible to erect one of
ftone; hence they are applicable to many fituations, where ac-
cumulated waters, bearing down trees and fields of ice, would brufh
a bridge of ftone from its foundation.
It therefore becomes of importance, to render bridges of wood
as permanent as the nature of the material will admit.
Hitherto the immenfe quantity of mortifing and tennants,
which however well done, will admit air and wet, confequently
tend to expedite the decay of the weak parts, has been a material
7
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error in conftructing bridges of wood; the mode of arranging
the parts, by a repetition of bracing, has alfo expofed almoft every
fide of the whole of the timbers to the changes of the weather;
confequently, the whole was reduced to the durability of one
ftick, fimilar to fufpending a cage in open air, each ftick is expofed
to decay, without receiving fhelter from each other.
It has alfo been ufual to place fupporters in the water, fubject-
ing them to the furge of floods, which fhake the whole fabric;
which fupporters decaying progreffively let down the upper works.
But to render wood-bridges of much more importance than they
have hitherto been confidered; firft, from their extenfive fpan; fecond,
by their durability; two things muft be confidered : first, that the
wood-works fhould ftand clear of the ftream, in every part, by
which it never would have any other weight to fuftain than that
of the ufual carriage fecond, that it be fo combined as to exclude
as much as poffible the air and rain.
For this purpofe, in erecting a bridge of wood, I would pro-
ceed much on the fame fyftem as in conftructing the one of iron
ftaves. For inftance, fuppofe a bridge three hundred feet fpan,
thirty feet wide, the butments being rendered fecure, and centres
raifed on piles; let timbers, if convenient, be procured thirty feet
long, and of as great diameter as the country will produce; fuch
timbers being fquared and planed to the radius of the arch, with
the holes to receive a bolt or trundle, about four feet diftant from
each other; the whole operation in fpringing the arch, will be
to tar or paint the junctions with white lead, and infert the
trundle, as at A, Fig. II. and prefs them clofe, thus lay them
fide by fide, by which means an arch might be laid in a few
days,
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days, and as foon as the laft timber is placed, the centres may
be removed, and each piece preffing on its neighbour, will tend
to render the whole compact; this being done, bolt down the
belts C and D, diftant from each other, in a lateral direction, about
ten feet; then cover the whole with old fail-cloth, or tarpawling,
tar, and fand; of the tar and fand, two or three coats may be
laid on, which will fill every apperture, and form a permanent
cover to the total exclufion of the air and rain. The arch being
thus covered and kept dry, would prefent a fegment of a cylinder,
at leaft one foot thick, guarded from the change of feafons, and
in all probability would laft many ages. The firft fegment being
formed, proceed to raife the perpendiculars off the belts to fupport
the fecond or upper fegment; which fegment fhould be coated in
like manner with tar, &c. previous to laying on the earth and
gravel; which earth and gravel fhould be, perhaps, eighteen
inches thick, in order that wheels might never wear to the tim-
bers or coating. Having defcribed the conftruction, and exhibited
the formation, by the engraving, it is but neceffary to obferve, that
the ftaves compofing the arch are not eat away by mortifing, but
preferve their whole ftrength; thus being joined like ftaves, two
fides only of each ftick is expofed, which being coated, the whole
of the timber is completely covered from the weather. I will now
leave my reader to reflect on the ftrength and durability of this
arrangment; and then proceed to confider to what extent of fpan
fuch bridges may be conftructed.
In this I muft call to mind my former remarks, that the feg-
ment of a circle muft be compreffed into a ftrait line, or fink in
one part and rife in another, or the butments feparate before it is
poffible for a bridge to fall; by longitudinal preffure, the lateral
tendency Jhall bereafter be obferved, admitting the above propor-
tions,
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tions; the queftion is, Whether the arrangement of parts is fo
calculated as to guard againît fuch accidents? which probably
will appear by the following confiderations :
Firft, the butments may be made to refift any weight, by giving
a greater weight of ftone than there is weight of materials in the
arch
Second, the timbers being laid fide by fide, like ftaves, and
preffing on each other, leave not the leaft aperture into which the
parts of mortifed and framed timbers might be compreffed; hence,
feveral timbers, in a long arch, muft abfolutely be compreffed into
nothing, before the fegment could become a ftrait line.
