incorporated under the style of " The Company of Proprietors of the Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Union Canal," with powers to make navigable the River Soar, from the West Bridge in the parish of St. Mary, Leicester, to Ayleston Bridge in the county of Leicester, and from thence to make a navigable canal to the parish of Hardingstone in the county of Northampton, to communicate with the River Nen or Northern River, and to proceed along the said river to the town of Northampton, and from that town to make a navigable canal to and into another part of the River Nen, and after crossing the said river to communicate with an intended branch from the Oxford Canal at Braunston, to join the Thames at New Brentford; also to make a collateral cut from the before-named canal in the parish of Lubenham, in Leicestershire, to Market Harborough. For executing these plans the sum of £200,000 was directed to be raised in shares of £100 each; and should this prove insufficient, a further sum of £100,000. With these powers the proprietors commenced the work; but after having rendered the River Soar navigable as far as Ayleston Bridge, and after completing part of the canal from that place, they found that great advantages would be gained by varying the original line of the projected cut to Market Harborough, they therefore applied to parliament for a second act, which was obtained in 1805, under the title of 'An Act to enable the Company of Proprietors of the Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Union Canal, to vary the Line of the said Canal, and to alter and amend the Powers of the Act passed for making the said Canal.' The second act being obtained, the proprietors continued the execution of their plan as far as Foxton, and the collateral cut to Market Harborough was completed. The remainder of the work was rendered unnecessary by the junction with the Grand Union at Foxton as above-mentioned. By the first act the company had authority to collect the following
TONNAGE RATES.
| For all Coal and Coke | 2½d per Ton, per Mile. |
| For all Lime, Lime-stone, Dung and Manure | 1½d ditto, ditto. |
| For all Live Cattle, Stones, Bricks, Tiles, Sand, Iron-stone, Pig-iron and Pig-lead | 2d ditto, ditto. |
| For all other Goods, Wares and Merchandize whatever | 3d ditto, ditto. |
Materials for Roads, Manure for the use of Proprietors of Land on the Line, Troops, and Government Stores are exempt from all these Rates.
