Stepney Lane, whence winding to the south-east it passes Salmon Lane, and crossing the Commercial Road, arrives at the basin, from which it locks into the Thames, being a length of above eight miles and a half; with a fall of 90 feet, by twelve locks, exclusive of the tide lock.
This great and arduous undertaking was projected for the purpose of forming a continuous line of canal navigation from the Grand Junction at Paddington Basin, to the River Thames, and the various docks on the east side of the Metropolis; affording thereby an easy mode of conveying merchandize not only from the interior of the kingdom to London, but also to the intermediate parts of the city; and on the other hand to open a line of conveyance to the most distant parts of the country. The first act for this purpose was passed in the year 1812, under the title of 'An Act for making and maintaining a navigable Canal from the Grand Junction Canal, in the parish of Paddington, to the River Thames, in the parish of Limehouse, with a collateral Cut in the parish of St. Leonard, Shoreditch, in the county of Middlesex.' By which act the proprietors were formed into a comnpany styled "The Company of Proprietors of the Regent's Canal," with power to make a canal, to be called the Regent's Canal, from and out of the Grand Junction Canal, in the parish of Paddington in the county of Middlesex, into and through several parishes to communicate with the Thames, in the parish of St. Anne's, Limehouse, and to make a navigable collateral cut from the same in the parish of St. Leonard's, Shoreditch, to Aske Terrace, in the same parish; and to make and maintain all necessary inclined planes, steam-engines, reservoirs, channels, feeders, locks, tunnels, culverts, bridges, &c. &c. that may be required to complete time same. The canal may be supplied with water from all streams on its line and fromn the Thames, but no water is to be taken from the Thames, when lower than half-flood or ebb tide, nor from such streams as have been previously granted to the Grand Junction Company, nor from the streams, &c. belonging to the New River Company, nor from the Hampstead Water Works. For executing their plans, the proprietors are empowered to raise £300,000, in shares of £100 each; and in case that sum should prove insufficient, they mnay borrow, on mortgage, or on promissory notes,