Third, that it may not vary its pofition, by finking in one part
and rifing in another, with the various weights, I will confider
the ftaves and belts only : it muft be obferved, that by bolting
down the belts, which belts may be from thirty to forty feet long,
and break joint, as in Fig. II. the whole arch will become like one
folid piece of timber, bent between the piers. I will now fup-
pofe fuch a bridge forty feet broad, the timbers combined eighteen
inches thick; hence, admitting that it was conftructed of wood as
light as fir, each lineal foot would weigh one ton and a half,
hence every thirty feet forward would weigh forty-five tons ; as
a waggon, when loaded, feldom weighs more than five tons +.
Although this may not be neceffary, it is certain ; and as it is more my intention to
exhihit the poffibility of conftructing bridges of a great fpan, than to point out the precife
proportion of the parts, I conceive, by fhewing it poffible, future deliberations of
ingenious men will determine the proportion.
t By this I mean the broad-wheeled waggon of England, the American waggon is feldom
more than three tons.
S
And
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And admitting four fuch waggons, weighing twenty tons, to ftand
abreaft on the bridge, in which fituation they would have the
greateft poffible preffure, by acting near the fame fpot; yet, to
comprefs the part, thirty feet of the bridge, at leaft, on each fide,
muft rife, and this in fome meafure raifing the whole of the
fpring, which would be a weight of at leaft one hundred tons ;
hence, as twenty tons cannot move one hundred, without fuperior
leverage, and as there is no leverage obtained, confequently there
is no weight which it is reafonable to fuppofe can come on a
bridge at one time can injure it.
The longitudinal preffure being confidered, the tendency to
yield fideways may be prevented, by conftructing it wide at the
ends and contracted in the centre; the preffure will then be
refifted by an arch in every direction. Having exhibited the con-
ftruction, and affigned my reafons for its permanency, I hope it
will eafily be admitted, that a bridge of three hundred feet would
be perfectly fafe; but if the reader fhould hefitate at this, he
has my reafon why it would ftand, and it will be well to difcover
the reafon why it would not : but fuppofing it admitted, that three
hundred feet would be fafe, I fee no difference between that and
one of five hundred, or even more feet fpan, the proportions being
preferved by a fpring one tenth of the fpan*
When the true principle of building bridges of wood is difcovered, their progrefive
extenfion is as reafonable, as the increafed dimenfions of fhipping which, in early ages,
was deemed a great work if they amounted to one hundred tons burthen ; but time and ex-
perience has extended the art of fhip-building to two thoufand tons ; and in the combination
and arrangement of the various and complicated parts, there certainly is more genius and
labour required than in erecting a bridge of five hundred or one thoufand feet fpan but the
great demand for fhipping has rendered the formation familiar, and their increafed bulk
gradually grew into the fenfes : but had a man, in the infancy of naval architecture,
hinted at a veffel of two thoufand tons, I am inclined to think his cotemporary artifts
would fix him with the gentle appellation of mad-man.
7
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Having made this affertion, I almòft fear I have forfeited the
confidence of my reader, who may now be inclined to doubt the
ftability of my fenfes; but patience fhould accompany inveftiga-
tion, and I muft beg of him to proceed to give fome idea of
the proportion of fuch a bridge of five hundred feet fpan, fifty
feet fpring, and forty feet broad : take a board eleven feet
long, ten inches wide, and half-inch thick, and bend it be-
tween two blocks till it rifes twelve inches, and it will give a
model of the fpring of an arch compofed of two rows of ftaves,
each a foot thick, amounting to two feet in thicknefs; extend
this idea, by meafuring off five hundred feet in a field, and
imagining a perpendicular in the centre fifty feet high, then
draw a fegment by the eye, conceive the whole well wedged and
bolted together, the proportions of the timbers preferved, and
deliberate on the part where it could give way.
S 2
TO
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A TREATISE ON
TO
THOMAS MIFFLIN,
GOVERNOR OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA.
