The Canal System of England

by Hubert Gordon Thompson

THE CANAL SYSTEM

OF

ENGLAND:

ITS GROWTH AND PRESENT CONDITION

WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO

THE CHEAP CARRIAGE OF GOODS.

BY

H. GORDON THOMPSON, M.B., Ch.B.,

Cobden Medallist and Prizeman, Victoria University,
Holt Fellow, Liverpool University, etc.

PUBLISHED FOR THE COBDEN CLUB BY REQUEST.

SECOND EDITION.

London:
T. FISHER UNWIN,

PATERNOSTER SQUARE.

"Of all the inventions, the alphabet and the printing press alone excepted, those inventions which abridge distance have done most for civilisation."—Macauley.

TO

SIR JOHN T. BRUNNER, BART, M.P.,

THIS ACCOUNT

OF THE CANAL SYSTEM OF ENGLAND

IS INSCRIBED

WITH THE WRITER'S SINCERE RESPECT

PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION.

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The material from which this little work has been drawn has necessarily been exceedingly various.

I had at one time thought of indicating the many authorities to whose works I am indebted for information, and as far as possible this has been done in the footnotes to the text.

So extensive, however, have been the sources from which my information has been derived, that it will hardly be surprising if some have been left unacknowledged. May I therefore express my indebtedness to all upon whose experience I have based my argument—or from whom I have obtained facts and figures, either by direct communication or by a consultation of their works.

The object of this account of our Canal System has been, not so much to discuss each individual waterway, but to set forth in order the facts relating to our inland navigations as a whole, and to give some idea of the possibilities which lie before the method of transport.

November 15th, 1902.

PEEFACE TO SECOND EDITION.

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Since the publication of the First Edition of this work in 1902, the subject of transport has come to the front in connection with the fiscal question.

That improvement of Transport would solve the problem cannot be dogmatically asserted, but it would certainly go far to improve the condition of trade, and again prove the truth of Cicero's line:

"Magnum vectigal est parsimonia"

which may well be translated:

"Economy is a source of great revenue."

Additional sections have been devoted to Continental Improvements, and Economy of Water Transport, for the purpose of giving breadth of view and completeness to the subject.

The author would acknowledge with many thanks kindly suggestions and criticisms from Mr. H. K. de Salis, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., Mr. Lionel Wells, M. Inst. C.E., Mr. Urquhart Forbes, and others.

H. GORDON THOMPSON.

July 30th, 1904.
  Walmer House,
  1, Catharine Street, Liverpool.