SIR,
D
URING the profecution of my experiments on Canal ope-
rations, which are exhibited in the preceding treatife, I
frequently contemplated their great importance to the States of
America, and much wifhed to awaken the public mind to a full
fenfe of the fubject; but, on confidering the habits of the people
of the interior country, accuftomed only to land carriage, I feared
much difficulty would arife in removing the prejudice in favour of
waggoning, and in raifing a fum of money adequate to the firlt
expence of a canal of importance. In deliberating on the mode
of furmounting thefe obftacles, I was fo fortunate as to meet with
your Addrefs to the Houfe of Reprefentatives in 1795, and parti-
cularly happy to find your ideas, of the importance of eafy com-
munications between remote parts of the country, fo confonant to
my own, and at the fame time fo earneftly recommended to the
public attention: which circumftance has urged me to addrefs this
Chapter to you, convinced that your fenfe of the fubject will not
fuffer any obfervations which may be ufeful to lie dormant.
I muft therefore requeft you deliberately to perufe the fyftem laid
down, which you will find, by Chapter VII. totally explodes the
old practice, for two reafons: Firft, Becaufe they may be conftruc-
ted for half the fum neceffary to a lock canal; and, Secondly, Be-
caufe on them you may perform difpatch, and pafs through the
moft mountainous country at the fpeed of fix miles per hour; an
advantage
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advantage which lock canals can never give, and which precludes
an immenfity of carriage: yet the fmall canal takes in every kind
of conveyance, and performs the double office of a canal and road
therefore, if founded and governed by found principles, a moun-
tainous country may have all the bleffings of water conveyance, fo
celebrated in the level and fertile plains of Egypt. But how to
extend thefe conveniencies into every corner and diftrict of America,
is now to be confidered.
While the mind hovers over the immenfe continent of America,
and views its vaft interior, inhabited in various diftricts remote
from the marts of trade, with infinite fcenes for the improvement
and nourifhment of millions of human beings, philanthrophy feeks
to combine the exertions of the prefent inhabitants to facilitate
their labour, extend their interefts, invite population, and give a
cultivating hand to every acre of that extenfive territory.
To fuch a wifh, in one point of view, is prefented a great and
fertile country, interfperfed with luxuriant vales and numerous
mountains, nourifhing infinite rivulets, which, meandring the
country, feed long and rugged rivers, diminifhing to naked fhoals
in dry feafons, or fwelling to roaring torrents in time of rain ;
preffing their way through ftupendous cliffs and infinite rocks,
prefent objects hoftile to navigating the ftreams of nature.
But fuch are the materials which art muft bring into unifon ;
the performance of which is a fubject the moft benevolent and
important, and worthy the ferious contemplation of the penetra-
ting members of fociety, as a great national queftion.
On this head it muft be evident, that in proportion as produce
is remote from market its value is diminifhed, in confequence of
the
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the expence of carriage, and hence remote parts are excluded the
market, or a facility of exchanging their furplus produce for ne-
ceffaries which they may require; thus the nerves of exertion are
cramped, the faculties of body and mind are not called forth, and
the country remains a dreary and inhofpitable wafte. But to en-
courage population and increafe the value of the lands, the cheapeft
poffible conveyance of the produce muft be eftablifhed on found
principles; for, exactly in proportion to the eafe of reaching the
market, the remote countries of equal fertility will be of more or
lefs confequence in the fcale of fociety; therefore, to fum up the
idea, would not the lands about Fort-Pit be as valuable as thofe
round Lancafter, if the produce could be brought to market for
the fame fum; and would not population confequently be en-
couraged?
For this purpofe, às I have the ftrongeft conviction operating on
my mind, that canals are the only effectual means of producing
eafy communications, and that they confequently are of the ut-
moft importance; I much wifh that the public may be made
thoroughly fenfible of their utility, and that each State might efta-
blifh a fociety to inveftigate the propriety of forming them in fuch
diftricts as the prefent ftate of population and trade may moft re-
quire them ; keeping one important object in view, that all future
canals may be conftucted on one fcale and principle, in order that
when the various branches meet the boats, one may navigate
the other wherever canals extend. This you will obferve has been
my with throughout, and in which I hope I have been fo fortunate
as to fucceed; if fo, canals appear in a new light, and are ftill more
important than formerly, becaufe they may now be fitted to every
kind of country, and by their cheapnefs approach near to the ex-
pence of conftructing turnpike roads.
At
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At a period when a country is improving by turnpike roads, the
queftion is, whether it is not beft to adopt canals ; and the criterion
to judge of the propriety of the canal, will depend on fimple cal-
culation, to the following effect; Ift, what is the expence of the
road; 2d, what is the expence of the canal; 3d, what is the ex-
pence of carriage by the road 4tb, what is the expence of carriage
by the canal; and probably it will be found the canal will perform
the work fo cheap, as to juftify three or four times the fum being ex-
pended in the canal, that would be neceffary to conftructing a road of
the fame length; to which one confideration muft be added in favour
of the canal, viz. on all roads, however good, the great expence of
carriage is the number of horfes; but on canals, the principal expence
is the tonnage or tolls to the proprietors, as intereft for the money ad-
vanced in forming the canal yet this tonnage by a judicious ar-
rangement may be reduced, if not liquidated, and the carriage on a
canal ma be fo regulated, that goods conveyed four hundred
or more miles, will not coft more than thofe which are navigated
eighty or one hundred miles yet the eighty or one hundred miles
canal conveyance will not coft half the fum neceffary to land car-
riage, on the beft of roads.
To elucidate this, I will fuppofe a canal from Philadelphia to
Fort-Pit, or any other long line, to fay, three hundred and fifty
miles; on fuch a canal a man, boy, and horfe, would convey forty
tons twenty miles per day, and arrive at Philadelphia in (fay)
eighteen days, at IOS. per day, amounting to I 80 fhillings for forty
tons, or 4s. 6d. per ton, the expence of boating, independent of
tolls. By a road of the fame length, four horfes, perhaps five,
would fet out with not more than two tons, and, travelling at the
rate of twenty-five miles per day, arrive at Philadelphia in fourteen
days ; and to fay only two dollars, or I 5s. per day, amounting to 210
fhillings, or 51. 5s. per ton for waggoning, independent of turn-
pike.
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pike. This, I hope, will exhibit the immenfe difparity between
the two modes, and fhew that roads, however good, can never ef-
fectually relieve a remote country. The queftion then is, how to
conftruct a canal in order to reduce the tolls, and completely affift
the diftant diftricts; this I conceive will totally depend on the mode
of raifing and appropriating a fum of money to the firft fifty or
one hundred miles of canal.
In this country, canals are paid by companies of fubfcribers, who
receive a toll on the carriage of goods as an intereft for the money
advanced, and the immenfe quantity of carriage throughout every
part of this compact kingdom, ufually produces a confiderable in-
tereft for the money expended, while the expence of carriage is
reduced below that of land conveyance; but as England is envi-
roned with water, with numerous fea ports, there is no part very
remote from the market, and hence, they never will have canals of
any comparative length with thofe neceffary in America, to fay
feven or eight hundred miles; therefore the mode of proprietors
receiving tonnage at fo much per mile, although it will ever be
much below land carriage, yet even that tonnage would preclude
the market from the remote country, and by no means anfwer for
American canals: for inftance,
L. S. d.
A conftructs a canal fifty miles long, and re-
ceives two-pence per ton per mile
-
O
8
4
B ditto
-
-
-
-
O
8
4
C ditto
-
-
-
-
O
8
4
D ditto
-
-
-
-
-
O
8
4
E ditto
- -
-
-
O
8
4
F ditto
-
-
-
-
O
8
4
G ditto
-
-
-
-
O
8
4
350 miles
L. 2 18 4 per ton,
tolls,
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tolls, independent of boating; and hence I conceive the produce
could not bear the expence of carriage by this method.
But as it is the produce of the interior country which muft be
drawn forth, the leading canals fhould be national works, perhaps
by the following fyftem.
Firft, That the legiflature, by fuch duties or impofts as they con-
ceive moft eligible, raife a fum of money adequate to the expence
of the firft fixty or feventy miles of canal ; to fay from Philadelphia
to Lancafter, which perhaps may coft I 50,000l. of which 30,0001.
per annum, may be required till the canal is finifhed. On this
canal, fixty miles long, if I fuppofe fifty tons per day to be navi-
gated at two-pence per ton per mile, allowing two hundred and
eighty working days per year, it would amount to 7,0001. per
annum, which fhould be applied to extending the canal ; the tolls
on fuch extention being appropriated in like manner to further
extention, and fo on, the toll to be' continually devoted to form-
ing more canal; till canals would pervade the whole country by
virtue of their own produce arifing from the tolls.
If this mode of extending the canal, by appropriating the tolls,
fhould be deemed too tedious for the fpeedy relief to the interior
country, and the funds of the ftate would admit of the advance
of a further fum, they might immediately extend the canal two
hundred miles, and receive the tolls, till the laft advanced fum was
liquidated; or, as the proprietors of the lands in the interior would
be much benefited by their property being raifed in value, probably
they might raife the fum, and receive the tolls till fuch fum was
liquidated : : the lands being increafed in value, might be deemed
T
fufficient
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fufficient intereft till the principal was difcharged, which would
diminifh every year.
If by either of thefe modes, or any better which can be devifed,
I fuppofe the firft two hundred miles of canal to be formed, the
trade will be more in proportion to the length than on the firft fixty
miles before eftimated; becaufe, being more remote from the
metropolis, the interior inhabitants will be neceffitated to fly to the
canal, the tonnage will alfo be greater; therefore, if I allow on
the two hundred miles one hundred tons per day, to be navigated
at twenty fhillings per ton for the whole length, or in propor-
tion for a fhorter diftance, the annual produce would be 28,000l.;
and having arrived at fuch annual income, canals would proceed
with difpatch, and progreffively increafe, both in riches and ex-
tenfion ; each year the produce of tonnage would increafe, and
each year a greater length of canal might be conftructed.
Therefore, if I proceed with this progreffive and creative fyftem,
till a canal reached Fort-Pit, which, with fome bends, I will call
three hundred and fixty miles ; the country, which fuch canal
would accommodate, would widen as it was more remote from
Philadelphia. For inftance, the man who lived twenty miles from
Philadelphia, might convey his goods feven to the canal; the man
at forty miles diftance might go fourteen or fifteen to the canal
at fixty miles, twenty to the canal; and fo on, till at the extremity
of three hundred and fixty miles, they probably would go fifty
on each fide to the canal ; hence, if I average the whole, fuch
canal may be faid to accommodate a country three hundred and
fixty miles long, fifty miles wide; on which the tonnage muft
ncw be regulated.
7
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The man who refides twenty miles from Philadelphia, and feven
from the canal, fhould he convey a ton of goods by land, it would
be worth at leaft fifteen fhillings, as it would employ a man and
two horfes two days*.
S.
The carriage to the canal, feven miles in like
proportion,
-
-
-
-
-
-
5
Carriage on the canal,
-
-
-
-
4
Total,
9
Thus the faving would be fix fhillings, and the tonnage fhould
increafe to a certain fum on the firft hundred miles of canal,
keeping much within the limits of land-carriage; then decreafe as
the boating increafed, in order to draw the trade of the back
country into the canal.
The expence of boating a ton twenty miles will be as follows:
a man, boy, and horfe, will convey forty tons twenty miles for
ten fhillings, which is three-pence per ton for twenty miles ;
but to allow contingencies, fay four-pence per ton, for boating
twenty miles; the tonnage and boating on the three hundred and
fixty miles fhould then be regulated, perhaps, in the following
order.
The English reader, who may look over this chapter, may perhaps be furprifed at
ftating the land-carriage of America to low. Butas I do not know the average expence of
that country, I effimate it low in order to give it every advantage, in a comparative view,
with the canal. In England, it would coft at leaft one guinea, with all the advantage of
good turnpike roads.
T2
Miles.
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Miles.
Tonnage.
Boating.
Amount.
S. d.
S. d.
S. d.
20
4 O
O
4
4 4
40
8 O
O 8
8 8
60
I2
O
I O
13 o
80
16
O
I 4
17
4
*
100
20 O
I 8
21 8
120
19
8
2
o
21
8
140
19
4
2 4
21
8
160
19 O
2 8
21
8
180
18
8
3 O
21
8
200
18
4
3 4
21
8
220
18
O
3 8
21
8
240
17
8
4 O
21
8
260
17
4
4 4
21
8
280
17 O
4 8
21
8
30a
16 8
5 O
21
8
320
16
4
5 4
21 8
340
16 O
5 8
21
8
+ 360
15 8
6 o
21
8
By this fyftem, the country at the extremity of three hundred
and fixty miles, would deliver goods at Philadelphia for twenty-
one fhillings and eight-pence; which is the fame as paid at the
diftance of one hundred miles; to which the land-carriage to the
canal muft be added. But as fuch a fyftem would open a market
to the remote country, every acre of ground within reach of the
This being within the limits of land-carriage, the tonnage muft now begin to
decreafe as the boating is increafed.
t
If the boats return without back-carriage, the expence of boating, which on the three
hundred and fixty miles is fix fhillings, muft be deducted from the tolls; and in proportion
on the various parts of the canal.
canal
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canal would become more valuable, and the carriage to the canal
muft be borne for fome years. But as population increafed, and
the tonnage on the main line became productive, lateral branches
would be cut from the canal, and thus further improve the coun-
try ; the tonnage on fuch branches being proportioned as before
ftated, according to the diftance from the city.
The carriage on fuch canal would confequently be immenfe;
for, as I before ftated, it would accommodate a country three hun-
dred and fixty miles long, fifty miles wide, in the main, contain-
ing eighteen thoufand fquare miles, or eleven million five hundred
and twenty thoufand acres. If, by further improvement, I allow
that only every fiftieth acre will produce one ton of carriage per
annum, the amount would be two hundred and thirty thoufand four
hundred tons; which appears, by averaging the preceding tonnage,
would coft fifteen fhillings per ton, in tolls to the canal, amount-
ing to 172,8001. per annum, in order to conftruct further canal;
a fum adequate to forming, perhaps eighty or one hundred miles
per year : having arrived at fuch a length, it is evident canals
would increafe with aftonifhing rapidity, and produce convenien-
cies, even beyond the limits of calculation; for it muft be obfer-
ved, and ftrictly adhered to, that by canals you may equalize the
carriage of the near and remote country, as before exhibited by
the mode of regulating the boating with the tonnage, in proportion
to the extent; inafmuch as that a ton of goods may be carried
three hundred and fixty miles for 11. IS. 8d. Yet, was I to extend
the idea to a ftill more diftant diftrict, by reducing the tonnage as
the boating increafed, till the tolls were annihilated, and the boat-
ing amounted to 11. IS. 8d. a ton of goods might be boated
thirteen hundred miles for that fum; yet a ton could not be
waggoned the fame diftance for lefs than 381. IOS. fo great is the
difparity between land and water-carriage.
Hence
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142
A
TREATISE ON
Hence it muft be evident, that roads, however good, can never
effectually affift the remote country, each mile is attended with a
heavy expence on carriage, till penetrating fo far, that the value
of the produce is confumed in carriage; it terminates in a luxuriant
wildernefs, fable and uncultivated as the interior of Africa. But
by canals, the conveyance may be fo eafy, that they may penetrate
the moft remote diftricts, draw down the produce to the ports of
trade, and bear up the various conveniencies of life; thus each
man may exchange his furplus labour for the neceffaries or lu-
xuries which he may require; hence his faculties will be put into
action, cultivation will flourifh, and enjoyment be more equally
diffufed; canals will pafs through every vale, meander round each
hill, and bind the whole country in the bonds of focial inter-
courfe, hence population will be increafed, each acre of land will
become valuable, induftry will be ftimulated, and the nation,
gaining ftrength, will rife to unparalleled importance, by virtue of
fo powerful an ally as canals.
Having exhibited the immenfe difparity between canals and
roads, with the mode of extending canals in every direction, by
appropriating the tolls ; it is evident, that fuch a fyftem will pro-
duce infinite navigation. But the mode of conftructing them
muft be maturely confidered; and in this, two things muft be
fcrupuloufly adhered to.
Firft, that canals may truly benefit a country, it is neceffary
the paffage fhould be performed with equal eafe each way. Se-
cond, that the neareft courfe fhould be taken to the princi-
pal points of the country; and for both thefe reafons, the
beds of the rivers, beyond tide, muft almoft univerfally be
for-
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CANAL NAVIGATION.
143
forfaken #; becaufe torrents, in time of rain, which is extremely in-
jurious to the works of art, with the fhoals in dry feafons, together
with the current ever ftanding one way, will very frequently inter-
rupt free intercourfe, and render frefh-water river navigations
precarious.
The rivers, creeks, and rivulets, which are numerous in all
parts, muft be confidered as the feeders of canals; and, in this
refpect, having an abundance of water, America is very for-
tunate; land is alfo cheap and timber plenty, fo that the great
expence of an American canal would be labour.
Therefore, as it is the channels of art, which can only effec-
tually affilt the country, I have confrantly endeavoured to find a
fyftem which might pafs by the ftreighteft line to a given point
hence you will obferve the mode of mountinghills, croffing val-
leys, rivers, and defiles, by the various machines; which, I hope,
will difplay an eafy means of extending water communications
through a great continent, and bear the mind to thofe days, when
a well-directed œconomy in manual labour will give enlightened
and rational enjoyment to many millions of inhabitants : hoping,
that this important fubject will make a part of the deliberation
of a wife Legiflature,
I remain, with all poffible Refpect,
Yours fincerely,
London, March, 1796.
ROBERT FULTON.
By forfaking the beds of the rivers I mean, that they fhould not compofe or make a
Principle part of a leading canal ; yet, however numerous canals may be, it will frequently
happen that fome miles of a river will afford eafy navigation in particular feafons, and pro-
bably touch the leading canals into which the goods, or perhaps boats, may be transferred
from the river; for fmall boats will live on the American rivers in particular parts and fea-
fons, of which there are innumerable inftances by the batteaus and even canoes.
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144
A TREATISE, &c.
ADDITION.
IN conducting a line of canal through a mountainous country,
may, in many inftances, be extremely difficult to fupply the
top level with water to work the machinery; yet the country may
produce fufficient at the next lower level; for inftance, at one OF
two hundred feet below the top pond of canal.
In fuch cafe, if the ground is floping, fo as to admit of a difcharge
from the bottom of the tub-pit, or even a water wheel, the machinery
exhibited by the preceding Engravings may be placed at the bottom
of the plane, and receive motion from the water of the lower level;
by which the boats may be paffed to and from the fummit with the
fame facility as if the machinery was on top of the plane, and thus
the water of the fummit level will be preferved: which exhibits
another important advantage over lock canals.
The whole of the apparatus will alfo equally apply, whether
there are wheels to the boats or rollers to the plane.
FINIS.
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This Day was publifhed, by I. and F. Taylor, No. 56, High Holborn,
London, in Quarto, Price Il. 8s. in Boards,
A GENERAL HISTORY OF
INLAND NAVIGATION,
FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC :
Containing a complete Account of the Canals already executed in
England, with Confiderations on thofe projected.
TO WHICH ARE ADDED
PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS.
THE WHOLE ILLUSTRATED WITH
A large Map, coloured, fhewing the Lines of all the Canals executed, thofe
propofed, and the Navigable Rivers; with other ufeful Plates.
By F. PHILLIPS.
A new Edition corrected, with two Addendas, which complete the Hiftory to 1795.
Alfo, in Octavo, Price 45. 6d. in Boards,
EXPERIMENTAL ENQUIRY
Concerning the Natural Powers of Wind and Water to turn MILLS and
other MACHINES depending on a
CIRCULAR MOTION.
And an Experimental Examination of the Quantity and Proportion
Of MECHANIC POWER
Neceflary to be employed in giving different Degrees of VELOCITY to HEAVY
BODIES from a STATE of REST.
Alfo new Fundamental Experiments upon the
COLLISION OF BODIES.
WITH FIVE PLATES OF MACHINES.
By the late Mr. JOHN SMEATON, F. R. S.
CHOUND
PLATE.1.
10
BOATS,
RJ ulton wwen, et deun
The Harket or- Paprage Boat ._2. The The Dispatch ispatch Boat,
3. The Common four ton-Boat
London Published by 18.1 Type Holborn Manth 11796.
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PLATE. 2.
J
H
D
1
K
F
E
J
B
If Fulton weren " delen.
The Double Inclined Plane ?
London Publifhed by I&Alayler Holborn Manch 1.17.96.
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G
F
D
c
A
F
E
B
R.Fulton ween at delin
The Single Inclined Plane.
Lendon/Published/by T& J. Taylor Holbarn March.11796
1
PLATE. 4.
10
R.Fulton inven et delin
The ascent.
London Published by 18.7. Taylor Holborn March 1.1796
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PARTS OF THE MACHINERY.
PLATE. 5.
Fig.1.
A
Fig.2.
B
C
D
G
11
E
R.Fulton inten et detin.
the Various Levels, Uso the Inclined wheel with teeth to prevent the
Fig.1. the Cast offhook. which Seperates from the Leading / hains with
Fig.2.A the Water Jub, B the Hopper C the Balance Chains D the apparatus to empty-
to the Coalpits se. E the mode ofpaping Timbers of any length.
London Publithed byI&J.Taylor Holborn. March,1.1796.
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PLATE.6.
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Fulton, inven et delin
The First mode ofpaping wide and deep Talleys
London Published by 18 1 Tawlor Helborn March 1.17.96.
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PLATE 7.
RFulton traven at
$
The mode ofpafsing Rivers and gaining height atthe same time.
London: Published by T& J. Taylor Holborn March 1.1796.
PLATE. 8
R.Fulton, inven at delin.
The Second mode ofpafsing Rivers Independent of. Aqueducts,
London Published by / &J.Daylor Holborn March.1.1796.
PLATE.9.
R.Fulton inven a delin
The perpendicular_h lift forpaping an alternate Trade !
London: Published by L& J.Taylor / Holborn March 1.1796.
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PLATE.10.
Fig.1.
C
B
E
A
Fig.2.
Fig.3.
R.Fulton inven a delin.
Fig.1. Plan ofthe . Machinery with the mode of heeping the Cranes parellel by the Lever A.
Fig: 2. The drum Wheel and Centrifugal Fans
Fig. 3. The Waler tub with the mode of discharging the Raised Water into the Reservoir D.
London Published by L& Jaylor Holborn March 1.1796
on
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$
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PLATE.11
E
D
C
R.Fulton inven a delin
The mode ofpaping a descending hade and saving the Whole of
the Waler by means ofthe pumps.
London Published by I.S.J. Taylor. Holborn March 1.1796
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R.Fulton inven of delin.
The become mode of paping an alternate Trade !
London:Published by I&J. Taylor. Holborn March 1.1796.
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PLATE.13.
Fig. 2.
Fig.1.
C
A
B
D
In Jron P Aqueduct Scale Juch to iso Feet.
Fig.r. Section, Inch to 6 Feet._ Fig. 2. Part., ..Inch 10.1 Feet.
J. ondon Published by I&J.T aylor. Holborn March L1796.
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PLATE 14
Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
BURNK
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< MIIIII
B
F
G
H
I
Fig. 3.
1
2
A
C
Fig 4
A
B
Fig.
5.
Fig 6.
IIIIIIIIIIIIII !!!!!!!!!!!!!
I
Fig. 7.
Fig 8.
R.Fulson INFORMATION a dear
Parks of Iron - Bridges.
Published by 1 March 1 1796.
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PLATE.15.
R.Fulton. inven at delin
Design for an Iron Bridge Scale Juch to 10 Feet. 1.
The Section Shews the Ribs and Braces. Scale , Inch to4 Feel.
Published hit I& J.Taylor, Holborn March 1.1796.
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and
10%
3
R.Fulton.inwen.et delin.
Part of" Bridge composed of Iron. Haves.
Lia
Published ty 18.1 Tayler Helborn March 1.1796
PLATE.17.
======
THE
WIN
R Fulton, inven at delin
Design fora Bridge of Wood, Scale / Inch to 50 feet, With the mode of
Combining the Timbers.
London Published by I& J Taylor, Holborn March,1796.
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TC 744.F97
C.1
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